What you need to know about Primary Election Day

It might shock you to realize that today is election day. It’s the deadline to get your ballot in on a number of races.

It’s a primary election and typically you get 10 percent &#8212 maybe 11 percent if you’re lucky.

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But KIRO Radio reporter Josh Kerns says that Seattle is expecting a 30 percent turnout because the election is so unique this year. Seattleites are voting for City Council positions by district for the first time and the dynamic has changed. Voters will elect seven out of nine council members by district. The remaining two positions (8 and 9) will be elected “at large” (citywide).

The change is a result of a measure Seattle voters passed in 2013.

The way it works is all nine council member seats are up for election and the transition will occur during that city election, according to the City of Seattle. Seven districted council members will be elected to four-year term. The remaining two at-large council members will be elected to a two-year term.

In 2017, the two at-large seats will be elected to four-year terms.

The at-large council members will, from 2017 and onward, be on the same election cycle as the mayor and city attorney, according to Seattle’s Election Guide.

Neighborhood appeal

“As a resident of District 5 &#8212 I feel like I’m on the Hunger Games by the way &#8212 we still don’t have sidewalks north of 85th in the Maple Leaf neighborhood,” said KIRO Radio reporter Josh Kerns.

We don’t feel represented. What you’ve heard over the years is that the downtown, Capitol Hill get overrepresented, so we don’t feel like we have a voice. That’s been a rally cry for many of the candidates in each district. At least I have somebody who’s going to go advocate for that project in my neighborhood.”

Socialist Kshama Sawant

Councilmember Kshama Sawant’s challenger, Pamela Banks, is a former Garfield High School PTSA president and CEO of the Seattle Urban League. There are some heavy hitters in the race and if Sawant can’t mobilize her base to physically drop ballots into the mail, she could have a challenging race, especially against Banks.

Power of primaries

“I’ve always said primary elections is when you’re the most powerful as a voter because the turnout is so low,” said KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross. “Although a 30 percent turnout would shock me. Those who do take the trouble to vote are incredibly powerful. You will pick the candidates that the other people will get to select from come general Election Day in November.”

Snohomish County

In Snohomish County, there’s only one issue on the ballot that everyone weighs in on. It’s the race for County Executive. This involves John Lovick, who was brought in as a reformer. Dave Ross says it appears Lovick is not so popular anymore.

“I would say that John Lovick remains popular in a lot of circles in the county, but there’s also a growing course of criticism,” explained Noah Haglund, writer for the Daily Herald in Everett. “There are several independently elected officials who’ve endorsed, Dave Somers, an opponent who is having the most success raising money… John Lovick still has quite a few supporters. I think we have quite an interesting race here.”

Where to drop your ballot in the mail

KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross and Josh Kerns contributed to this report.