Why Seattle votes in August — and how it got that way
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Ready or not, it's election time in Washington state.
Why it matters: Ballots go out in the mail this week for the Aug. 5 primary election, which will decide who moves forward in races for Seattle mayor, city attorney and city council, among other local contests.
The big picture: While July and August are peak summer vacation months, Washington's primary occurs this time of year largely to accommodate military and overseas voters.
Catch up quick: Until 2007, Washington state held its primary election after Labor Day.
- But the Legislature changed the primary date to late August amid concerns that the September date didn't allow enough time to finalize general election ballots and get them mailed to voters overseas.
- In 2011, state lawmakers voted to move the primary date to early August to comply with a 2009 federal law that said military and overseas ballots must go out 45 days before a federal election.
What they're saying: There are other considerations, too, state elections director Stuart Holmes told Axios.
- Getting the printed voter pamphlet out for the August primary requires content to be sent to the printer in early June — not long after the May deadline for candidates to file to run for office, Holmes said.
- Holmes said starting the election cycle any earlier could overlap with the state legislative session, which runs until late April in odd years and limits state officials' ability to raise campaign money.
Between the lines: While efforts have periodically been made to move the primary earlier, there's no clear evidence that would improve turnout, Cornell Clayton, director of Washington State University's Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service, told Axios.
- "The real problem is you just have low voter turnout generally in these off-year elections — it doesn't matter when you have them," Clayton said.
- Voter turnout in Washington's last two odd-year primary elections hovered just below 30%.
Letting local governments hold their elections in even years alongside big federal and state races could make a difference, Clayton said.
- But such a proposal has stalled in the Legislature the past two years, with election officials arguing it would lead to ultra-long ballots that many voters wouldn't complete.
What's next: The two candidates in each race who win the most primary votes will advance to the Nov. 4 general election.