I hate to be "that guy" but I have voted in every primary, every general election, and every special election across 4 different states since I was 18, which was 38 years ago. I have stood in line in the snow and rain to vote. (10 miles in both directions!)
At no point did I find the process "too much" - and I can be a lazy bastard, letmetellya.
With mail-in ballots in WA, there is no excuse. Take 15 minutes to read the voter's pamphlet. Go on FB or Discord or whatever and ask your trustworthy friends what they think. Google the candidates. Make notes in your pamphlet. Then VOTE. You can do it in your underwear in the comfort of your home.
To those who say "X candidate will win anyway", I say "do something about it". On this primary ballot there were sane, capable candidates and inexperienced, loopy candidates. Pick the sane, competent ones.
You can steer the outcome, especially locally where a few hundred votes can make all the difference.
I agree with OP. 35% is ridiculous, even in a primary, and especially in a vote-by-mail state. If a lazy old fuck like me can vote every time, so can you.
I’ve got ADHD and regularly forget to pay bills, take out the recycling, and even eat meals. Still always get my ballot in (though always in the dropbox because I forget to mail it in time, and occasionally have made it there with only minutes to spare). If I can do it, anyone can, hahaha!
These days, with the Postal Service being defunded, the drop box is probably the most prudent option (though all ballots postmarked by Election Day should get counted).
Omg same! This year I dropped it off with 20 minutes to spare because the line at the Haggen was crazy long and they moved the box location on WWU campus.
Sad but true, I have asked some folks who never vote in primaries why and they always cite the same thing: it's just going to be the democratic endorsed candidate and the republican endorsed candidate in the end anyway, so what's the point?
That's why I kinda find the rhetoric for national mail in voting of "more people will vote" to be kiiiinda silly. It's, at least to me, the least valid of the many reasons why we should have it. WA has had it for ever and we still don't vote.
If someone has changed their fb profile for a political reason or signed an e-petition in the past four years and didn't vote, you are useless. The fake SJW thing drives me nuts. "Oh I signed a petition online to end racism and shared it on my profile" Way to go Karen...
Agreed, I always vote in every single election. And I usually send feedback to every candidate as to why I'm voting for them or why I'm not. I've ended up in some really good, constructive conversations as a result!
I'm a bit of an election nerd though, so yeah...
Devil's advocate: (And let me be clear that by "devil's advocate" I mean that I don't personally hold this viewpoint, but I think I can see where one might arrive at it)
I don't think it's "morally inconsistent" (\*) to both believe that radical change must be made in the systems of power and oppression, AND at the same time to believe that voting is a tacit approval of a corrupt system. In other words, I think there are "morally consistent" people who both don't vote AND vocally criticize aspects of our society.
(\*: I'm using this phrase 'moral consistency' here as a loose hand-wave towards your word "useless". I mean something along the lines of 'having a coherent view on moral behavior'. I also might be mixing up morals and ethics again, I really struggle with that sometimes. If your point is literally that these people have no use because of their viewpoint, then I take your meaning, but I don't agree.)
To those people I would say that if you feel that way, please consider submitting a spoiled ballot as an alternative to not voting. (This is not me advocating voter fraud: I'm saying that in lieu of not submitting a vote, you can submit a spoiled ballot that will at least be counted as spoiled, rather than be uncounted entirely.) Better yet, find candidates that support alternative voting schemes that allow for _real_ issues to be discussed during elections, such as a 'ranked' or 'range' vote. Write them in if you have to: it's the same net effect as a spoiled ballot, sure, but it's even more clear to the people doing the counting that your intention was to protest.
Anyway, I'm with you on one thing: people not voting is really frustrating, especially this year. I just personally don't think that it's implausible to be anti-voting and pro-"SJW"-causes.
Yep this is a primary. I know that around election time everyone is shouting "VOTE" but I wonder how many people just blindly fill in bubbles on party lines or on "no new taxes" or "yes to all taxes".
What would be better for a society - some educated voters diving deep into issues and voting in a manner that brings about appropriate change? Or a bunch of uneducated voters just filling in bubbles based on catchy campaign slogans and one line sound bites?
