An informational meeting regarding Health Care Reform Options is coming Sunday, Sept. 20th, from 2pm – 4pm at the Burien Library.

Sponsored by Heath Care For All -WA, South King County Action Team, it will include:

• Video Presentations
• Commentary
• Q & A’s

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob is an Englishman who lives in Burien who traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. This is his second of three reports.]

TUES. 1/20/09 – INAUGURATION DAY
Inauguration Day had come. At 4:30am we walked out of the apartment and down to the bike path that runs along the Potomac River. It was quiet and, apart from a few police officers, we saw very few other people. The view across the frozen river to the Mall was spectacular with the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and US Capitol perfectly lit. The Arlington Memorial Bridge was empty and the police didn’t mind us standing in the middle of the road to take photographs. At the end of the Mall, it was still very quiet except for the activity of the security services and the vendors setting up their stalls. At the Washington Monument a large crowd had assembled to take advantage of the elevated position. Then things changed. The closer we got to the Capitol the more chaotic it became.

At 5:40 am we joined the long line at the Silver section entrance and met some great people from all over the country. One girl asked us if we’d like to swap one of our Silver tickets for an even better Blue one, but we’d come together and declined her offer. It was incredibly cold as we were waiting and removing my gloves to take a photograph turned out to be a bad idea. The crowds quickly grew. Flashing lights and police officers were everywhere, many having come from as far away as Philadelphia and, most likely, places beyond.

When the Silver section gate opened at 8 am, the movement of the massive crowd was generally civilized but definitely not something for the claustrophobic. With our new-found friends we were elated just to get into the first part of the Silver section, but it was on the wrong side of Third Street for us. We quickly found a narrow fenced passageway across Third Street and shuffled into the other smaller part of the Silver section behind the Reflecting Pool and nearer the Capitol. The hope of getting our preferred spot by the second speaker stand had long since evaporated but it didn’t matter. We were in and we had plenty of space to adjust our positions. The chaos that we witnessed was prevalent up and down the Mall. It wasn’t long before a barrier fell and people rushed forward. That was fine with us because it left us with lots of open space and a clear view of the Capitol from which we enjoyed the early part of the Inaugural Ceremony. We then decided to move over to the area near the jumbotron on the north east corner of the Reflecting Pool where we stayed for the remainder of the swearing-in ceremony. The line of sight was spectacular with a direct view the podium and the seating areas above and to the sides. Unfortunately, the sound was not very good, but we were there and that’s what counted.

The crowd reaction to some of the official attendees was amusing. George W. Bush’s arrival generated a not-unexpected response. The discontent with Joe Lieberman was clearly heard and there didn’t seem to be much sympathy for Dick Cheney, who arrived in a wheelchair. The official line is that he hurt his back while packing boxes.

We weren’t aware of the mistake with Obama’s taking of the oath until much later in the day and we had to wait until we got home to hear his speech in full. We did hear enough though to appreciate the significance of what he was saying and the historic nature of the occasion. The crowd reacted accordingly and it was amazing.

Many people started to leave not long after President Obama’s speech, but we were keen to stay and former President Bush leave:

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

His helicopter rose quickly and spectacularly from behind the Capitol, flying almost directly over us and heading westwards. The cheering of the masses below was no match for the sound of such a large aircraft, but the occupants had to be aware of what was going on below them. A few minutes later they came back for another circuit of the Mall before heading off to Andrews Air Force Base and then on to Midland, Texas. That was it. For many, the world was now a much better place. A few minutes later I received a text message saying:

“Barack Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. Please stay and watch the parade on the jumbotrons.”

These guys really know what they’re doing.

After lunch at the National Museum of the Native American, we headed west along the now mostly empty, but trash-covered, Mall and soon came upon the MSNBC facility where presenters including Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow were conducting their live broadcast against a glass backdrop with an enthusiastic crowd doing their best to be seen on television. It was at this moment that the new president and first lady got out of their enormous car and walked along the parade route, driving the crowd into a frenzy. Moving from jumbotron to jumbotron we worked our way west along the mall, stopping at each one to catch more of the unbelievable spectacle that was unfolding only a few blocks to the north.

It was soon time to head home. As expected, the Metro was not an option due to the high demand. Foggy Bottom station was closed so we had no choice but to keep on walking to Roslyn where my friend’s wife met us. Dinner at a great restaurant called Artie’s in Fairfax was the perfect end to an unforgettable historic day.

