Meet The 2019 Bellevue City Council Candidates

BELLEVUE, WA — Bellevue voters have a big slate of candidates to pick from in four City Council races on the August primary election ballot. To help you make your choice, we sent each candidate a questionnaire so you can see where they stand on local issues.

Bellevue voters are being asked to pick candidates in the Position 1, 3, 5, and 7 races. The Position 3 seat, held by Mayor John Chelminiak, is the only one without an incumbent running. Meanwhile, Position 7 Councilwoman Jennifer Robertson has attracted the most challengers, including James Bible, an attorney who has represented Charleena Lyles's family and was the former King County NAACP president.

Patch sent the same four questions to every candidate on May 22. We did not put a limit on how much they could write, and we also did not edit their answers — everything you see below is exactly what the candidates sent us.

Of the 13 candidates in the primary race, two did not return any answers: Position 1 candidate Martin Acevedo and Position 5 candidate Mark Wilson. We emailed and called the candidates multiple times to remind them about the questionnaire over the last two months.

Position 1

Holly Zhang

If you're a first-time candidate, why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I am running because I want Bellevue to be a better place for our future generations. As a growing city, we are facing many challenges. Transportation and affordable housing are crucial to our city's balance and health. More day-time shuttle routes with smaller buses will give Bellevue's seniors a key they need to maintain a vibrant lifestyle for themselves and make a meaningful contribution to the city's community life. I will also work with local housing authorities to increase the number of affordable units. I believe that Bellevue's middle income earners -- teachers, police officers, fire-fighters, nurses and the like -- should be able to live in the city where they contribute. I will also put in place the oversight systems we need to stop the high-income people who twist the rules in order to game and profit from Bellevue's affordable housing system.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

The civic issue that I feel most strongly about is the problem of affordable daycare for kids 6 months to 3 years old. There is a gap in support for parents with children in this age range.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

I would pass policies to optionally lengthen public education and extend it to younger ages. This is partly to help relieve the burden of child care expenses and partly to improve the social and emotional education for all of Bellevue’s children. Innovation requires collaboration. I would closely with local parent advocacy groups, the Washington State legislature, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to make this happen.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I took the bus 4 years ago. Though I found my ride clean, safe and comfortable, it was cumbersome to get from Crossroads to Downtown because it required several bus transfers and it took too long.

John Stokes (I)

If you're a first-time candidate, why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I am running for election to another term because I care deeply about Bellevue and the Region, now and into the future. Given the rapid changes we face my leadership and experience will be invaluable to the work ahead of us in the next four years. I have been committed to balanced, bipartisan leadership since I was first elected to the City Council. Since that time, I have helped guide Bellevue through new plans and projects with focus and stability. I led the passage of the Downtown Livability Initiative, better preparing Bellevue to respond to growth and build density without sacrificing the character of its neighborhoods.

I have also been a leading voice for housing and living affordability, pushing Bellevue to offer additional services to support those experiencing homelessness and housing instability, and drafting Bellevue’s Affordable Housing Strategy and carrying it over into the King County Affordable Housing Action Plan. As the Council’s liaison to the City Planning Commission, I supported taking proactive measures to address growth, and will continue to do so. I am also a key advocate for multi-modal transportation, aiming to build a Bellevue connected by transit options, including development of Bellevue’s Grand Connection and the Eastside Rail Corridor. I have worked for the last eight years helping move Light Rail forward on time and within budget while incorporating sound mitigation for neighborhoods and businesses, while building the infrastructure to support the growth and accessibility it will bring to Bellevue. A significant part of our future is the rapid approach of new technology and the advent of autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence. I have worked to help make Bellevue a regional, and frankly, nationwide, leader in preparing for and implementing the Smart City approach to innovation and infrastructure. This includes preparing for autonomous vehicles and higher levels of technology in communications, education and leisure. We are a tech leader and we will be even more so as we continue to foster and grow investments in technology and its infrastructure. I have played a key role in this already and look forward to what we can accomplish in the next four years for the benefit of our great city and its inhabitants.