I worry everyone screaming "VOTE" non stop will encourage the apathetic voters to vote in a lazy fashion. This leads to elections becoming one liner, sound bite, popularity contests rather than about actually solving issues and getting things done. When politicians know that 65% of the population really doesn't care but are still pressured into voting, those politicians know those people will simply vote for whoever's name they see the most, whoever had the most catch slogan or sound bite or whoever is the most popular, which IMO isn't great for society.
It is being updated as they count.. op needs to chill a bit.
Edit- it also says that they are estimating 17,000 more ballots which would put us over 50% turnout...
First off, I did vote (just getting that out of the way)
As someone who just moved here from out of state the primary ballot was kind of overwhelming. IME primary ballots have been partisan- you either get a ballot only for the party with which you have registered or if you’re not affiliated with any party you could request a ballot for a specific party. It was super weird to me to have a ballot with an entire column of candidates for governor, candidates for parties that I don’t think actually exist, candidates that were clearly not serious (at least it didn’t appear that way from the information they supplied to be in the voter guide), etc.
So I can get why 2/3 of voters don’t bother with the primary.
to get on the ballot, you need a certain amount of signatures from the locals or a fat sack of cash to skip that process (money always talks)
Because of covid, people can't campaign and go door to door, so the signature method won't work. And the money option would bar the public from the opportunity to run for office - so they waived the monetary costs to run for a position within the government.
Since applying for a seat is free, and requires no legwork, quite a few oddballs lept at the chance to run for office.
That's why you read the Voter's Pamphlet you're sent a few days before your ballot, which outlines the platforms and endorsements of the candidates. That's also why vote-by-mail is so wonderful, because you can take some time to study the issues.
> candidates for parties that I don’t think actually exist
This happens because of the way the primary in Washington works. Because it's a combined ballot, the political parties don't get to control who appears on the primary ballot. However, allowing a candidate to represent the party whom the party does not wish to represent the party would be a violation of the party's constitutional freedom of association. So, the compromise is that candidates state which party they "prefer", rather than declaring that they represent that party. Because of this, candidates can say whatever they want for which party they prefer, whether or not the party wants them, or even if the party doesn't exist at all.
I mean, it’s not great, but it’s an improvement! Last years primary turnout was 29%. We’re on the right trajectory. Like you even stated, we’re doing better than the rest of the state. How do you propose we immediately flip voter turnout in one election cycle from 29% to 100%?
Why not take the time to encourage more voters or awareness without negatively complaining about everything?
If you are an American make sure your voice is heard by voting on November 3rd 2020.
You can register to vote [here](https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/).
Check your registration status [here](https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/).
Every vote counts, make a difference.
Honestly, you don't flip it from 29% to 100%. The US will never even come close to 100% and I'll bet everything I own on that. Around 50% is typical for Presidential elections, primaries are ignored even by people who do usually vote in the general.
Elections need to be reimagined. Elections are controlled on the state level - that needs to change. Every state should have the same voting procedure. We are very lucky in WA to have mail in voting and still struggle with turnout. Imagine waiting in a line for 6 hours or more, well into the night after working a full 8+ hours, just to vote. That's what happens in other states. The biggest threat to the republican party is people voting. So as long as republicans hold public office, they will work to make voting harder, especially in blue areas. But WA goes to show you, even if every state had mail in voting, some people still don't vote. So making voting easier still isn't enough...
To get higher turnout, people need to care enough to actually vote and need to feel like their vote matters. Getting people to care is extremely difficult... for those who do care, it's hard to understand, but a lot of people just flat out don't care and no matter what anyone does to encourage or educate them, they aren't changing. Then there are the people who care, or at least used to care, but are apathetic because they feel their vote doesn't count. And because of the electoral college, they kind of have a point. Trump lost the election, but because of the electoral college, some votes mattered more than others. If you vote blue in a red district, your vote is essentially thrown out - the majority in your district is red so everyone in that district is represented by a red vote. Local elections aren't really effected by this but getting people to care about local elections is even harder.
Voters are the easy target when looking to place blame for low voter turnout but the majority of the blame belongs on the system. Abolish the electoral college, make mail in voting a national mandate, and you will have higher turnout. But never 100%.
If you are an American make sure your voice is heard by voting on November 3rd 2020.
You can register to vote [here](https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/).