[TOMORROW: It's Bob's last day in DC, and it's jam packed - he goes to Hillary's confirmation hearing and meets a fellow northwest visitor who failed to even get in to the inauguration - Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.]

Satellite photo by Geo-Eye-One.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob is an Englishman who lives in Burien who traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. Previously, he filed this report, as well as an eyewitness account of election night. This is the first of three reports we'll be posting, so be sure to check back tomorrow for his entry for Day #2.]

MONDAY 1/19/08 – TICKET COLLECTION:
It was time to pick up my Inauguration tickets. With thousands of other lucky recipients arriving to collect them too, the House and Senate office buildings at either side of the Capitol were surrounded by long lines of people waiting to pass through security at the entrances and head up to a Congressman or Senator’s office where the tickets were waiting for them. I joined a line at the Rayburn office building and really didn’t mind that it took a while to get in. The positive atmosphere was highly infectious as people talked to strangers and told each other their stories about what this inauguration meant to them, where they were from, how they came to have tickets, and what they hoped the new president could achieve. Alongside me were a lady from Chicago, a lady from St. Louis, Missouri, a gentleman from Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the Army on active duty who was so bitter about what had happened in recent years that we all had to do our best to convince him that things looked likely to improve. He didn’t seem too willing to believe us but no one can say we didn’t try to change his mind.

The staff of Congressman Adam Smith’s office were professional and friendly. As I expected, my tickets were for the Silver section, just behind the Capitol Reflecting Pool. After taking in the view of the city and the Mall from outside the Rayburn office building I went on a reconnaissance mission to find the best place for a good view of the main event. Facing the Capitol, the second speaker stand from the left along the Reflecting Pool seemed like a perfect spot with a clear view of the podium and surrounding seated areas and a jumbotron just across the frozen pool to the left. With that taken care of, I wandered over to the area just behind the seated sections immediately below the Capitol for a spectacular close-up view and stayed there for a while to appreciate the scene and take photographs for myself and other people.

Next I headed down Pennsylvania Avenue and over to the official Inauguration Collectibles store on E Street, watching the people and the preparations along the way. “Brits for Obama,” read one man’s badge, so I just had to stop and ask about it. He’d made it himself and wished he’d brought a big bag full of them for all those who wanted one, including me. He was from a part of Yorkshire in the north of England very close to where my family comes from and had extended his contract in Florida so he could stay long enough to see the inauguration. As we were talking, we watched as semi-truck after semi-truck came to deliver crowd barriers and forklift trucks unloaded them.

The scale of the preparation for the event was enormous.

Along Pennsylvania Avenue we walked past the Canadian Embassy and saw a huge banner which read “Canada Salutes Obama”. At the Newseum we read the front pages of newspapers from around the world, all of them positive about the change that had come.

The collectibles store was busy and I picked up a few items. It was then time to start heading back to my friends’ place for the evening. On the way to the Foggy Bottom Metro station I saw bright lights over to my left and realized I was very close to the White House. The lights marked the end of the parade route and the position of the spectacular viewing stand. Less than 24 hours later, the President, his wife, and the Vice President and his wife would walk along this route and the crowd would be wild with excitement. People everywhere were taking photographs, including two who asked me to take one of them. One of them, it turned out, was from Bellevue, and the other was from Seattle. Just to prove how small the world is, the one from Seattle knew a friend of mine in West Seattle.

I could have spent a lot longer watching all the activity in the city but had to get back to prepare for an extremely early start the next day. My friend and I packed our things and headed over to a place in Roslyn, only five miles from my preferred spot by the Reflecting Pool. The plan was to stay there and then walk to the inauguration. The Metro is best avoided when hundreds of thousands of other people want to travel too.

[TOMORROW: Inauguration Day arrives. Bob gets up at 4am and walks five miles to join 1.8 million other people in the freezing cold to witness the most historic inauguration of our lifetimes.]

