Tag Archives: 2021 Seattle General Election

News

NEWS GLEAMS: Election Checkup, Seattle Relief Fund, Black Future Co-op Seeks Community Input

curated by Emerald Staff

A round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

Register to vote today! Photo courtesy of King County Elections.

Election Checkup

Only six days left until Tuesday’s important Nov. 2 election!

Seattle’s Mayor, City Attorney, at-large City Council Pos. 9 seat, King County Executive, as well as other local city and county district races will be decided. The winners of those contests will chart the course of how the region tackles homelessness, policing, and housing affordability.

Did you get your ballot, or was it damaged in the mail? If you need help with your ballot  or other questions, call 206-296-VOTE (8683).

Are you registered to vote? It’s too late to register by mail and online, but you can still register and get a ballot through Election Day, Nov. 2, by visiting the King County Elections Center, 919 SW Grady Way in Renton, or a variety of voting centers in the county.

Who can register to vote in Washington? Simple, you must be:

  • A citizen of the United States.
  • A legal resident of Washington State.
  • At least 18 years old by election day.
  • Not disqualified from voting due to a court order.
  • Not under Department of Corrections supervision for a Washington felony conviction.

Read more about who can vote.

This article is funded in part by a Voter Education Fund grant from King County Elections and the Seattle Foundation.

Continue reading NEWS GLEAMS: Election Checkup, Seattle Relief Fund, Black Future Co-op Seeks Community Input →
Features

What Is Justice and How Should It Be Administered: Seattle’s City Attorney Race

by Alexa Peters

The race for Seattle’s next city attorney has been a surprising one since three-term incumbent Pete Holmes conceded in the August primaries, leaving newcomers Nicole Thomas-Kennedy and Ann Davison to duke it out.

The typically uneventful race for an often overlooked office heated up after many of Thomas-Kennedy’s controversial anti-police Tweets from 2020 resurfaced, prompting local media and previous Seattle municipal court judges to question her fitness for the City Attorney’s Office. Even Fox News’ Tucker Carlson took a stab at the candidate during a September segment of his show, calling the candidate flat-out “crazy.” Meanwhile, Davison, who recently switched from Republican to “moderate Democrat,” has come under fire for her Republican rhetoric and ties to a video campaign organized by a Trump supporter who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection. 

In looking beyond political warfare, experts say the race for city attorney gets to the heart of a question all the more relevant since anti-police protests broke out in 2020: In Seattle, what do we consider justice and how should it be administered? Our selection for city attorney will be decided on voters’ answers to those questions.

Continue reading What Is Justice and How Should It Be Administered: Seattle’s City Attorney Race →
Community

The Morning Update Show — 10/25

The Morning Update Show — hosted by Trae Holiday and The Big O (Omari Salisbury) — is the only weekday news and information livestream that delivers culturally relevant content to the Pacific Northwest’s urban audience. Omari and Trae analyze the day’s local and national headlines as well as melanin magic in our community. Watch live every weekday at 11 a.m. on any of the following channels, hosted by Converge Media: YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Periscope, and whereweconverge.com.

We also post the Morning Update Show here on the Emerald each day after it airs, so you can catch up any time of day while you peruse our latest posts.

Morning Update Show — Monday, Oct. 25

Live From King County Elections HQ | Converge The Vote! | Learn How to Register and Vote

Continue reading The Morning Update Show — 10/25 →
News

Seattle School Board Candidate Laura Marie Rivera Answers the South End’s Questions

by Ari McKenna

The Emerald asked the two finalists in the city’s tightest school board race, Laura Marie Rivera and Vivian Song Maritz, nine questions collected from community members with a stake in education, and then one of our own.

Though the District 4 primary was decided by voters in that district — which includes Ballard, Magnolia, and Northern Queen Anne — the runoff is citywide, so South End voters get to weigh in. The board member elected — while not representing the South End directly — will develop policy that impacts schools, families, and communities here.

Besides writing policy and hiring and evaluating the superintendent, school board directors balance the annual budget and are meant to determine what education entails based on the vision and values of the community they represent. While important, school board director positions are currently unpaid — but for a $4,800 stipend.

Voting closes on Nov. 2, 2021. Vivian Song Maritz’s answers are available here.

Continue reading Seattle School Board Candidate Laura Marie Rivera Answers the South End’s Questions →
News

Seattle School Board Candidate Vivian Song Maritz Answers the South End’s Questions

by Ari McKenna

The Emerald asked the two finalists in the city’s tightest school board race, Laura Marie Rivera and Vivian Song Maritz, nine questions collected from community members with a stake in education, and then one of our own.

Though the District 4 primary was decided by voters in that district — which includes Ballard, Magnolia, and Northern Queen Anne — the runoff is citywide, so South End voters get to weigh in. The board member elected — while not representing the South End directly — will develop policy that impacts schools, families, and communities here.

Besides writing policy and hiring and evaluating the superintendent, school board directors balance the annual budget and are meant to determine what education entails based on the vision and values of the community they represent. While important, school board director positions are currently unpaid — but for a $4,800 stipend.

Voting closes on Nov. 2, 2021. Laura Marie Rivera’s answers are available here.

Continue reading Seattle School Board Candidate Vivian Song Maritz Answers the South End’s Questions →
News

NEWS GLEAMS: Eviction Moratorium, WA Redistricting, Flu Shots, & More!

curated by Emerald Staff

A round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

Dr. Jeffrey Duchin speaks during a Thursday press conference, held in the Columbia City neighborhood, where city and county officials announced that proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to enter certain establishments and attend outdoor events. (Photo: Alex Garland)

ICYMI: King County’s Proof of Vaccination Requirements for Recreational Activities

Last week, Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Durchin issued a Health Order that will require people to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to participate in recreational activities in most public spaces.

From Public Health — Seattle & King County (PHSKC): “Beginning Monday, Oct. 25, people in King County will be required to show proof of vaccination in a number of public places, such as:

  • Outdoor events with 500 or more people
  • Indoor recreational activities of any size, such as performances, movie theaters, conferences, or gyms
  • Indoors at bars and restaurants (outdoor dining, grocery stores, and take-out are exempt).”

For more reporting on PHSKC’s Health Order, check out the Emerald’s article “King County Will Require Proof of Vaccination at Outdoor Events, Indoor Restaurants.”

Continue reading NEWS GLEAMS: Eviction Moratorium, WA Redistricting, Flu Shots, & More! →