Q & A on vote-by mail viaduct election

Gov. Christine Gregoire has declared the tunnel option history. Seattle City Council President Nick Licata wants to cancel the election. But until it hears otherwise, the King County Elections Office plans to mail out absentee ballots next week for Seattle voters to recommend a replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

The March 13 election will be the city's first conducted completely by mail. Out of the 338,700 voters registered in Seattle, 132,000 vote at the polls. Here are answers to some common questions:

Q: Am I eligible to vote in this election?

A: Voters registered in the city of Seattle are eligible to vote on the viaduct replacement. To find out if you are registered in Seattle, call 206-296-VOTE or go to https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/pollingplace/voterlookup.aspx.

Q: I live in Seattle, but I am not registered and I want to vote in this election.

A: You have until Feb. 26 to register in person at the King County Elections Office at 500 Fourth Ave., Suite 553, in Seattle on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or at a King County community center. To find a center, call 206-296-VOTE.

Q: I received a letter from King County Elections asking me to send in my updated signature by Feb. 16. Do I have to return this signature form to vote?

A: You are not required to update your signature. Your signature is already on file with your voter registration. Election workers match that signature with the one on your ballot return envelope to verify your identity.

The county recommends that poll voters update their signatures by Friday in case their handwriting has changed since they registered to vote. Poll voters can send in updated signatures after Friday, but the county recommends doing so before sending an absentee ballot because the office needs a few days to update each signature file.

Q: If my signature does not match the one on file, will my vote be counted?

A: If your signature does not match the one on file, the election office will contact you by both mail and telephone. You will have until March 27 to verify your signature with the election department.

Q: When will I get my ballot?

A: Ballots will be mailed out next week, from Feb. 21 to 23. If you do not receive your ballot by March 2, call 206-296-VOTE. The city of Seattle is mailing voter pamphlets on Tuesday.

Q: I vote at the polls. What do I do with my ballot when it arrives in the mail?

A: Fill out the ballot and place it in the return envelope. Sign the outside of the return envelope and include your phone number so the office can reach you in case there are problems counting your vote. Postmark your ballot by March 13 or drop it off that day at one of five designated locations.

Q: Can this election be canceled?

A: The Seattle City Council would have to vote on a resolution to request a cancellation. Licata said he has asked the council members to consider it, but Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said the majority of the council won't support it.

There are no deadlines to cancel an election. The election office said it does not know how much it has spent on the election so far, but it estimates it will cost the city of Seattle $1 million.

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com