The presidential election is the big-ticket item on this year’s ballot, but there are several state and Pierce County measures to focus on as well during this year’s general election.
The final deadline for online voter registration is Oct. 10.
Local voting pamphlets are planned to be mailed out by Oct. 13, and ballots mailed on or before Oct. 21.
Voters in Bonney Lake can visit Sky Island Drive East and 184th Avenue East for a ballot box drop-off.
Sumner voters can head on over to 1116 Fryar Avenue for their drop box.
Drop boxes will be open 24/7 from Sept. 23 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8.
INITIATIVES
This year there are six state-wide initiatives on the ballot.
Initiative measure No. 1433 asks voters to consider raising the minimum wage to $11 in 2017, $11.50 in 2018, $12 in 2019 and $13.50 in 2020, as well as require employers to provide paid sick leave and other related laws.
Initiative No. 1464 is about creating a campaign finance system, allow residents to direct state funds to candidates, repeal the non-resident sales tax exemption, restrict lobbying employment by certain former public employees and add enforcement requirements.
Initiative No. 1491, if passed, would allowing police, family or household members to obtain court orders temporarily preventing firearm access by people demonstrating mental illness, violent or other behavior indicating they may be a harm to themselves or others.
Initiative No. 1501 asks voters to consider increasing the penalties for criminal identity theft and civil consumer fraud targeting seniors or other vulnerable individuals, and exempt certain information for those individuals and in-home caregivers from public disclosure requests.
Initiative No. 732 concerns taxes, placing a carbon emission tax on certain fossil fuels, reducing the sales tax by one percent, increasing a low-income exception and reducing certain manufacturing taxes.
Initiative No. 735 urges Washington delegates to propose a federal constitutional amendment so that constitutional rights only belong to individuals, not corporations, and redefine constitutionally-protected free speech to exclude the spending of money.
STATE
On the state level, there are two advisory votes and one proposed amendment to the state constitution.
Advisory Vote 14 asks voters to consider whether a tax increase on stand-alone family dental plans should be repealed or maintained, and Advisory Vote 15 asks voters whether there should be limitations on retail sales and the use of tax exemptions for clean alternative-fuel vehicles.
Resolution No. 8210 is a state constitutional amendment that would require the state redistricting commission to complete redistricting for state legislative and congressional districts by Nov. 15 of each year, moving the deadline up by 46 days.
COUNTY
On the county level are six measures, five of which deal with the Pierce County Charter amendments and one for the Sound Transit light-rail expansion.
Amendment No. 41, if approved, would decrease the number of signatures needed to validate an initiative petition from 10 percent of the votes cast in the previous county executive election to eight percent.
Amendment No. 42, if passed, would decrease the number of signatures needed to validate a referendum petition from eight percent of the votes cast in the previous county executive election to four percent.
Amendment No. 43 asks voters to consider a 15 day extension for the Prosecuting Attorney to form a referendum ballot title; require the Prosecuting Attorney to notify the proponent if the referendum is not legal; provide for an award of reasonable attorney fees if the proponent prevails in a legal challenge to the referendum filed by the County; and suspend the proponent’s 120-day signature-gathering period for up to 45 days pending the outcome of the legal challenge.
Amendment No. 44 concerns whether county council members, the county executive, the assessor-treasurer, the auditor, the sheriff and the prosecuting attorney can hold any other elected public office during their terms in office.
Amendment No. 45 asks voters wether the county should be required to use a competitive bidding process for all public works construction, not just projects that are estimated to cost more than $25 million.
Sound Transit’s Proposition No. 1 asks voters to consider an additional 0.5 percent sales and use tax, a property tax of 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, a 0.8 percent motor-vehicle excise tax and the use of existing taxes to expand light-rail, commuter-rail and bus services in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