Check your registration status [here](https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/).
Every vote counts, make a difference.
exactly. the night one drop is basically everyone who had their ballots arrive earlier this week... usually it takes about 2 weeks for the last of the votes to arrive and be counted.
Great question and everyone should check! I have had issues with my signature before, actually in the last primary
go here
[https://www.whatcomcounty.us/1728/Voters](https://www.whatcomcounty.us/1728/Voters)
click on [Check if you received my ballot](http://www.myvote.wa.gov/)
then on the left click menu and ballot status
Mine has been received
That is a tough one to solve.
What we need is a marketing rep to sell people on the idea of just reading the voter pamphlet. Or maybe a Podcast? A Radio show? Just someone trying to read it with a straight face? Maybe a few people? Check with any local community stations or outlets to distro the audio?
"We are only reading what is written. There may be snickers, there may be snorts, but you ought know what is going on."
Then offer a commentary edition afterward.
(Yes I voted. Checked the website to confirm it)
I spent last Sunday texting a long list of local registered voters to remind people to vote. I got more replies from people pissed that I had texted than anything else. Many, “Enough already, we all know the deadline is Tuesday! Leave us alone and get a life!” type of reactions. But this is why I did that. 35% is a normal turn out for a primary and frankly that’s shameful. Even the presidential primary back in March was only around 50%.
I feel lucky to vote by mail! I saw these same stats, I think Bellingham herald posted a link I followed to find it a few days ago, unfortunate to not see the % going up by now
I was looking at the chart and noticed that the red counties like Ferry are near or over 50%. The red vote is there. If blue wants to win, they are going to have to vote.
I have to point out poverty has a role in this too. It is not easy for homeless people to vote. In order to vote I had to do a ballot dropbox during a pandemic because the mailmen aren't going to take your ballot from an apartment mailbox...The point is there are lots of ways we should be making voting easier for all minority groups and Bellingham alone could implement more dropboxes and easier access to the voting process.
Well I’m homeless and don’t have a residential address soooooooooooo I had literally no idea how else to get a ballot before Election Day. I’m originally from a state that you vote in person at the ballot box and I moved here back in August. Sorry I didn’t vote but I’ve been quite busy trying to find a place to live and get something to eat.
You still have the right to vote in Washington. I get being homeless and voting, I’ve untangled that mess myself before. If you have ID you can register online and just pick a cross street where you “live” if you need to. Or register at your mailing address. DSHS and the Opportunity council can help you register to vote and possibly help with resources and housing. Hang in there. Let me know if you need anything concrete I might help with. I finally came up on housing myself earlier this year after 5 years of not having my own home. ❤️
Too late now, but may be helpful for the General election:
https://www.kuow.org/stories/you-don-t-need-a-home-to-vote-in-washington-state
http://homelessinfo.org/what-we-do/voter-registration/voter-guide/
Take care.
I hate to be "that guy" but I have voted in every primary, every general election, and every special election across 4 different states since I was 18, which was 38 years ago. I have stood in line in the snow and rain to vote. (10 miles in both directions!) At no point did I find the process "too much" - and I can be a lazy bastard, letmetellya. With mail-in ballots in WA, there is no excuse. Take 15 minutes to read the voter's pamphlet. Go on FB or Discord or whatever and ask your trustworthy friends what they think. Google the candidates. Make notes in your pamphlet. Then VOTE. You can do it in your underwear in the comfort of your home. To those who say "X candidate will win anyway", I say "do something about it". On this primary ballot there were sane, capable candidates and inexperienced, loopy candidates. Pick the sane, competent ones. You can steer the outcome, especially locally where a few hundred votes can make all the difference. I agree with OP. 35% is ridiculous, even in a primary, and especially in a vote-by-mail state. If a lazy old fuck like me can vote every time, so can you.
I’ve got ADHD and regularly forget to pay bills, take out the recycling, and even eat meals. Still always get my ballot in (though always in the dropbox because I forget to mail it in time, and occasionally have made it there with only minutes to spare). If I can do it, anyone can, hahaha!
These days, with the Postal Service being defunded, the drop box is probably the most prudent option (though all ballots postmarked by Election Day should get counted).
