SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle voters may need some extra help figuring out the November ballot landing in their mailbox this week, because there are four items up for a vote that are all called proposition or petition No. 1.
To add to the confusion, two of the proposals concern transportation and two involve preschool education.
The full names and explanations of the measures add some clarity and so does the voters’ pamphlet. Voters have 2½ weeks to figure it out before the Nov. 4 election.
Promoters of one of the preschool measures — Proposition 1B — are worried about the confusing ballot, said Sandeep Kaushik, a spokesman for the campaign.
“That said, at the end of the day, Seattle voters are smart and they will do their homework and they will sort out what the differences are,” Kaushik added.
Kim Van Ekstrom, spokeswoman for King County Elections, says it could be worse. Any district in the city or county can put a measure on the ballot called Proposition No. 1.
They are allowed by law to pick their own ballot numbers, but, Ekstrom says, “We encourage them to go in numerical order.”
If they don’t pick a number, the elections office picks one for them on a protocol that begins with No. 1.
Ekstrom notes that Seattle Citizen Petition No. 1 would create an 11th district (a city transportation district that focuses on monorail travel) that could submit more propositions.
She thinks voters will focus on the ballot names and descriptions, not their numbers.
But Seattle Mayor Ed Murray predicts voter confusion will make a difference this election.
“It certainly will be a factor. How much? I don’t know,” he said.