One other policy and practice that I have had a strong hand in is our belief and vision that, as we say, “Bellevue Welcomes the World, Our Diversity is our Strength.” And I always add, “and we really mean it.” I am looking forward to our continuing to make strides in living this vision.

I have had the honor to be involved as a leader in the tremendous changes in Bellevue and the Region. I have the skills, knowledge, history and leadership ability needed to continue to assure that Bellevue is a great place to live, work and play for all our citizens. That also means being welcoming and inclusive of and for the people who come here to work and those who visit to enjoy our many attractions and support our economy. We live in and love Bellevue, but we are a vital and connected part of the greater Eastside region, and even the larger scope of the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma region, and I am looking forward to continuing working on making that a winning proposition for Bellevue.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

There are many such issues, and I am sure my colleagues have identified several specific civic issues that I could agree with. To me, the overarching civic issue is how we continue to work cohesively with our neighborhoods, the business community, our school system and higher education, and the many other organizations that provide needed services for a wide range of people in our city. The success of Bellevue to date is in its collaborative approach, but the recent accelerated growth and rapid changes that brings has presented us with challenges and opportunities that sometimes boggle the mind.

Keeping the City of Bellevue governance structure working as a relevant and successful entity that leads in vision for the community and delivers services efficiently and effectively is a concern in an era of divisiveness and often public discord. Building a stronger connectivity for the City and its citizens and stakeholders so that we can more aggressively address pressing issues in a timelier manner to a positive outcome for the public is paramount. Being a nimble yet through civic organization is the number one challenge I see for the City of Bellevue. Being a leader and innovator and not a drag or hinderance on moving forward while ultimately making sound and necessary decisions means making our work be more connected and cohesive, and working to make our Vision Statement and Council priorities goals and aspirations that we actually achieve. Our current governance model is, I believe, the best choice for Bellevue, the challenge is to build on its strengths and foster the best working atmosphere possible so that the policy and delivery is a more cohesive and logical process that leads to good governance. With that, we will be better able to address the issues of affordability, health, poverty, education, transportation, land use, etc., etc. I am excited to continue working to achieve that result for our great City.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

The overarching policy change that is needed is a more equitable distribution of resources to the individual. Wealth comes from the common realm, the space and land we all inherit as human beings and on which we live, work and play. The resources are equal to the basic needs of each human being, and there are more effective ways to provide a decent living for each of us than the contorted systems we now have that ends up spending much more to avoid the direct approach as we burden public entities with the costs for neglect of our fellow human beings. Differences in rewards can be available without the grotesque distribution model we have now.

But I know that is not changing any time soon. So what I would like to see is a policy, and implementing laws, that fosters the application of much smarter and more direct, well-coordinated services and funding for the scourges of housing insufficiency, food insufficiency, mental illness and drug abuse in ways that more successfully helps the multitude of people who are trapped in these conditions. We have done things to address this of course, and hopefully in the coming years we will do much more to make this happen.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I rode the express bus between Bellevue and Seattle for 20 years, and the experience changed over the years, for the most part it was good. I have taken a bus to Seattle several times this year for meetings rather than drive and hunt for a parking space. The trip was comfortable and relatively quick, and less of a hassle than driving, especially in heavy traffic times. I have taken light rail to SeaTac once, and it needs improvement as is being planned. The light rail trip from downtown Seattle to the UW neighborhood was fun, and fast.

