This week a mailing went out to King, Pierce and Snohomish County voters from the King County Library System, outlining Proposition 1. This proposition, which is up for a vote on Feb. 9, 2010, would restore the King County Library System’s property tax levy rate to $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value for collection in 2011.

What will happen if Prop 1 passes?

According to the mailer, KCLS would use the restored revenue to preserve the current level of library service, programs and resources at its 44 libraries and to maintain its outreach services to community centers, low-income daycare facilities and to the elderly and homebound.

What will happen if Prop 1 does not pass?

KCLS will face 10-15% in budget cuts which includes funding for books, computers and building maintenance. In addition, if the levy lid is not lifted, KCLS anticipates that library staff and hours of operation may have to be reduced in future years due to the lost revenue.

For more information, call 425-369-3275 or visit KCLS online.

Tuesday, November 3 is the last day you can mail your ballot in and have it counted in the King County election. Be sure your vote counts…mail it in today (one first-class postage stamp required) or drop it off at one of the many drop-off sites today! For a list of sites, visit our previous blog post or King County’s election page.

In the state’s first “by mail only” General Election, completed ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, November 3, 2009 to be considered in this fall’s election. Here is some additional info. provided by King County Elections. For more info., please call 206-296-VOTE (8683) or visit King County Elections online.

• Vote at your convenience.
• Return your ballot without postage at one of the ballot drop boxes* listed below by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3 or return it via postal mail. One first-class stamp is required.
• Mailed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 to be considered.
• Track your mail ballot packet online.

In response to possible flooding, the King County Elections office has moved. It is temporarily located in Tukwila near Boeing Field.

King County Elections
9010 E. Margin Way. S.
Tukwila, WA  98101

Office is open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays.

Handicapped accessible voting centers (hours vary, some Saturday hours):

King County Elections, 9010 E. Margin Way S., Tukwila
Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave. NE, Bellevue
Seattle, Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle

24-hour Ballot Drop Boxes – King County, Washington

Auburn Library, 1102 Auburn Way S., Auburn
Library Connections @ Crossroads, 15600 NE 8th St., Bellevue
Black Diamond Library, 24707 Roberts Dr., Black Diamond
Covington Library, 27100 164th Ave. SE, Covington
Des Moines Library, 21620 11th Ave S., Des Moines
Earlington Business Center, 919 SW Grady Way, Renton
Fall City Library, 3345 SE 42nd Pl., Fall City
Federal Way Library, 848 S. 320th St., Federal Way
Kent Regional Library, 212 2nd Ave. N, Kent (library is closed, drop box is open)
Lake Forest Library, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest
White Center Library, 11220 16th Ave. SW, Seattle
Woodinville Library, 17105 Avondale Rd. NE, Woodinville

According to King County Elections, the following candidates have been announced in Kent:

Don’t forget: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 is Election Day, and our friends at Earthworks are hosting a nonpartisan celebration of our electoral system. View my previous post for details!

And please, please, please make time to vote.