Evan Smith: Look for a second voters’ pamphlet

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Residents of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and the rest of King County got a voters’ pamphlet a few days ago and soon will get another one.

That’s because King County elections officials have decided to publish information on local candidates and measures in a pamphlet separate from the State pamphlet.

Many counties submit information on local candidates and measures to State election officials for inclusion in the State pamphlet. King County, however, will publish local information in a separate voters pamphlet.

The first pamphlet, from the Secretary of State’s office, had information about the nine statewide ballot measures and about candidates for the U.S. Senate, congressional representative, the State Legislature and State courts.

The one that went to Snohomish County voters had all of that plus information about local ballot measures and candidate for Snohomish County prosecuting attorney and district court judgeships.

Our information on three King County Charter amendments, the King County tax proposition, and the Shoreline tax proposition and about candidates for district court judgeships and King County prosecuting attorney will come in a separate County pamphlet. King County elections officials say that they’ve done this for three reasons:

1. Voter Convenience – “Our voters have told us they'd like to see our issues not get lost in the larger document,” said Kim Van Ekstrom, King County elections spokeswoman.

2. Time -- “We have a little more time to produce it,” Van Ekstrom said last week. “That is really helpful when there is information that is still being produced --like locations of the additional ballot drop boxes. We would not have been able to get this into the State pamphlet since we were still working out details after the (State) deadline.”

3. Cost – “We don't spend more and sometimes can save money doing it this way, Van Ekstrom said.