Two-thirds of King County voters sat out — that silence decided the August Primary

Two-thirds sat out. One-third decided. Almost all the ballots have now been counted in King County, and turnout for the August Primary was lower than 34%.

That’s shockingly low for a county and state that prides itself on access. The ballot is mailed right to your door. You don’t even need a stamp to send it back. And yet, two out of three voters skipped this election.

We’ve all heard the old saying: “Decisions are made by those who show up.” Well, around here, decisions are increasingly being made by a very small crowd.

Katie Wilson, a first-time candidate who happily embraces left-leaning policies, received more than 50% of the vote in the mayor’s race. City Council President Sara Nelson trails in her race by double digits. City Attorney Ann Davison is badly behind in her reelection campaign.

I can’t help but notice moderates and conservatives online are upset about the results.

34% of voters decided primary election

Let’s do the math. Katie Wilson has about half the ballots in the mayor’s race. But only 34% of registered voters even turned in a ballot. That means Wilson’s support is really about 17% of the total voting pool.

Seventeen percent of all voters is enough to put her in the lead, but it’s not some overwhelming mandate. And here’s the bigger point: If moderates, conservatives, and independents actually turned out in force, don’t you think they could beat 17%?

People spend hours scrolling, swiping, and tapping on phones, but when it comes to filling in a few bubbles on a ballot, suddenly, their hands need a rest?

Liberal-leaning voters are motivated. They’re watching what’s happening in Congress and the White House. They want local leaders who will push back with the agenda they believe in. And when you’re motivated, you show up. You fill out your ballot.

The real question is how many moderates and independents didn’t. Would a stronger turnout have changed who advanced to the general election? Because in low-turnout races, the people who stay home don’t just lose their voice, they hand it to someone else.

This pattern isn’t new. I’ve talked about this before. Primaries in August rarely draw the crowds. The weather’s nice, vacations are on the calendar, and politics feels like a chore. But skipping the ballot box doesn’t mean the election goes away. It just means someone else gets to choose for you. And judging by these results, the people who did show up knew exactly what they wanted.

So here’s where things stand. On the left, energized voters are turning out. On the right and in the middle, people are shrugging. And if that keeps up, the shock in November won’t be about who won. It will be about who even bothered to show up.

When two-thirds of people skip the ballot, the one-third who show up become the majority by default. And they’re the ones the system listens to.

You can shout on social media all you want. But the only voices the system actually hears are the ones sealed in an envelope.

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Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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