McGinn school-levy ballot arrives too late to be counted

Mayor Mike McGinn was an outspoken supporter of Seattle's school levies, which passed after Tuesday's special election. But his own ballot didn't get counted, because it arrived late and through King County interoffice mail.

McGinn spokesman Mark Matassa said Thursday that the mayor dropped his ballot in an outgoing mail pile in City Hall last Friday, intending to send it through the U.S. mail. For some reason, the envelope ended up at King County Elections headquarters in Tukwila via the county's interoffice mail system.

King County Elections spokeswoman Kim Van Ekstrom said the ballot arrived Wednesday.

To be counted, ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or be returned by hand to the elections office during business hours, or in a drop box before 8 p.m.

"We're not sure how this happened," Matassa said. "Obviously, the mayor's disappointed and embarrassed about it."

During his election campaign, McGinn was critical of the spotty voting record of his opponent, Joe Mallahan. At an October debate on KING-5 TV, McGinn contrasted his own community involvement with Mallahan's missed opportunities to vote. Mallahan voted by mail in Tuesday's election, according to King County Elections.

McGinn spoke at the school-levy campaign kickoff and served as an honorary co-chair of the Schools First! pro-levy campaign.

His Facebook profile picture is a campaign image urging a yes vote on Seattle's two ballot-measures: a $442.7 million, three-year operations levy and a $270 million, six-year capital levy.

Both were passing handily Tuesday night, when McGinn was among those at an election-night party.

At the party, according to a press release, he told the crowd: "This is a great victory for our kids. I was grateful to be given an honorary co-chair by the campaign and I did my part, but I know this is a result of all the people in the room tonight. This win shows that kids do come first!"

Voting instructions in the county voters guide say: "Return your voted ballot. All voted ballots must be received at a designated drop box by 8 p.m. on election night or be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service on or before election day."

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com