Ballots for the Aug. 6 primary election are arriving in mailboxes this week, and with the launch of the 2019 primary election Video Voters’ Guide, voters can hear directly from the candidates seeking to represent them. In all, the guide features 76 short video statements from candidates for Seattle and King County elected offices and proponents and opponents of two ballot measures.
The Seattle portion of the guide includes statements from 52 candidates running for the seven Seattle City Council district seats (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). It also features statements from seven candidates running for three positions on the Seattle School Board (District 1, 3 and 6) and pro and con statements for the Seattle Library levy renewal.
The King County portion of the guide includes five candidates running for two seats on the Metropolitan King County Council (District 2 and 8) and nine candidates competing for two seats on the Port of Seattle Commission (Position 2 and 5). It also includes a statement in favor of renewing the King County parks levy. A con statement was not submitted.
“The Video Voters’ Guide presents a unique opportunity for residents to learn about the candidates,” said Shannon Gee, Seattle Channel general manager. “Working with our partners, we’re pleased to provide this comprehensive set of candidate statements which offers another vantage point for voters. It’s designed to be informative and encourage greater voter participation in elections and local government.”
The non-partisan video guide offers candidates on the primary ballot up to two minutes to issue a prepared statement that outlines the key planks of their platform. For easy reference, the candidate statements are organized by race. The segments are unedited, captioned for increased accessibility and published online and broadcast on local cable television. The candidates appear onscreen in the same order as they do on the ballot. Only positions where three or more candidates filed will appear on the primary ballot.
The voters’ guide is also airing on Seattle Channel cable channel 21 and King County TV cable channel 22. You can find specific viewing times on Seattle Channel and King County TV broadcast schedules.
Primary ballots in the vote-by-mail election must be postmarked by Tuesday, Aug. 6 or returned to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that day.
Before the Nov. 5 general election, a revised version of the Video Voters’ Guide will be available. The revised guide will feature candidates appearing on the November general election ballot.
The Video Voters’ Guide is a project of Seattle Channel, Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission and King County TV.