Here’s a photo sent to use by Burien resident Bob, an Englishman who has been filing reports for us from Washington, DC, where he attended the Inauguration of Barack Obama:

Look for Bob’s full report soon…

Enjoy this historic day folks:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

From our initial research, it looks like the only “sure thing” reliable place(s) to watch Tuesday’s historic Inauguration Day ceremonies in person (other than at your home or office) is at the following area Starbucks stores between 7am and 11am:

• Burien 148th SW Plaza: 116 SW 148th Street, Burien
• Normandy Park: 17829 1st Ave South, Normandy Park
• Interurban Ave Tukwila: 13038 Interurban Ave, Tukwila
• Southcenter: 333 Strander Blvd., Tukwila
• Southcenter Barnes & Noble: 300 Andover Place West, Tukwila
• Parkway Supercenter: 17480 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila
• Des Moines Redondo: 27027 Pacific Hwy South, Des Moines

Here’s what the SBUXers have to say about it:

“Starbucks will be streaming the Inauguration event in select stores in New York, San Francisco and Seattle that have the Now Playing screens.

This is the first time that we’ll air a live broadcast along with audio, so the usual music you’re used to will be replaced with this historic event from 10 – 2 p.m. Eastern and 7 – 11 a.m. Pacific.

If you are looking for a place to view the Inauguration in these cities, visit your neighborhood Starbucks and watch it with us over a great cup of coffee!”

Of course there’s always good ol’ reliable TV, where the usual broadcast outlets will be showing it live.

Or, if you’ll be chained to your desk like us, your options are pretty much limited to watching it online, and here’s a list of links to where you can watch it via the interwebs:

• Joint Congressional Committee On Inaugural Ceremonies
• Presidential Inaugural Committee
• CSPAN’s Inauguration Hub
  
• MSNBC’s Inauguration Feed
• CNN/Facebook Live Feed
• Current & Twitter Live Feed
• USTREAM
  
• CBS News
  
• Washington Post’s Inauguration Central
  
• Joost
• Hulu
  

Here are some live webcams that will probably be overloaded, but might be worth a look:

• http://video.vdat.com/playmedia_embed2.asp?sid=99570&aid=100944
• http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/webcams/parks/nacccam/wash.jpg
• Washington Post Webcam

If you do go to a Starbucks to watch, don’t forget that they’re also encouraging customers to come back again the next day (starting Wed. Jan. 21st) to sign up to pledge five hours of volunteerism by offering a free cup of coffee:

To celebrate this national unifying week, between January 21 – 25, we will be asking all Starbucks customers to pledge 5 hours of volunteerism in their local neighborhood and in return we will provide them with a free cup of coffee.  They will be encouraged to find volunteer opportunities and will have access to tools and resources to bring their pledge into action.  Our goal is to collect at least 1 million pledge hours during these four days.

Starbucks is excited about this important moment in time and invites you to be a part of it.  If you’d like to highlight upcoming volunteer opportunities please post them to our Starbucks volunteer network, a place where customers will be encouraged to look for local opportunities.  Thank you for the work you do in your community.

Please see the information below on how to get started:

1. Create a personal profile here.
   
2. Create individual volunteer opportunities to share with others here.

Or at your local Starbucks.

Also, don’t forget that BTB Advertiser The Mark Restaurant & Bar is hosting an Inaugural Party Tuesday evening starting at 5pm:

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 20th, from 5pm to close

WHERE: The Mark Restaurant & Bar, located at 914 SW 152nd in Olde Burien (map below)

SPECIALS: Come in and say “Yes We Can!” and get 1/2 OFF on Bar Menu. They’ll also have specially Inaugural labeled bottles of wine and Champagne on hand.

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[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob is an Englishman and Burien resident who is currently in Washington, D.C. for the Inauguration of President Obama. This is his second in a series of exclusive reports for The B-Town Blog; his first was filed Sunday morning.]

1/18/09 – THE OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
Today was the day of the Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. I arrived on the National Mall at 8:40 am to join a line near the Washington Monument waiting for the gate to the west end of the National Mall to open. Once it did, we all moved in quickly and I rushed along the south side of the reflecting pool to a place not far from front. There I stayed in the freezing weather (it reached a balmy 37 degrees) through to the end of the show at 4:30 pm.

Around 10 am we were treated to some rehearsal activity followed by clips of the performers in the waiting area and various videos. We were fairly certain that the large military helicopter that made a low pass in front of the memorial before the show was the Obama and Biden families checking out the spectacle on their way to the venue.

