Elections Toolkit

Local elections – for city councilmembers, county commissioners, school board members, and superior court judges – are critical to our democracy. These elected officials make decisions every day that impact our towns and communities, and many later move on to higher office. The positions local lawmakers take can also affect policies at the state and federal level. Simply put, all politics are local.

Unfortunately, turnout in years without legislative or presidential races is dramatically low. In 2019, only 45.19% of registered Washington voters cast a ballot in local races, compared to 84.14% in the 2020 general election. That’s why this year, the ACLU of Washington is committed to getting the word out about local races and asking voters across the state to show up on election day.
Join us in making local elections a priority in 2021 by:

• Learning what positions are up for election in your community 
• Finding and attending candidate events in your district 
• Asking candidates to explain their positions on civil liberties issues 

 

Important Dates

August 3, 2021: Primary election ballots due to dropboxes by 8pm.
November 2, 2021: General election ballots due to dropboxes by 8pm.