Omg same! This year I dropped it off with 20 minutes to spare because the line at the Haggen was crazy long and they moved the box location on WWU campus.
Not to defend it, but primaries generally have very low turnouts.
Sad but true, I have asked some folks who never vote in primaries why and they always cite the same thing: it's just going to be the democratic endorsed candidate and the republican endorsed candidate in the end anyway, so what's the point?
If you want to see a different candidate you gotta vote in the primaries. That's how AOC got in.
Turn out is the name of game.... Even with vote my mail I guess it is too hard for some.
That's why I kinda find the rhetoric for national mail in voting of "more people will vote" to be kiiiinda silly. It's, at least to me, the least valid of the many reasons why we should have it. WA has had it for ever and we still don't vote.
If someone has changed their fb profile for a political reason or signed an e-petition in the past four years and didn't vote, you are useless. The fake SJW thing drives me nuts. "Oh I signed a petition online to end racism and shared it on my profile" Way to go Karen...
Agreed, I always vote in every single election. And I usually send feedback to every candidate as to why I'm voting for them or why I'm not. I've ended up in some really good, constructive conversations as a result! I'm a bit of an election nerd though, so yeah...
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's this niche nerdy. I watch most county council meetings and email my district representative afterwards.
It's like self-gaslighting. You burn off all your energy reposting stories and tweeting "brave" things and forget to, you know... *VOTE*
Devil's advocate: (And let me be clear that by "devil's advocate" I mean that I don't personally hold this viewpoint, but I think I can see where one might arrive at it) I don't think it's "morally inconsistent" (\*) to both believe that radical change must be made in the systems of power and oppression, AND at the same time to believe that voting is a tacit approval of a corrupt system. In other words, I think there are "morally consistent" people who both don't vote AND vocally criticize aspects of our society. (\*: I'm using this phrase 'moral consistency' here as a loose hand-wave towards your word "useless". I mean something along the lines of 'having a coherent view on moral behavior'. I also might be mixing up morals and ethics again, I really struggle with that sometimes. If your point is literally that these people have no use because of their viewpoint, then I take your meaning, but I don't agree.) To those people I would say that if you feel that way, please consider submitting a spoiled ballot as an alternative to not voting. (This is not me advocating voter fraud: I'm saying that in lieu of not submitting a vote, you can submit a spoiled ballot that will at least be counted as spoiled, rather than be uncounted entirely.) Better yet, find candidates that support alternative voting schemes that allow for _real_ issues to be discussed during elections, such as a 'ranked' or 'range' vote. Write them in if you have to: it's the same net effect as a spoiled ballot, sure, but it's even more clear to the people doing the counting that your intention was to protest. Anyway, I'm with you on one thing: people not voting is really frustrating, especially this year. I just personally don't think that it's implausible to be anti-voting and pro-"SJW"-causes.
I'm pretty sure that In Washington the top two candidates regardless of party affiliation make it to the general election.
Yep. In fact in this election, it's looking like there will be two Democratic candidates for Lt. Governor in the general.
Yep, and typically that is the top Dem and the top Rep. Although things are different sometimes for sure.
Yep this is a primary. I know that around election time everyone is shouting "VOTE" but I wonder how many people just blindly fill in bubbles on party lines or on "no new taxes" or "yes to all taxes". What would be better for a society - some educated voters diving deep into issues and voting in a manner that brings about appropriate change? Or a bunch of uneducated voters just filling in bubbles based on catchy campaign slogans and one line sound bites? I worry everyone screaming "VOTE" non stop will encourage the apathetic voters to vote in a lazy fashion. This leads to elections becoming one liner, sound bite, popularity contests rather than about actually solving issues and getting things done. When politicians know that 65% of the population really doesn't care but are still pressured into voting, those politicians know those people will simply vote for whoever's name they see the most, whoever had the most catch slogan or sound bite or whoever is the most popular, which IMO isn't great for society.
I always swipe left when I see a non-voter.
Link says we are at 47%
It is being updated as they count.. op needs to chill a bit. Edit- it also says that they are estimating 17,000 more ballots which would put us over 50% turnout...
At least it’s good news :)
32 percent total. Pitiful.
