Drafter
Clerk 03/07/2017
title
A MOTION approving a new policy for accessible voting centers.
body
WHEREAS, RCW 29A.40.160 requires that each county auditor open a voting center each primary, special election and general election, and may provide election services at additional locations at the discretion of the county auditor, and
WHEREAS, the King County council passed Motion 12820 in July 2008 approving a plan for regional voting centers and ballot drop boxes that was never fully implemented, and
WHEREAS, the King County council passed Motion 14491 in December 2015 requesting that the director of elections transmit a plan to improve access to and convenience of ballot drop-off locations in King County, and
WHEREAS, Motion 14634 approving the ballot drop-off location plan and increasing the number of King County drop boxes by thirty-three was approved by the King County council in May 2016 and fully implemented in advance of the 2016 general election, and
WHEREAS, one of the three priorities of the department of elections is working to remove barriers to voting at both the individual and community level, and
WHEREAS, one of the guiding principles for King County is financial sustainability, and
WHEREAS, accessible voting centers have seen diminishing use since the county's transition to vote-by-mail in 2009, and
WHEREAS, for some recent special elections the cost of operating three accessible voting centers regardless of which jurisdictions are participating has risen to more than one thousand dollars per voter, and
WHEREAS, since 2008 there have been significant improvements to technology to support individuals with disabilities and many prefer to use the county's online ballot marking program, and
WHEREAS, the implementation of a new tabulation system will provide more flexibility and convenience to be able to provide service to voters where they are, and
WHEREAS, a new approach to accessible voting centers will allow the county to utilize staff...

Click here for full text