The show itself started promptly at 2:30 pm. The size of the structure built for the television production and ticket holders meant that it was impossible to see what was actually happening on stage from my position but I did have three large screens not far away and was surrounded by so many enthusiastic people that the atmosphere far outweighed the lack of a clear view of the performers. There were many great moments.

U2 were excellent, as was Renée Fleming singing You’ll Never Walk Alone, and Master Sergeant Caleb Green of the US Army singing the Star-Spangled Banner. He was great during the show but he was even better during the rehearsals. It was a real treat to see Pete Seeger performing more than 45 years after he played at the same location as part of Martin Luther King Jr’s March On Washington. He encouraged the crowd to sing This Land Is Your Land with him and they didn’t let him down. The spoken parts of the show were very well delivered, especially when accompanied by historic scenes.

In many ways, Barack Obama’s speech was not unusual. We’ve come to expect him to provide an incredibly inspiring performance and he did exactly that. The crowd loved it and are unlikely to ever forget it.

All in all this was a very special occasion. I don’t know exactly how many people attended but I could see people as far back as the Washington Monument. Apparently there were also people most of the way back to the Capitol too, which is really quite amazing.

But, that may be nothing compared to the two million or more people expected on Tuesday.

Here’s a photo slideshow of some of the scenes witnessed by Bob Sunday:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob is an Englishman who lives in Burien who is in Washington, D.C. for the Inauguration of President Obama. Previously, we posted his eyewitness account of election night, and are proud to be offering his continuing reports from the field on this historic occasion. This is the first in a series of exclusive reports Bob will be sending us, so be sure to check back often.]

PREPARING FOR INAUGURATION DAY
Thursday, November 6th, 2008 was a calm day. It felt like the world had changed and the weather was nice to go with it. After picking up the Seattle Times and Seattle Post Intelligencer as souvenirs, it occurred to me that there was no reason why I couldn’t go to the “other” Washington to see the inauguration. Fortunately, I have friends who live right across the river and are as enthusiastic as me about the whole thing.

A quick Google search for “Inauguration Day” led me to an official page which gave ticket details. So, I filled in the request form for tickets from Congressman Adam Smith and Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. I understood it was a long shot – my friend in Buffalo works for Senator Charles Schumer and they had so many requests that they decided to have a lottery for their tickets. It didn’t matter though. Getting a ticket was a bonus, because I was going anyway. I was going to stand on the mall with millions of others just to be there and witness history.

“I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU…”
Monday, January 5th, 2009 was an ordinary day. That is, until 11:08 am when I got a phone call from a lady who said she worked for Congressman Adam Smith. She asked me if I’d made plans to go to the inauguration.

“Yes”, I said, “I’ll be there standing on the Mall with millions of others.”

“I have some good news for you”, she replied. “Someone canceled and you are next on the list for tickets.”

Once I’d emerged from a state of disbelief I did what she asked me to do, which was to send her proof of my flight arrangement. A few minutes later I had written confirmation of my tickets. My friends were as amazed as I was.

PLANNING THE TRIP
For many weeks now, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the Washington Post Inauguration Watch page and making sure we’ll make the most of the event.

Today, Sunday, January 18th, I’ll stand for many hours to secure a good place near the Lincoln Memorial for the opening ceremony.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob called in around 9:40am Sunday morning to report he was indeed on the Mall, at the Lincoln Memorial with approximately "500,000 others," bundled up for the 35-degree cold and positioning himself to watch today's "We Are One" concert which features Bruce Springsteen, U2, Beyonce and several other big-name acts.]

On Monday, January 19th I’ll go to the Rayburn office building and pick up our tickets. We don’t know where we’ll be for certain, but it seems likely that we’ll be in the Silver Ticket section behind the reflecting pool:

On Tuesday, January 20th, we’ll either go to our seats or, more realistically, walk about six miles to the Silver ticket standing area at a horribly unsociable hour. The goal will be to try to position ourselves near the center so we can see the Capitol Building and keep one eye on the jumbotron to our right. We will, of course, be freezing, but thanks to that great Seattle company REI it may not be so bad.

We’ll then watch as Barack Obama becomes our 44th president.

I still can’t quite believe that, so I have to say it again:

We’ll watch Barack Obama become our 44th president!

Thank you Congressman Adam Smith for giving us tickets for the inauguration.