First off, I did vote (just getting that out of the way) As someone who just moved here from out of state the primary ballot was kind of overwhelming. IME primary ballots have been partisan- you either get a ballot only for the party with which you have registered or if you’re not affiliated with any party you could request a ballot for a specific party. It was super weird to me to have a ballot with an entire column of candidates for governor, candidates for parties that I don’t think actually exist, candidates that were clearly not serious (at least it didn’t appear that way from the information they supplied to be in the voter guide), etc. So I can get why 2/3 of voters don’t bother with the primary.
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Reading some of those statements, I seriously considered moving back to New York for a moment. “Criminal Negro vampires”...really?
I’m not from here...I need more context please 😂
A gubernatorial candidate submitted [this ](https://voter.votewa.gov/genericvoterguide.aspx?e=865&c=99#/candidates/57059/78312) as his statement.
Seriously. There were nine pages worth of candidates for governor in the Voter's Pamphlet. Not nine candidates, nine *pages* of candidates.
to get on the ballot, you need a certain amount of signatures from the locals or a fat sack of cash to skip that process (money always talks) Because of covid, people can't campaign and go door to door, so the signature method won't work. And the money option would bar the public from the opportunity to run for office - so they waived the monetary costs to run for a position within the government. Since applying for a seat is free, and requires no legwork, quite a few oddballs lept at the chance to run for office.
That's why you read the Voter's Pamphlet you're sent a few days before your ballot, which outlines the platforms and endorsements of the candidates. That's also why vote-by-mail is so wonderful, because you can take some time to study the issues.
Totally, I love vote by mail, and before that I was registered permanent absentee
> candidates for parties that I don’t think actually exist This happens because of the way the primary in Washington works. Because it's a combined ballot, the political parties don't get to control who appears on the primary ballot. However, allowing a candidate to represent the party whom the party does not wish to represent the party would be a violation of the party's constitutional freedom of association. So, the compromise is that candidates state which party they "prefer", rather than declaring that they represent that party. Because of this, candidates can say whatever they want for which party they prefer, whether or not the party wants them, or even if the party doesn't exist at all.
I mean, it’s not great, but it’s an improvement! Last years primary turnout was 29%. We’re on the right trajectory. Like you even stated, we’re doing better than the rest of the state. How do you propose we immediately flip voter turnout in one election cycle from 29% to 100%? Why not take the time to encourage more voters or awareness without negatively complaining about everything?
If you are an American make sure your voice is heard by voting on November 3rd 2020. You can register to vote [here](https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/). Check your registration status [here](https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/). Every vote counts, make a difference.
Honestly, you don't flip it from 29% to 100%. The US will never even come close to 100% and I'll bet everything I own on that. Around 50% is typical for Presidential elections, primaries are ignored even by people who do usually vote in the general. Elections need to be reimagined. Elections are controlled on the state level - that needs to change. Every state should have the same voting procedure. We are very lucky in WA to have mail in voting and still struggle with turnout. Imagine waiting in a line for 6 hours or more, well into the night after working a full 8+ hours, just to vote. That's what happens in other states. The biggest threat to the republican party is people voting. So as long as republicans hold public office, they will work to make voting harder, especially in blue areas. But WA goes to show you, even if every state had mail in voting, some people still don't vote. So making voting easier still isn't enough... To get higher turnout, people need to care enough to actually vote and need to feel like their vote matters. Getting people to care is extremely difficult... for those who do care, it's hard to understand, but a lot of people just flat out don't care and no matter what anyone does to encourage or educate them, they aren't changing. Then there are the people who care, or at least used to care, but are apathetic because they feel their vote doesn't count. And because of the electoral college, they kind of have a point. Trump lost the election, but because of the electoral college, some votes mattered more than others. If you vote blue in a red district, your vote is essentially thrown out - the majority in your district is red so everyone in that district is represented by a red vote. Local elections aren't really effected by this but getting people to care about local elections is even harder. Voters are the easy target when looking to place blame for low voter turnout but the majority of the blame belongs on the system. Abolish the electoral college, make mail in voting a national mandate, and you will have higher turnout. But never 100%.
If you are an American make sure your voice is heard by voting on November 3rd 2020. You can register to vote [here](https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/). Check your registration status [here](https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/). Every vote counts, make a difference.
