King County's "I Voted" stickers fall to budget cuts

Yes, but: The short-lived tradition is no more.

• Elections officials did not enclose the stickers alongside ballots sent for the Nov. 3 election, nor for this year's August primary.

What they're saying: Sending the stickers "did not make the cut" during last fall's budget discussions, King County Elections spokesperson Halei Watkins told Axios.

The county faced a $175 million budget shortfall while preparing its 2026–2027 budget and is projecting another shortfall in the coming years.

By the numbers: Watkins estimated that sending the stickers to the county's 1.45 million registered voters costs about $288,000 per year.

• That includes the cost of sending stickers for special elections and the primary.
• "It works out to about 5-7 cents per voter," Watkins said.

What's next: Voters who want an "I Voted" sticker can still grab one at a Vote Center or Accessible Voting Event, Watkins said.