King County--please make sure your vote counts!

[eridani]

Date: Nov. 20, 2008
Contact: Megan Coppersmith, 206-296-2796




Don't let this call go to voicemail:
King County Elections needs to reach you to make sure your vote counts

"Hello. This is King County Elections with an important message for the voter…"

King County Elections is making one last attempt to contact voters whose signatures on their absentee ballots either do not match their voter registration or whose ballot envelopes were not signed. These voters have already received one phone call, a letter and postage paid envelope from King County asking them to respond quickly.

The automated phone calls are a follow-up to urge the voters to respond to the letter as soon as possible and by Monday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. Contacting a total of nearly 5,000 voters, these calls will continue through tomorrow in advance of certifying the election next Tuesday.

"During each election, hundreds of absentee voters either overlook the signature and oath or sign in a rush and the ballot envelope signature doesn't compare to their registration form," said Sherril Huff, director of King County Elections. "Voters need to sign the return envelope with care and to keep their signature and registration information current in order to avoid these calls.

King County Elections compares every absentee ballot signature against the voter's registered signature on file. If there is a signature comparison issue, election officials immediately attempt to contact the voter by mail and by phone, as is required by state law.

Trained in official signature verification, election officials most commonly see ballot envelopes where the signature does not match the signature on file either because the signature was signed in a hurry, the name was abbreviated, or the signature has changed. For more information on signature issues, please visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/your/docs/signatureforms/signaturebrochure.pdf.

If King County Elections does not receive the required documents from voters with signature issues in the office by Monday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m., by law, these ballots will not be counted. Election results will be certified on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Required documents could include a signed affidavit, a new registration form and a copy of a federal, state or tribal identification; depending on the signature issue.


"Your signature is as important as your vote and we're making every effort to make sure these ballots can count," said Huff.


Extended office hours and locations

To accommodate voters, King County Elections will offer extended office hours on Monday, Nov. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. King County Elections is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton. For directions or more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/elections or call 206-296-VOTE (8683).

Voters may also visit a King County Community Service Center during normal hours of operation to pick up and complete or drop off their affidavit or registration form. For more information on King County's Community Service Centers, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/operations/csc.aspx.


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