And thank you Barack Obama for inspiring us and millions of people in the United States and around the world.

BTB Advertiser The Mark Restaurant & Bar is hosting an Inaugural Party Tuesday, Jan. 20th, and here are the details:

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 20th, from 5pm to close

WHERE: The Mark Restaurant & Bar, located at 914 SW 152nd in Olde Burien (map below)

SPECIALS: Come in and say “Yes We Can!” and get 1/2 OFF on Bar Menu. They’ll also have specially Inaugural labeled bottles of wine and Champagne on hand.

Do you know of any other Burien-area inaugural parties? If so, please email us.

Also, here’s a list of parties in the area as listed on moveon.org.

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Just received word from a Reader who sends us this info on a local “Day of Service” on Jan. 19th (MLK Day) starting at the ACORN Offices in Burien (and as we previously reported, broken into in October):

Join Washington ACORN On January 19 in making Martin Luther King Day a true day of service.

First, we will join other organizations in a march on the Washington State Capitol in Olympia to talk to our legislators and have our voices heard.

Then, President-Elect Barack Obama has asked us to make this special day a Day of Service. Washington ACORN members will leave Olympia and gather in Tacoma to deliver the message that there is help for people facing mortgage foreclosure.

Meet in our Burien office at 7:30 AM to travel together to Olympia.

Burien office located at 134 SW 153rd Street.

WHAT: MLK Day “Day of Service”

WHEN: Monday, January 19 7:30 AM

WHERE: Washington ACORN Office, located at 134 SW 153rd Street in Burien (see map below)

INFO: 206-723-5845

Here’s a video of the announcement of USAService.org featuring Colin Powell:

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by Janet Grella

It is often agreed that most people over five years old and living in the United States on November 22, 1963 will remember exactly where they were when they found out that President John F. Kennedy was killed by an assassin’s gunshot in Dallas, Texas.

Today is the 45th Anniversary of this event that robbed us of our first Catholic president. The BTB thought we’d look back at this common memory through the eyes and memory of a local man who was there.

I met Tim Leahy at the Des Moines Legacy Foundation’s 9th Annual Bayside Brunch at Anthony’s Homeport recently. He was the Auctioneer, I was a volunteer.  Through the course of conversation, I learned that he not only had lived in Dallas with his family, he was at the actual parade.

His Dad Richard took Tim (6th grade), sisters Cathy (8th grade) and little sister June (5th grade) out of class to see the first Roman Catholic President. Mom Patricia was home with his two younger brothers.  From their vantage point they saw the presidential plane landing and Love Field.  The Leahy family were very excited as the Presidential Lincoln Convertible drew past their spot real slow.  Dad was taking home movies on an 8mm camera. Once they passed, Mr. Leahy got the kids in the car and drove them to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

In what Tim said was “no longer than 10-15 minutes, we walked into the restaurant; everyone was gathered around a radio, weeping.  A waitress told them the President had been shot.  Dad rushed over to St. Monica’s Catholic Church to pray for the president, his family and the country.”

Although they had planned to go back to school at St. Monica’s, they were taken home to start what would be a three-day television broadcast.

Like all viewers on Saturday morning, Tim and his family watched Jack Ruby kill Lee Harvey Oswald in the garage of Dallas Police Headquarters surrounded by policeman and detectives.  Let the conspiracy theories begin!

Walter Cronkite of CBS News broke into the CBS soap opera “As the World Turns” to tell the nation President Kennedy had been shot about 12:35pm CST and rushed to the hospital – here’s a video clip of that very moment:

At 1:38pm CST Mr. Cronkite was back on screen to tell American that our 35th President of the United States had died, about 38 minutes ago at 1:00pm:

BTB wants to know where were you when Kennedy died, and what were you doing?

Email us or post a Comment below…

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob is an Englishman who lives in Burien who wrote the following report on election night in America. We're posting his story because we find it incredibly interesting to get perspective on the goings-on in the US from a foreigner living here...]

by Bob, an Englishman living in Burien

Something amazing happened in this country just one week ago, on Nov. 4th, 2008.

Of course, not everyone will agree, but there’s no mistaking that a very significant number of people in the United States are extremely happy.

A very significant number of people in the rest of the world are also very happy.

