Thank you to our dedicated LWVSKC election observers: Rachel Brooks, Callie Ridolfi, Janice Camp, Theresa Redfern, Susan Jones, Sue Daley, Mary Taylor and JJ Horner. Below are reflections from several volunteers who witnessed firsthand the security, transparency, and professionalism of King County Elections.

Susan Jones

I was an observer on the afternoon of Election Day. I think this was my fourth time doing this and it was somewhat surprising to me that it was also the slowest day in my experience. That being said, there was a lot happening in the room where the locked bins come in after being delivered by the trucks picking up from the drop boxes. I spent most of my time in that room.

I continue to be impressed with the multiple levels of security—double and triple checking for any errors or omissions—and always by teams of two or more. And every step of the process from cutting the locks on the bins to recording the number on the locks and documenting the time it was unlocked and by whom, is documented on a log sheet. It is impressive to learn how every single ballot received can be tracked from beginning to end.

As I wandered around the second floor I saw about three of LWVSKC's posters and dozens and dozens of LWVSKC’s thank you cards on tables, individual desks, and a couple on a bulletin board — all presented when LWVSKC volunteers visited King County Elections to celebrate the employees on Elections Hero Day. I think LWVSKC’s gesture of gratitude on that Monday before election day was a big success.

Mary Taylor

I observed the King County Elections office on November 10 and was immediately struck by how welcoming the staff were. They gave me a badge identifying me as an observer, and I was able to walk around freely and enter every active area. There was pressure in the air because the 4:00 PM reporting hour was fast approaching, and voters and campaigns were clamoring for next release of results, especially in the City of Seattle mayor’s race which remained so close.

I observed the opening, signature verifying, and scanning of the ballots into the system. I hovered behind staff in the second and final phase of entering cured ballots into the system, watching how painstakingly they went over every ballot. For this task they worked in pairs, and each ballot was examined and confirmed by two separate pairs of staff before being entered as final results into the system.

The most remarkable aspect of my observation experience was the willingness of the supervisors to explain what I was observing in detail, show me examples, and answer any questions I had. I walked away with a good understanding of the interconnectedness of the work areas and the steps they take to ensure accuracy.

Observing elections is an absolutely perfect role for members of the League of Women Voters of Seattle King County.

Jennifer (JJ) Horner

I attended the first post-election Canvassing Board meeting on November 12 at the King County Elections office at 1:30 PM, and it was a great civics lesson, one that all county residents should know about.

There were a handful of observers to watch the Canvassing Board review 18 contested ballots. (The Board is comprised of the King County Director of Elections, a representative from the Prosecutor's Office, and a representative from the County Council.) Before they began, they were guided through a review of the rule book that instructs the Board how to determine voter intent when the ballot markings are unclear. This review was interesting because nearly all probable ballot marking scenarios are addressed so the Board's determination about voter intent can be as objective as possible.

Of the 18 ballots, there was unanimous consent by all Board members as to how to resolve the votes in question. The County Council representative abstained from participating in discussions involving votes for Council President or Council positions. They used a magnifying glass to look closely at some votes to better assess the markings, though most markings were easier to identify.

Once all ballots had been addressed and corrected, the Board agreed to two motions involving the election, and the meeting was adjourned. All in, it was one hour. The next Board meeting, if needed, will be Wednesday November 19 at 1:30 PM; all meetings are available to attend virtually.

It was extremely interesting and reassuring to watch the Board resolve all ballot issues with professionalism and without any fanfare. Anyone who doubts the objectivity of ballot processing in King County could/should either observe ballot counting or attend a Canvassing Board meeting. These workers ensure we can rely on safe and fair elections.

Theresa Redfern

I really enjoyed my time observing the King County Elections. I learned a lot by asking (probably) too many questions of team leads Jon, Josh, and Eldon. All three were happy to answer questions, and it was obvious they love what they are doing and are proud of the security measures that are in place at the Renton facility.

One unintentional sign that the Renton processing center is not connected to the internet is that one of the large wall clocks was still not reset for Standard Time from Daylight Saving Time. I mentioned it to Josh, thinking that since the election was at hand, they just hadn't had time to fix it. He told me that Jon had tried to manually reset it, which they have to do for all the clocks, but this one particular clock wasn't

cooperating. So it shows how the building and all the equipment, even the clocks, are thoughtfully and intentionally isolated from the internet.

My takeaway from observing at the Renton facility and watching the staff perform their duties is that it is a guiding light for election authorities, both from within the U.S. and from around the world, for how a facility can be built and operated for safe and secure ballot processing.