Voter checkpoint

Registered voters in King County can verify their registration status, find their polling place and get information about candidates and issues online. It's even possible to create a customized voters guide with a few clicks of the mouse.

Why verify your registration? It could be inactive as a result of a recent address change. Some absentee ballots get returned to sender because the address is wrong. It's not too late to update an address or request an absentee ballot before the Nov. 7 election.

By entering your name and birth date or address, you can confirm registration information and status, get a list of all contests and measures that will appear on their ballot, and get the address and directions to the right polling place. Links to the voters pamphlet's candidate and ballot-measure statements are also online.

The online site is www.metrokc.gov/elections/pollingplace/voterlookup.aspx.

County budget hearings

Two public hearings are scheduled this week to allow King County residents a chance to see County Executive Ron Sims' 2007 budget proposal, and an opportunity to testify before the Metropolitan King County Council regarding that proposal.

The first meeting will be at 7 tonight at the King County Regional Justice Center, Courtroom 3F, 401 Fourth Ave. N. in Kent.

The committee will also hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Shoreline Conference Center's Spartan Room, 18560 First Ave. N.E. in Shoreline.

Next week, two meetings are scheduled: Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers at Kirkland City Hall, 123 Third Ave. in Kirkland, and on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. in the County Council chambers at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave. in downtown Seattle.

Those meetings have been scheduled by the council's Budget Reconciliation and Adoption Committee. Citizens can speak on any council budget issue.

Sims' proposal is online at www.metrokc.gov/budget/2007/proposed/index.htm.

Be prepared

Seattle's new Neighborhood Preparedness Program will hold its grand kickoff in West Seattle's Delridge neighborhood today and Thursday. Today's event will be at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center at Southwest Genesee Street and Delridge Way Southwest from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. On Thursday, the event will be at the Police Department's Southwest Precinct at Southwest Webster Street and Delridge Way Southwest from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Seattle's Office of Emergency Management wants all neighborhoods in the city to be prepared for potential disasters.

Getting around

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's arrivals/passenger-pickup area — the lower drive on the baggage-claim level — will be closed to traffic for up to 3-½ days, starting Monday at 4 p.m., for removal of overhead ramps.

During the closure, the airport's ground-transportation services — including taxis, courtesy vans and Shuttle Express — will be temporarily relocated, and signs will be posted.

Can you help?

United Way of King County is seeking volunteers to help low- and middle-income families prepare federal income-tax forms. More than 300 volunteers are needed for the agency's free tax clinics from January through April.

The agency will operate free tax clinics at 14 sites throughout the county, open to all taxpayers in the county but with special emphasis on determining whether taxpayers are eligible for an earned-income tax credit, for low-income workers. All volunteers will get free tax-preparation training. Information is online at unitedwayofkingcounty.org/taxvolunteer, or call 206-461-6973 .

Here & Now is compiled by Seattle Times staff reporter Charles E. Brown and news assistant Suesan Whitney Henderson. To submit an item, e-mail herenow@seattletimes.com or call 206-464-2226.