Ballots for the Nov. 7 general election arrive in mailboxes this week, and with the launch of the 2017 general election Video Voters’ Guide, voters can hear directly from the candidates for city of Seattle and King County offices.
The non-partisan video guide offers candidates on the ballot up to two minutes to issue a prepared statement that outlines the key planks of their platform. The captioned video segments are unedited and published online and broadcast on local television. The candidates appear onscreen in the same order as they do on the ballot.
The Seattle portion of the guide includes candidates for Seattle mayor, city attorney, the two at-large Seattle City Council seats elected citywide (Position 8 and 9), and three positions on the Seattle School Board (District 4, 5 and 7). The King County portion of the guide features candidates for King County executive, King County sheriff, two contested seats on the King County Council (Position 3 and 9), and three positions on the Port of Seattle Commission (Position 1, 3 and 4). It also includes information about King County Proposition 1, which proposes to continue the King County Veterans and Human Services Levy.
“The Video Voters’ Guide brings to life the candidates and the issues in a convenient and accessible format,” said Shannon Gee, Seattle Channel’s interim general manager. “Working with our partners, we’re pleased to provide this comprehensive set of candidate statements which offers another vantage point for voters.”
Ballots in the vote-by-mail general election must be postmarked by Tuesday, Nov. 7 or returned to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that day.
The Video Voters’ Guide is a project of Seattle Channel, Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission and King County TV.