Position 3

Jeremy Barksdale

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I’ve lived a life of service to my community. As a youth, I grew up down the road from what used to be a boarding and college prep school for Blacks in the early 1900s during the segregated era. By the time I was born, it had become a museum--the first in NC honoring a woman and an African-American. My grandmother taught at the school and later volunteered at the museum to share stories about what life was like when it was a school. I spent quite a bit of time with my grandparents, and that meant spending time at the museum--lending a hand wherever needed during festivals or around the campus. Since then, I’ve been intrinsically motivated to serve wherever I’ve lived. When I moved to Bellevue, I immediately looked for opportunities to serve and was appointed to the Planning Commission, which has provided a lens into the needs of our community. I am running because I want to make a deeper impact in our community, and I believe my experience and skills align with our current needs.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

I feel most strongly about community. I think it’s important to think holistically about the space where people live, work, and play because our ability to thrive is influenced by the interconnectedness of the issues. Ultimately, it’s about whether we have the resources, relationships, and opportunities to live the life that enables us to thrive.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

I believe affordability is a pressing issue in our community, the region, and the country. To date, we have focused on the critical need for affordable housing and transportation. In addition to housing and transportation, we need to ensure people have the opportunity to discover jobs and gain the skills that can help them earn more. I would incentivize businesses to provide reliable employment with benefits to people experiencing homelessness at a living wage.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I last took light rail to attend the Special Olympics in Seattle at the UW Stadium. I drove to Seattle and then took the light rail from Westlake. Having lived in DC, I was comfortable with taking light rail, and I enjoyed the experience of not having to worry about traffic and parking. It was good to see so many people taking the rail, and I’m excited about it coming to Bellevue.

Stephanie Walter

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

As a first-time candidate I am running to build on all the good things we have in Bellevue. This city that we love did not happen by accident. It was the result of insightful leaders who created an environment where people want to live, work, and recreate. Moving this city forward and maintaining its character and livability will take principled leaders who feel accountable to the neighborhoods and businesses, which I do.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

The civic issue that I feel most strongly about and which is always top of mind for me is to foster an open and transparent public process. Through my experience as a neighborhood leader, Planning Commission Chair and other leadership roles; I have learned that involving those who will be impacted by the decisions is a key factor in achieving the best, most welcome results. I will listen to residents, businesses and other stakeholders whose perspectives I trust and value.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

A policy I would enact in an instant would be to further preserve and protect our parks, wetlands, and trail systems now and in the future. This would be done through adopting a park land use designation. Bellevue parks are currently zoned as residential which has a different set of guidelines than a park zone would. A designated Park Land Use Code would require a public process rezoning before a non-park use could be built in a park.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

When I worked in Seattle and lived in Bellevue, I was a daily commuter. I appreciated the ease with which I could park at the park and ride, catch a frequently scheduled bus and travel to my work more quickly than I could drive and without the cost or hassle. The commuter buses worked extremely well for morning and evening routes. More recently, I have ridden the bus to sporting events in Seattle. I look forward to being able to take the light rail to the airport and beyond.

Kya Michael Aatai

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I am first time candidate running because as a longtime Eastside resident, I know the community and the values here. I ‘ve seen the tremendous growth we have had in Bellevue in the last 20 years first hand. We have matured from Seattle’s afterthought to a big city in our own right. We need to be able to accommodate growth and learn from policy mistakes that other big cities have made in trying to deal with growth and housing issues. As a real estate developer and someone who has worked with and seen a lot of those issues in other cities in the region, I have a very good idea of what works and doesn’t work. Engaging with our community is also paramount. We want to preserve our neighborhoods and their character but at the same time look for opportunities to accomdate new growth where it makes sense in the city.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

Affordable housing (or the lack therof).

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

Lowering the City sales tax. All levels of government need to be more efficient with our tax dollars.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I took a trip on the bus from Bellevue to Seattle a few weeks back. I found it to be just fine. Not much has changed about the experience since I took the bus daily from Eastside to University of Washington and back in college.

