A message from Thandi to Voters. Please listen!
Produced by: Channel A Tv; Producer: Davies Chirwa (Founder, CEO Channel A Tv); Voice Talent: Thandi Chirwa; Voice Over: Richard Johnson (RJ)
Kent Black Action Commission Radio Message on Voting 2020
To register to Vote or Update your address on your voter registration please click on the preferred language link below:
https://olvr.votewa.gov/default.aspx?Org=KBAC English
https://olvr.votewa.gov/default.aspx?Org=KBAC&language=es Spanish
https://olvr.votewa.gov/default.aspx?Org=KBAC&language=zh Chinese
https://olvr.votewa.gov/default.aspx?Org=KBAC&language=vi Vietnamese
https://olvr.votewa.gov/default.aspx?Org=KBAC&language=ko Korean
Key Dates
September 22 – National Voter Registration Day
October 14 – Ballots mailed
October 15 – Drop boxes open
October 19 – Voters should have their ballot in hand by the 10/19 mail delivery
October 26 – Deadline for online and mail voter registration
November 3 – Election Day! Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. sharp or ballots must be postmarked by today
November 23 – Final day to return the form to cure a challenge/fix a signature issue
November 24 – Certification Day, marks the official end of vote counting
Topline messages for voters
– Get registered or make sure you’re registered to vote at your current address. You can take care of it online before October 26 or in person until Election Day but there’s no reason to wait – get it done today!
– Make a vote plan today. Thinking through when you’re going to vote, with you, and how you’re going to return your ballot can help make sure that you get back your ballot back on time and make sure your voice heard.
– Cast your ballot early. You should receive your ballot by October 19th. Once you have it, fill it out and return it right away. Don’t wait until Election Day!
– If you lost or didn’t receive your ballot, you can go online to kingcounty.gov/elections/obmp to print yours. Just make sure to follow the instructions closely and then you can return by drop box or by mail – no stamp needed. It’s important to select ‘fit to page’ when printing to ensure that no votes are cut off the bottom.
– Track your ballot. You took the time to vote and return your ballot. Now, make sure that your ballot counted and be confident on Election Day that your voice was heard.
Numbers
– King County is projecting 90% for this Presidential Election. This would be record-breaking turnout with the previous high of 85% in the 2012 Presidential election.
– 90% turnout means that King County Elections is prepared and planning to get 1,287,000 ballots returned from our voters.
– We expect to be around 1.4-1.42 million registered voters by Election Day.
– This is an 18-inch ballot with statewide ballot measures, advisory votes, and the Presidential race on the front, and all other candidates and ballot measures on the back.
– There are 73 drop boxes now in King County, up from just 10 in 2016. The newest locations are the Carnation and Black Diamond libraries, South Seattle College, and in Renton near Elections HQ.
Vote Centers
– We will have Vote Centers in seven locations: Elections HQ in Renton, CenturyLink Field Event Center and the Dempsey Indoor Center on the UW Campus in Seattle, Bellevue College, Showare Center in Kent, the Federal Way Performing Arts Center, and Kenmore City Hall. There is also a space on the UW Bothell campus where students can go to print their ballot online if they misplaced theirs.
– Vote Centers are there to serve those who need to get registered or update their registration after the online deadline has passed on October 26th. In addition, voters can get a replacement ballot and voters with disabilities can utilize assistive devices to cast a private, secure ballot.
– Given the pandemic, we are encouraging those who don’t require assistance to vote from home so we can keep lines and crowds down and voters and staff safe. That said, the decision to come in person is ultimately up to the voter.
– The Renton Vote Center will be open throughout the voting period and all other locations will be open on Saturday 10/31, Monday 11/2, and Tuesday 11/3. We recommend coming to see us in Renton or visiting one of the other locations on Saturday 10/31 to avoid the long lines we inevitably see on Election Day. If you must come on Election Day, the earlier you can make it, the less likely you are to wait in a long line.
– Anyone who comes to see us in person should plan on wearing a mask and following social distancing guidelines. All staff will be masked and gloved and we will have markers on the floor and staff on hand to help keep lines orderly and distanced.
Voter Registration
- The simplest way to register to vote is to go online to VoteWA.gov. The deadline to register to vote online or return a paper registration form by mail is Monday, October 26.
- To be eligible to register to vote, you must be a US citizen, a Washington State resident, and not currently incarcerated or under community custody following a felony conviction. To cast a ballot, you must also be 18 by Election Day.
- 16 and 17 year olds can pre-register to vote and they will automatically get a ballot for the first election in which they’re eligible to vote. Starting in 2022, 17 year olds will be able to vote in the August primaries if they are 18 by the General election in November.
- If you miss the deadline to register online, you can come register in-person at one of our Vote Centers through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- It’s also important that voters make sure their voter registration is up to date. If you have moved or changed your name recently, be sure to get your registration updated. And it never hurts to check that the correct information is on file. Voters can look at and update their registration at VoteWA.gov.
Make a Vote Plan, Vote Early, Results, and More
– Life is busy and creating a vote plan can help make sure you get your ballot in on time. Make a vote plan today so that you know when you’ll vote, who you’ll vote for, and how you’ll return your ballot. You can use the template available on our website here.
– We strongly recommend voting early in this election. Voting early means that you can rest easy on Election Day know that you did your part and it means that we are able to provide a more meaningful set of initial results on Election Night.
– Results will be posted once on Election Night – just after 8 p.m. After that initial posting, we will update results each weekday around 4 p.m. until the election is certified on November 24th.