With the 2016 General Election on the horizon, King County is working to make sure communities all over the region have increased access to voting. Information released by King County Elections show strong voter turnout rates for the three ballot drop boxes installed in Southeast King County for the August primary election.

“The success of these new ballot drop boxes is a positive sign that the communities these boxes serve will be able to access voting during the general election,” Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn said in a press release. “I look forward to seeing how the new ballot boxes continue to work towards our goal and make voting even more accessible for residents in Southeast King County.”

The new drop box at the Fairwood Library was used by 4,091 voters in the August primary.

“These new boxes saw tremendous usage in the Aug. 2 Primary,” Julie Wise, King County Elections’ Director, said. “This is exactly the convenience we hoped this investment would bring our voters and we’re looking forward to adding 14 more locations for the General Election.”

In addition to the three locations already in place, two additional locations are planned for Southeast King County in time for the Nov. 8 General Election. The new Public Health Clinic in the Renton Highlands and the City of Covington’s Library will be receiving new ballot drop boxes.

Earlier this year, the County Council passed legislation to increase voter turnout by requesting the Director of Elections present a plan on opportunities to increase the number of drop boxes available to voters in all nine Council Districts.

The adopted plan included 33 drop boxes at new drop box sites and 7 drop boxes to replace those at existing drop box sites and extend the useful life of 3 drop boxes at current drop box locations. 19 new drop box locations were made available for the August 2016 Primary Election, with 14 new drop box locations planned to be in place for the November 2016 General Election.

– from a press release