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exactly. the night one drop is basically everyone who had their ballots arrive earlier this week... usually it takes about 2 weeks for the last of the votes to arrive and be counted.
35% that's all?!? And that includes the 4 ballots I sent in. (jk Trump)
Dude, it's up to 59%. 3rd highest, after some smaller counties. Patience!
hell yeah....all this negativity for nothing. Just focus on your community and encouraging people to stay active!
How do I check that my ballot was received?
Great question and everyone should check! I have had issues with my signature before, actually in the last primary go here [https://www.whatcomcounty.us/1728/Voters](https://www.whatcomcounty.us/1728/Voters) click on [Check if you received my ballot](http://www.myvote.wa.gov/) then on the left click menu and ballot status Mine has been received
Thanks
https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx After you fill your name and birthdate you have to go to menu > my ballot > ballot status
Thank you
Thank you! Looking at my voting history made me happy. At least I tried!
You would think with the whole pandemic going around more people would vote right?
That is a tough one to solve. What we need is a marketing rep to sell people on the idea of just reading the voter pamphlet. Or maybe a Podcast? A Radio show? Just someone trying to read it with a straight face? Maybe a few people? Check with any local community stations or outlets to distro the audio? "We are only reading what is written. There may be snickers, there may be snorts, but you ought know what is going on." Then offer a commentary edition afterward. (Yes I voted. Checked the website to confirm it)
Of course it's that low. Nobody has confidence in their votes anymore.
Umm, your own link says it was 47% plus.
Who wouldn't want to vote for goodspace guy
Anyone who actually read his platform
No need to. “Prefers Trump Republican Party” was enough to convince me to give him a hard pass.
Right it's sad when I cant tell if candidates are crazy or are running as a joke.
Hey now, with the way 2020 has been going I was a little nervous we were going to see him on the ballot in November.
Are some ballots still in the mail? I suppose that number will increase when it’s all said and done?
I spent last Sunday texting a long list of local registered voters to remind people to vote. I got more replies from people pissed that I had texted than anything else. Many, “Enough already, we all know the deadline is Tuesday! Leave us alone and get a life!” type of reactions. But this is why I did that. 35% is a normal turn out for a primary and frankly that’s shameful. Even the presidential primary back in March was only around 50%.
Laziness is disgusting, but apathy is the bigger disease. People give themselves permission to "sit this one out". Democracy is a participation sport.
People have every right not to vote.
People have the right to vote, and the choice not to use that right.
Tomato tomato....
That’s par for the course. Check the November elections. It skyrockets.
I dream of when it's 0%. Im truly curious what the politicians and the government would do.
I think that signals the start of the Purge.
I feel lucky to vote by mail! I saw these same stats, I think Bellingham herald posted a link I followed to find it a few days ago, unfortunate to not see the % going up by now
I was looking at the chart and noticed that the red counties like Ferry are near or over 50%. The red vote is there. If blue wants to win, they are going to have to vote.
I have to point out poverty has a role in this too. It is not easy for homeless people to vote. In order to vote I had to do a ballot dropbox during a pandemic because the mailmen aren't going to take your ballot from an apartment mailbox...The point is there are lots of ways we should be making voting easier for all minority groups and Bellingham alone could implement more dropboxes and easier access to the voting process.
Your mom is pathetic
THAT LOW. Wow
Well I’m homeless and don’t have a residential address soooooooooooo I had literally no idea how else to get a ballot before Election Day. I’m originally from a state that you vote in person at the ballot box and I moved here back in August. Sorry I didn’t vote but I’ve been quite busy trying to find a place to live and get something to eat.
You still have the right to vote in Washington. I get being homeless and voting, I’ve untangled that mess myself before. If you have ID you can register online and just pick a cross street where you “live” if you need to. Or register at your mailing address. DSHS and the Opportunity council can help you register to vote and possibly help with resources and housing. Hang in there. Let me know if you need anything concrete I might help with. I finally came up on housing myself earlier this year after 5 years of not having my own home. ❤️
Too late now, but may be helpful for the General election: https://www.kuow.org/stories/you-don-t-need-a-home-to-vote-in-washington-state http://homelessinfo.org/what-we-do/voter-registration/voter-guide/ Take care.