EDITOR’S NOTE: South King Media Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer serves on the Board of Directors for the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce.

Vote November 2nd

By Andrea H. Reay

Election Day is fast approaching – TODAY, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 – and although we might not be voting for President this year, now more than ever, it’s imperative that we cast our vote. Local elections, many argue, are even more important than federal elections. And yet, traditionally local elections consistently have lower voter turnouts than federal election cycles.

No one party or candidate has all the answers to all the questions we face as a community. But, when we come together every election day to cast our vote and make our voice heard, we are exercising one of our most basic and fundamental opportunities as Americans. Please don’t take it for granted. Please participate.

Just in case you were thinking of not returning that ballot sitting on your kitchen counter, I wanted to offer 3 reasons why you need to vote and get that ballot in:

  1. Local government directly impacts your life, your daily life! Do your kids go to school, do you drive on a road, or catch a bus to work downtown? School boards, city councils-these are the leaders, policy makers and officials that guide, govern and approve budget items to fund schools, police and fire services, maintain roads and public transit, update zoning and code enforcement. Local government, in short, holds your money and has the influence to decide how it is spent.
  2. Local government can lead when the Federal Government can’t (or hasn’t yet)! Civil rights, economic equality, environmental protection-these are all issues that began locally and then expanded nationally. What do you want your local government to take the lead on? Local government can move quicker and respond to the needs of their constituents more directly. But, only if you make your priorities known, and only if your voice is heard, only if you vote.
  3. Your vote matters! Often people think it’s not that big of a deal to not participate “this once”. We’re all busy and it can be overwhelming to sift through all the information available to educate ourselves and vote responsibly. Your vote does matter, and although it does take a small investment of time to research the candidates and issues, it is time well spent. Please take the time to make an informed decision. There are also many non-partisan agencies that are dedicated to sharing information about candidates. We published our candidate questionnaire on our website https://www.seattlesouthsidechamber.com/candidatesnight and are happy to direct community members to other sources of information as well. For information on how and where to return your ballot, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/elections/how-to-vote/ballots/returning-my-ballot.aspx.

Advocacy is a large part of what we do here at the Chamber for our community and our members. We advocate at all levels of government and appreciate the time, dedication and courage of all the candidates running for local office.

LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST IS DEC. 9
If you are interested in learning more about the Chamber’s 2022 legislative priorities, I would like to invite you to our Annual Legislative Breakfast on Dec. 9, 2021 that we produce in partnership with our South Sound Coalition partners. Please follow this link https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XvHPg3RkRDKExiNUeLNW8g or contact the Chamber at [email protected] for more information.

This article was written by Andrea H. Reay, President/CEO of Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, “A voice for business, a leader in the community.” Seattle Southside Chamber has served the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila since 1988.

For more information about the Chamber, including a full list of member benefits and resources, please visit their website at www.SeattleSouthsideChamber.com.