Position 5

Janice Zahn (Incumbent)

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

Serving Bellevue on the City Council has been an honor. I’ve worked to keep Bellevue one of America’s most innovative cities while taking real steps to address the challenges of transportation, housing and quality of life that stems from our tremendous growth. I'm running because Bellevue needs my strong public policy experience, broad regional relationships and inclusive leadership, to ensure our biennial budget of $1.7 billion, with over $500mil in construction is being managed effectively and transparently. My collaboration skills will continue to act as a bridge to bring all sides together, explore new ideas and partnerships, guiding projects to completion, and meeting our goals to ensure a thriving Bellevue.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

We have a thriving economy, excellent schools, and high quality of life, yet our rapid growth is
challenging the very qualities that drew us to Bellevue. I want to put my collaborative style to work to address our transportation mobility, affordable housing and the increasing tension between our neighborhood livability and our city’s economic vitality. All while addressing the impact on our environment.

It is already a challenge to attract and retain our talented teachers, public safety officers, retail workers, nurses and other hard working employees. This will only continue to worsen if housing affordability is not adequately addressed, especially in Bellevue where the average home sells for $940,000. We must enable more low and middle-income housing be built, especially near our transit and light rail corridors.

This will require us to assess existing policies that incentivize developers to build affordable housing to determine whether they are effective and what changes are necessary. While we have increased our city budget toward affordable housing, we must build partnerships with developers and non-profit housing providers to build to scale and address this serious problem. We must do all this while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and making sure that all can thrive in Bellevue. We are a better community when we truly welcome the world and celebrate our diversity as our strength. Making sure that all voices actually have a seat at the table and are welcomed to participate and valued. Let’s do it!

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

If I had a magic wand, I would decouple healthcare and employment so everyone had the same access to excellent healthcare without it being tied to their employer. We have many workers who work multiple part time jobs where neither provides healthcare, and hoping they stay healthy. I see those who lost their jobs because they got sick and then became one of the homeless. I see workers who feel they can’t leave their jobs even if it is not the right fit for fear of losing their healthcare. Healthcare should be a human right, for everyone.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I took light rail from the airport to my Seattle Times endorsement interview earlier this week. It’s a route between downtown Seattle and the airport I’ve taken for many years. Unfortunately there was a train broken down in the tunnel that day. I quickly used my OneBusAway app to find a nearby local bus, and still arrived in time for the interview. It highlighted for me the importance of reliable transportation and mobility options.

JD Yu

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I love Bellevue, and I have been pursuing my American Dream here. As an immigrant, I strongly feel that running for city council is an important step to give back and serve community and the city. I have been involving local community and city activities in recent years, so I have good understanding of local resident’s concerns and interests. We should take every step to improve quality of life of our residents and promote economic development. We need countable and trustable leaders to get the right things done in the right way, and I’m very excited to have this opportunity.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

Traffic congestion is a big issue that I feel strongly about. The growth of Bellevue places additional demand on the transportation system. It is important more than ever that transportation infrastructure keeps up with the growth. The transportation infrastructure serves people using a variety of modes in getting to places, e.g., driving, walking, and taking transit. It is essential that we have a balanced multimodal system. We must change transportation model to improve the traffic congestion.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

I would like to make home security system as a standard equipmet for a house. Every house is required to install a secuirty system, similar to what's required for smoke detector.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

It's more than a year ago when I took a bus. The bus was clean and comfortable. The challenges were that it's bit difficult for me to find which bus I should take in order to get where I wanted to go, and also the on-time of bus schedule could be improved.

Position 7

Jennifer Robertson (Incumbent)

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I am running for my fourth term on the Bellevue City Council because I am passionate about our City and want to make sure Bellevue continues to provide a high quality of life for everyone who calls Bellevue “home.” We have a special city with excellent schools, an abundance of parks and open space, wonderful neighborhoods, a vibrant business community, and a thriving Downtown. Our city is safe and clean and our first responders are the best in the nation. We have planned for significant growth in BelRed and Downtown but there are challenges with how quickly the growth is happening. My experience as a city official since 2003, the past 10 years of which have been as a City Councilmember, coupled with my long career as a municipal and land use attorney means that I can be effective at guiding the growth to make sure that our quality of life remains high.

