Coming to Capitol Hill’s Broadway ballot drop box: music, dancing, and civic duty

Voters heading to Capitol Hill heading into Tuesday’s Election Night can turn civic duty into a community celebration before Washington’s 8 PM voting deadline on November 3.

Seattle Strike is hosting “Rock the Box,” a series of volunteer-led ballot box gatherings running November 1 through November 3 from 4 to 8 PM. Among the 10 locations is the official ballot drop box at Seattle Central College, located at 1701 Broadway.

Organizers aim to build local solidarity and joy through music and dancing as neighbors cast their ballots ahead of the general election.

Seattle Strike describes itself as an activist movement organizing in the greater Seattle area to prepare for coordinated, nonviolent collective action including mass peaceful civil disobedience and a potential general strike to safeguard democratic rights.

The national effort it is part of reports it is funded through grassroots giving and donations.

All official ballot drop boxes statewide, including the Broadway box, close at 8 PM on Election Night. Voters submitting ballots in person must deposit them before the deadline to ensure they are counted. Details on registration, vote center assistance, and drop box locations are available via King County Elections.

Seattle voters have a new tool to help with their vote. The Lefty Cheat Sheet has been launched with praise for its resources — and a bit of controversy about its progressive goals.

CHS reported here on the major issues Capitol Hill and Central District voters will decide on including the 43rd Legislative District state Senate race between longtime incumbent Jamie Pedersen and challenger Hannah Sabio-Howell, statewide battles over Initiative 001 and Initiative 638 concerning transgender youth, public school policies, and sports, and the proposed Seattle Transit Measure 0.3% sales tax update to expand city bus service and transit access.

There are also some critical judicial branch votes to fill in. Voters in Washington have five nonpartisan State Supreme Court contests on their general election ballot. For Position 1, sitting state justice Colleen Melody faces private practice attorney Scott Edwards. For Position 3, King County judge Jaime Michelle Hawk runs against Mason County judge David Stevens. For Position 4, appeals court judge Ian Birk challenges King County judge Sean O’Donnell. For Position 5, sitting state justice Theo Angelis faces former municipal judge Dave Larson. Finally, for Position 7, sitting chief justice Debra Stephens runs against practicing tax attorney Todd Bloom.