Some are happy because Barack Obama is African American, and that certainly represents huge progress for the country. But, for many it comes down to this: Barack Obama seems to be a President who ran for the office for us and not for himself; a President who cares about this planet as much as many of us do; a President who is clearly very smart, is honest, and inspires us greatly.

What more can we ask of the President?

For me, Election Day coverage began with KUOW while I was at work, followed by the BBC World Service. I caught the first results as I drove home and then was glued to the TV. It all happened so fast. As soon as Ohio was called, I knew it was all over. At 8:00 pm I thought we’d hear about some west coast results, but, suddenly, what we heard was:

“Barack Obama is projected to be the next President of the United States of America.”

It’s hard to write this without feeling very emotional. It was an incredible moment that I’ll never forget. Suddenly, common sense and decency had prevailed. All I can do is echo what someone in Australia wrote in response to the news:

“Congratulations to the new US President. There is now real hope for peace and prosperity and healing for the United States.”

Don’t let anyone tell you that it doesn’t matter what people in Australia think. It does matter. It matters enormously. There is no disputing that a large proportion of the citizens of the world see America as a global leader and with that comes responsibility and respect, something we haven’t seen enough of in the past eight years. But, things look likely to change now.

After President-Elect Obama had given his incredible speech, I regained my composure, jumped in my car, and headed off to celebrate with my friends in Ballard. On the way I took a detour into downtown Seattle and found myself stopped at Seneca and 1st Ave while hundreds of people walked by, waving and cheering. Drivers blew their horns in celebration and I just had to join them. I parked and then found the main congregation at Pike and 1st Ave. Helicopters hovered above to record the scene. TV and radio crews were there on the ground. The police did their part to keep the streets safe and I can’t imagine that they encountered any problems. All in all it was a wonderful occasion. A lady from NPR came to ask me some questions and all I could do was elaborate on what she already knew. It was very special moment.

After she left I looked down to find a red cardboard sign partially covered by leaves and obviously trampled by the crowd. It was red and advertized cigarette packets.

“Maverick” was the headline.

Enough said.

It was hard to leave the crowd, but off I went to meet my friends in Ballard and we shared an overwhelming sense of joy over what we’d witnessed. The next morning I bought some newspapers as souvenirs and felt a strong sense of relief. Relief that after what had happened in the country, Americans could now share the optimism expressed so well by the Australian commentator.

Something amazing happened on November 4th, 2008 and I’ll never forget that day.

Here’s a little over a minutes’ worth of raw video Bob shot while at the impromptu Obama rally:

Today’s the big day, and even though most of our Readers have probably already voted via mail, there are still a few diehard old-school, in-person voters out and about today.

With that in mind, here’s a handy-dandy voting FAQ, courtesy King County’s Elections Office, about today’s election:

Can I vote at King County Elections in Renton on Election Day?
No. Early, in-person voting ended Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. There is no voting at King County Elections office on Tuesday, Nov. 4. There are 392 polling places available throughout the county. To find your polling place, enter your information at https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/voterlookup.aspx or verify the voter registration card.

What happens if I have sealed or returned my absentee ballot in the mailing envelope without the security envelope?
As an alternative, you may use a regular mailing envelope instead of the security envelope to ensure the secrecy of your ballot. However, that is not required. Regardless, return your ballot, it will still be processed and counted with other absentee ballots.

Is there a way to confirm the status of my absentee ballot online?
Not yet. For more information on the status of your absentee ballot, please call 206-296-8683. When King County conducts all elections by mail in February 2009, online ballot packet tracking will be available.

If I’m registered as an absentee voter, can I still vote on Election Day at the polls?
If you’re an absentee voter, please vote the ballot we mailed to you. You can also have a replacement ballot printed at King County Elections. As a last resort, you can also visit any polling place and ask for a provisional ballot.

I have not received my absentee ballot. What are my options for Election Day?
If you have not received your ballot yet, you can visit the Elections office at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton and have your ballot re-issued. You can also visit any polling place and cast a provisional ballot.

My absentee ballot was misplaced or destroyed. What are my options for Election Day?
If you misplaced or destroyed your ballot, you can visit the Elections office at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton to have your ballot re-issued. You can also visit any polling place and cast a provisional ballot.

Where am I supposed to vote?
To find your polling place, enter your information at https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/voterlookup.aspx.