Over the next four years, my goals include continuing to guide the City to manage the growth and to invest in the amenities that keep the quality of life high for our residents. I am proud to be “your voice on the Bellevue City Council” and will continue to listen to and advocate for our residents and our neighborhoods

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

I am excited to champion bringing a regional aquatics center to Bellevue. This new aquatics complex will provide an important year-round recreation and health amenity to the people of Bellevue and provide “learn to swim” which is so important to the safety of our children.

Our area pools are aging and the few area pools that do allow year-round use are heavily utilized by the high school and club teams in Bellevue. Our high school teams are often practicing outdoors after dark even in mid-winter as there are limited pools for practice. We need more pools in Bellevue and we especially need more indoor facilities.

While swimming is a life-long activity that can build community and health, swimming is also about safety. Drowning is the number one accidental cause of death for children under 4 and number two for kids 5 to 14. In an area surrounded by water, knowing how to swim can literally be a matter of life or death. The Bellevue Aquatics Center currently has a two-year wait list for swim lessons. Too many of our children don’t know how to swim or can’t swim well enough to be safe in water.

In addition to being a community, health and recreation project, this center would also spur significant economic development, including filling an estimated 15,000 Bellevue hotel nights per year. With the significant growth in our population over the past 40 years, it is time to develop the aquatic facilities we need to serve our residents

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

I would build the regional aquatics center.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

Last week. The Eastside bus lines need more frequency and more capacity. The Downtown Seattle lines while frequent, can be uncomfortable, especially for women traveling alone.

Randy Grein

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I ran for office the first time 2 years ago, and while I did not win I did well against a 28 year incumbent who had set new records in fundraising. I chose to run again because I believe I can better represent the citizens of Bellevue and make better policy decisions. We have serious issues to deal with here that are not receiving the right kind of attention. Homelessness, wage equity, housing affordability, transportation and traffic, and of course global warming need direct action. Solutions are available for all of these, but we have to have the will to adopt the best solutions based on evidence - regardless of our preconceptions.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

My greatest concern is about affordable housing. The median salary last year was $67k, about half of what is needed for a starter home or apartment. 2 years ago 12% of our police and firefighters live in the city, they were priced out years ago and our children are leaving because most see no hope of being able to afford to stay. We seem to have plenty of upscale housing. What is needed are solutions for everyone not making $200k or more.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

If I could do just one thing today it would be to increase the minimum wage. Franklin Roosevelt said that no business deserved to run if they could not pay their workers a living wage and I agree. I would immediately increase it to $15/hour, indexed to inflation and begin a review process to track the effects and recommend adjustments.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I am sorry to say that it’s been a few years since I have taken the bus and light rail goes nowhere I need to go - yet. My commute to work is 2 1/2 hours each way by bus, 40 minutes by car, an electric. Most days I telecommute. When ST3 is operational it should become practical for my personal computing. When I worked in Seattle I took the bus every day; it was much easier than finding and paying for parking, and just as quick.

Marguerite Ye

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I am running for Bellevue city council position 7 most simply, because it's the right thing

to do. Bellevue is diverse community informed by different incomes, values and cultures. It is
important to me, now more than ever we give Bellevue the leaders they deserve. Leaders that
are thoughtful, advocate for those who can't for themselves, and will take the time to not just listen to their communities, but all communities. It is my hope to win this seat, and use it to
promote inclusivity and create inroads for members of all communities that make up our
Bellevue family. All communities need to be heard and have their voices represented in a
respectful, inclusive and comprehensive manner.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

It is difficult to pick just one or two civic issues to focus on when there is so much that needs to be done, but if I had to focus in one area it would be public health as expressed through mental illness/homelessness and Race/Gender/Sexuality respectfully. Bellevue is a wonderful thriving metropolis and an ideal place for a person to raise their family. We truly have a great city but just because our city is an amazing place to live does not mean that people don’t get left behind.

