Voting

CityClub is pleased to present the Greater Seattle Civic Health Index, Seattle's first index measuring the strength of our community in:

 1. Volunteering

 2. Neighborliness

 3. Voting

 4. Belonging to Groups

 5. Philanthropy

 6. Political Voice

What is Civic Health and why is it important to measure and improve it?  How does greater Seattle compare to national standards? The greater Seattle Civic Health Index answers these questions, and then delves deeper to address the inclusion of low-income, immigrant and communities of color in civic life and how we can combat the erosion of public trust that threatens civic participation? 

Offering conclusions on current conditions and following them up with recommendations for improvement, the Civic Health Index aims not only to disseminate information about our civic health but also to stimulate real improvements in our community.  

To find out how your organization can be involved with the Civic Health Index see our Executive Summary.  And for more information on the project you may visit our Civic Health Index webpage.  To go right to the full report click here to read the full report online or you may also view and share the Civic Health Index via PowerPoint!

Get involved! And check out the report with important insights for our community!

The King Conservation District is currently holding a public election for the Board of Supervisor position #2. One exciting thing about this election? Online voting!

Click here to learn about the four candidates running for the position. Then, if you're a registered King County voter (excluding Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific and Skykomish - cities that are not members of the King Conservation District), head on over to their website to learn more about all your options - online voting, in person voting, and voting by mail.

You can vote in person or online through 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15. Click here to vote now!

You may not be in one of the few districts that has a special election today - but if you are, don't forget to vote! Click here for a list of districts voting in this election, then visit the King County Elections main page for more information, including locations of drop boxes where you can deliver your ballot!

Many of you have already voted - hooray! However, if you haven't, today's the day!

Visit the King County Elections page for all your last-minute-information needs, including a list of ballot drop box locations and (slightly more fun) a digital 'I Voted' sticker (like the image above!) for those feeling nostalgic about polls or wanting to show off your voting pride!

Need to do a little more deliberation on the intiatives before you decide? Visit the Living Voters Guide to see what other Washingtonians are saying.

If you are looking for a place to celebrate the election and watch the returns come in, join Municipal League of King County tonight at Twist Bar & Lounge. Starting at 5:00 p.m., they're hosting a meet and greet before you head to the parties of the winners and losers on election night. Feel free to come straight from work! Check out the event page for this free event on Facebook.

Get out the vote!

We've been talking a lot lately about the Living Voters Guide - but for the most part we've really only told you the very basics, and encouraged you to register on the site and explore for yourself.  

Now that ballots have dropped, we wanted to take a moment to tell you a little bit more about how exactly the Living Voters Guide works: Why is it a "living" voters guide (versus, as I have heard many say, "a dead voters guide")? How does it help voters make decisions on the initiatives? Aren't people just sitting at home on their computers posting rants about taxes?

Additionally, if you haven't actually registered for an account, or had much time to explore, you haven't seen some of the inner workings of the Living Voters Guide in action. In that spirit, we put together a little more detail about the Living Voters Guide and included some screenshots to show you more about how the Living Voters Guide works - and has been working since our launch on September 21. Click the link below to read more! 

Read more...

Tickets are sold out for our in-studio audience, but you can still participate in our Seattle Speaks conversation about Initiative 1098.

The program will be broadcast live online and on television - visit the Seattle Channel's Seattle Speaks website or tune in to Comcast Cable 21 or Broadstripe Channel 21. Via the website, you'll be able to take the polls online along with the studio audience, and send in your feedback.

We'll be monitoring online messages throughout the show. Ways to let us know your thoughts:

• Tune in to the live program and take the polls along with our studio audience at SeattleChannel.org
• Email the Seattle Channel at contact (at) seattlechannel.org with your comments
  
• CityClub's Facebook and Twitter
• Seattle Channel's Facebook and Twitter
  

If you want to give your question or comment the best chance of getting on-air, make sure it is coherent and expletive-free!

In the past, people have hosted Seattle Speaks watch parties - if you are planning one, attending one, or have heard of one, let us know! We'd be happy to spread the word if you're looking to expand your party.

On Friday (September 10), Crosscut published an article titled "Income tax measure: Is it about public trust?"

For us, it was a CityClub double whammy, relevant to two things we have going on right now: first, our September 31 Seattle Speaks event "Income Tax for Washington State?" (this event is free!) and second, our 2010 Community Matters Campaign theme of public trust. (Take our public trust poll!)

It's a really interesting read, and there's a lot going on in the comments. Click over to Crosscut for the full article!

This year's general election day is fast approaching (November 2!) - so now is the time to make sure you're registered to vote! Below is a message from Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed - with helpful links! (Don't forget you can also use MyVote to confirm your registration; update your address; view the races, candidate statements, and ballot measures specific to your ballot; find the nearest place to return your ballot; and obtain contact information for the elected officials who represent you!)

Voting allows us to decide who we want to run our government. But you can't vote unless you're registered to vote. This year’s General Election includes many important races and issues, from U.S. Senate to congressional and legislative races, to many local contests. There are many ballot measures that will affect you. If you haven’t registered, I urge you to do so soon. You have until October 4 to register either via mail or online by going to vote.wa.gov (click on the online voter registration icon). You also have until October 25 to register in person with your county elections department if you haven’t previously registered in Washington.

Not yet registered to vote in Washington, or moved/changed your name recently? Today's the deadline for online and paper applications and updates to your voter registration!

You can register online here, or to update your information click here. More info on updates from the King County Elections webpage:

If you have moved from one address in King County to another address in King County, you can call us at 206-296-VOTE (8683) to report your new address, complete a voter registration form (external link), or write to us with the following information:

• Registered name
• Date of birth
• Voter registration number (if known)
• Prior address/new address
• Mailing address (if different)
• Signature
• Daytime and nighttime phone number

To be eligible to vote in your new precinct or under your new name, you must change your record no later than 30 days prior to the election.

(Late deadline for in-person registration if not already registered in Washington is August 9.)