Do I need my voter registration card to vote at my polling place?
No. For a list of acceptable forms of identification at the polls, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/idrequirements.aspx.

Can I still pick-up an absentee ballot?
If you are registered as a poll voter, you cannot be issued an absentee ballot and you must vote at your polling place. If you misplaced or destroyed your ballot, please visit the Elections office at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton and have your ballot re-issued.

In case you…

• Haven’t yet voted
• Forgot where the heck you’re supposed to vote
• Just woke up from a Rip Van Winkle-esque long sleep and realized that tomorrow is Election Day
• Are recovering from a soap opera-like amnesia and forgot all about this whole “democracy” thing

Here is a link to a list of polling places for the general Burien area.

Here’s a link to a PDF copy of King County polling places.

If you’ve filled out your ballot but would rather drop it off, you can do so at the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center, which is located 5405 Delridge Way SW in White Center.

Link to King County Elections information website.

It’s election season, and the stakes are higher than they’ve been in years – so don’t forget to register to vote for the Nov. 4th election (you have until this Saturday, Oct. 4th to register online; Oct. 20th if you’re a new/first-time Voter).

More info from the King County Elections website:

King County will mail military, oversea and out of state ballots on Oct. 3 and all other absentee ballots from Oct. 15 through 17.

Voters can confirm their registration information is up-to-date by using King County’s “Your Voter Guide” www.kingcounty.gov/elections or by calling 206-296-VOTE (8683).

King County Elections will have convenient voter registration hours on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

New voters in Washington State have until Monday, Oct. 20 to register but must visit election headquarters at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton (map below).

King County is reaching out to voters on the move whose addresses frequently change including college students, new homeowners, personal mailbox users, and homeless residents by establishing partnerships with organizations that work directly with these voters. These partnerships will play a vital role in the grassroots efforts to encourage voters to update their information when they move.

Register to vote online at https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/secure/pages/Onlinevoterregistration.aspx.

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It’s an election year, which means that maybe this time, we’ll all actually get out and vote (and just maybe make a difference…).

Or at least get out to the Post Office to buy two stamps to send in your big ol’ ballot.

One way to really make sure you’re involved in the 2008 Presidential Election happens this Saturday at 1pm – CAUCUSES!

They’re kind of like parties for your party, where you mix and mingle, choose your candidate, wait for a tally, mingle some more, maybe argue with a neighbor, then either change your vote or stick to it…

Below is a guide to your local B-Town Area caucus locations:

WHAT TO EXPECT:
Attendees will be asked to sign in, affirm their support for the party and list their presidential preference. Only registered voters can vote at the caucus, although others may participate in the discussion.

The caucus chair will call the meeting to order and begin by explaining the caucus process. Each precinct caucus will elect one or more delegates, depending on the size of the precinct.

Attendees may gather in groups according to their presidential preference. Participants will discuss the presidential candidates.Short speeches to the group may be allowed.

Democrats vote for presidential candidates they support. To be viable, each candidate must have a certain number of votes relative to the total number of attendees. People aligned with a non-viable candidate must realign with another campaign.

Candidates are awarded delegates proportionally, based on the number of supporters for each candidate. Delegates are then elected by the members present at the caucus.

Republicans nominate delegates first. There is no limit to the number of nominees. Participants then vote to elect delegates based on their candidate preference.

The delegate who wins the majority vote is elected. Several votes may be held to fill additional delegate positions.

Whichever candidate has the most elected delegates is considered the winner of the caucus.

AFTER THE CAUCUS:
Precinct caucuses will be followed by additional rounds of caucuses or conventions, with each round electing a smaller number of delegates to go on to the next round until the final selection for the national convention is completed. But the caucus system won’t account for all the delegates in either party.

Republicans will look to the Feb. 19 primary to choose nearly half their 40-member delegation to the Republican National Convention.

Democratic Party leaders and public officeholders automatically are awarded 17 of the 97 slots in their party’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention.

WHERE TO GO:

DEMOCRATS:
1pm Sat. Feb. 9th
Gregory Heights Elementary School
16216 19th Ave SW • Burien, WA 98166
More info here

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REPUBLICANS:
1pm Sat. Feb. 9th
Southwest Community Center
2801 SW Thistle St. • Seattle, 98126
More info here

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