We are not doing enough to address the homeless issue in our city, our county, and our

state. This inaction is detrimental. If we do not provide resources to help those who need it
most we perpetuate the problem and allow young people to experience horrible trauma that will
inform further mental illness that will express itself in the form of more perpetual homelessness.
I believe it is our duty to empathize and help those who need it most and educate the next
generation so they will be better equipped for the hyper competitive world they find themselves
in. I truly believe as of right now we are failing the next generation and we need to do better.
In respect to Race/Gender/Sexuality as wonderful as our city is it has not historically
been for everyone, and due to the bravery of communities of color and the LGBTQ community,
strives are finally being made to incorporate and include these individuals. We must be good
allies and advocates to these communities. As leaders we must use our power to help empower
the marginalized, so that the world we leave behind for our children does not echo the failings of
our past.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

If I could enact one policy I would enact stronger local jurisdiction on gun control. It is important to me that every person of every race, religion, gender, sexuality, and creed feel safe within their communities. I personally do not feel that the way that our nation, and state handle these issues, as of right now allows for that. I ideally would require people to be trained, licensed, and registered with a gun license before being able to purchase a firearm. This would be very similar to the provisions put in place for concealed pistol permits but, would take place before an individual is allowed to purchase a firearm. Too many children in the United States go to school with the very real fear, and real threat of being a victim of gun violence. We as adults and the arbiter of our society need to do more to ensure that those who should not have firearms don’t. If we changed how we allow firearms to be distributed we would give our first responders an actual chance to mitigate gun violence and a comprehensive system to hold gun owners who do not take the responsibility that comes with owning a firearm seriously accountable.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I use public transit fairly regularly, at this stage in my life it's mostly to take my daughter to parks and playgrounds between Bellevue and Seattle. I am a huge advocate for the use of public transportation, and used it daily when I was working full time in Pioneer square. Some days the commute took longer than others, but I honestly didn’t mind. I enjoyed being able to have a stress free commute and sit back and do some work or take a bit to read a book. Public transport is hugely important to the area, and must be addressed consistently with sustainable infrastructure to keep up with the rapid growth of both Bellevue and Seattle. If we are going to continue to invite enterprise, which will bring mass amounts of commuters, then we must expand and invest in public transportation in a plurality of cities and counties to reduce traffic and the stress on our existing highway infrastructure. Our goal should always be to have the most reliable, fastest, and efficient public transportation in the country.

James Bible

If you're a first-time candidate why are you running? If you're an incumbent, why did you decide to run again?

I am dedicated to helping Bellevue become the best city it can possibly be. As an attorney that has focused primarily on civil and human rights, much of my professional career has been spent pushing for a just society. I believe that I can successfully work with others to come up with innovative solutions to any problems we face. My mother and I first moved to Bellevue in 1985. She chose Bellevue as our home because of the strong public schools. I now have a six year old child that attends a Bellevue Public School and I know that the decisions that we make today will impact his future and the futures of his classmates. Bellevue is my home and the future of my family is dependent upon the quality of life that is present in Bellevue.

What civic issue do you feel most strongly about?

The civic issue that I feel most strongly about in Bellevue is affordability. While we are a city of tremendous resources, we cannot ignore that many of our residents are having great difficulty making ends meet. If we continue at our current pace, we will price ourselves out of high quality employees who may choose to work and live elsewhere. Further, there are families living in poverty in Bellevue. Bellevue has some title one schools within its district. Whether a school is designated as a title one school is based upon the number of children that are on free and/or reduced lunch. While Bellevue has created a housing affordability plan, it has not been implemented and is already outdated.

If you could enact one new law or policy change, what would it be?

I would enact a law that increases the minimum wage in Bellevue. Those that work 40 hours a week should be able to afford food, clothing and shelter.

When was the last time you took either a bus or light rail trip, and what was your experience like?

I took a bus approximately a week ago. The experience was fine.

The primary is Aug. 6, and ballots must be post-marked by then. King County recommends voters drop off ballots at boxes stationed around the region. Those boxes close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.