Reply #7: WA: Shift in power probably means all-mail voting [View All]

Wednesday, December 21, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

Shift in power probably means all-mail voting

By Christopher Schwarzen

Times Snohomish County Bureau

After working for months on a 10-year comprehensive-plan update, Snohomish County Council members say they're ready for newer topics.

But they'll return to an old issue first: all-mail elections.

With control of the council switching from the Republicans to the Democrats next year, what has been rejected more than once — most recently by a 3-2 vote Monday — is now almost a sure thing.

Currently, 32 of the state's 39 counties have moved to all-mail voting. By January, about 60 percent of Snohomish County's registered voters will have chosen to vote by mail, according to the county Auditor's Office. It's expected that figure will rise to 80 percent by fall 2008 if the council doesn't make a change.

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2002694700_county21n.html