2020 General Election introduction - YES, READ ME!

2020 General Election Politiblog

Well folks, this is it, the election which (if everyone is allowed to vote, if all ballots are counted, if the election is not stolen, if . . .) will literally determine whether this country continues to be a Constitutional democracy or devolves into a mob run dictatorship. Sounds melodramatic, but its painfully true. While Washington state rarely counts at the presidential level, thanks to the leftover anachronism of the Electoral College, all those other positions are also important. We’re discovering just how important it is to have a governor and attorney general who represent the people rather than certain $pecial interests. 

Likewise, I’m discovering the impact of having a Secretary of State who is less than passionate about elections. I’ve been in regular contact with that office and have been assured time and again that there will be no problem with mailed in ballots, the post office is just fine, they’re on top of it, etc. Then I asked what I thought was a simple question: could they please provide me with a list of all the candidates who will appear on the November ballot? Well, no. I was told that the final “voter’s guide” would not be available until “late September” and that they couldn’t give me that information before then. 

    So now its late September and we have the sample ballot. We also have some problems. Yes, the would-be dictator has openly announced that he intends to steal the election, and not to accept any result other than his own victory. One way that is happening here in Washington is some strange goings-on with voter registrations. CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION by going to  https://weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/MyVote/#/login  

I've had a complaint/query from one person who voted in the primary but somehow was no  longer registered to vote in the general. Upon inquiry she was informed that she had died. Having assured the appropriate parties that she is in fact very much alive and wanting to vote,   she was assured by Island County Elections that her registration had been restored - but VoteWA still does not record her as registered. So I just checked my own voter registration and am informed that my ballot was mailed on September 16. Really? I've checked into this, and there is a little problem with VoteWA. To repeat: CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION, including the "ballot status" button on the left.

I've also been asked to include the following:

Vote THE SECOND you can. Do not wait even a day. By voting, it frees up GOTV (that's Get Out The Vote) efforts to focus on people who might otherwise not vote, as opposed to people who will vote, eventually. In Washington, voter rolls are updated daily, and campaigns can see within a day or two if you've been credited with casting a ballot, and then stop wasting time and money contacting you, trying to turn out your vote. 

Here, once again, are the basics:

First, you need to know that you are registered to vote. To check, go to https://weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/MyVote/#/login 

Military and overseas ballots were mailed 9-19-20 

Ballots for the rest of us will drop on 10-13-20. If you don't have a ballot in hand by           +/- 10-17-20, contact Island County Elections office (see below) and ask for one.

Deadline for new voter registrations and address changes is 10-26-20.

The big day/deadline is Tuesday, November 3. If you put your ballot in one of the county’s drop boxes you have until 8:00 pm to get it done.

For any questions, contact the Elections office at 360-679-7366 or elections@islandcountywa.gov. Because they’re not open to the public right now you need to deal with them electronically or via phone. I am told you can still change your address or register right up to election day by filling in the necessary paperwork and dropping it into the ballot box in front of the elections office in Coupeville. 

So, to make your vote count,

1. Get your ballot in the mail by Tuesday, October 27 or earlier. Yes, eagle eyes, that’s a whole week before November 3. Given the problems with the post office, it is imperative that people vote as early as possible. And as mentioned above, the sooner the better.

2. If you really can’t get that ballot filled out by October 27, then you’ve got until Tuesday, November 3, 8:00 pm to get it done and into one of the ballot drop boxes conveniently located around the county. 

3. If you never did get that ballot, you can download and print one by going to https://weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/MyVote/#/login   

Ballot drop boxes are located at:

    Island County Elections Office

    400 N Main Street    Coupeville

    out front in the parking lot

    Trinity Lutheran Church

    18341 Hwy 525    Freeland

    around the side of the church in the parking lot

    Ken’s Corner Shopping Center

    4141 Hwy 525 (at Langley Road)    Clinton

    along the road in front of the shops

    Island County Camano Annex

    121 N East Camano Drive    Camano Island

    looks like its near the front entrance

    Langley Post Office

    115  2nd Street        Langley

    on the front patio

    Oak Harbor City Hall

    865 SE Barrington    Oak Harbor

     at the front entrance

For a map of those locations, check out https://www.islandcountywa.gov/Auditor/Elections/Pages/Home.aspx and scroll down. 

And here, once again, is Marianne’s regular disclaimer: I would never presume to tell you how to vote. That is very much your business. I’m merely telling you how I intend to vote and why. You can make your own decisions from there.

Once again, whatever you do, VOTE. And make sure everyone you know votes as well. Feel free to share this information widely. We have all learned from painful experience these last 4 years what happens when the wrong people are in positions of power. And, for that matter, here in Washington, what happens when the right people are in power at a difficult time. Imagine our death rate with a COVID denier as governor. 

I'll go one step further. Contact everyone you know in other parts of the country and ask them to vote too. Unless we absolutely swamp the polls, we're going to see this election and our country stolen right out from under us. Lets not let that happen.