Presidential Primary Election Day has come and gone, but, if you voted, you can continue your voting journey by making sure your ballot was counted. There are currently over 17,000 challenged ballots in King County, which means those ballots are not currently eligible to be counted. It could be that the signature on the ballot didn’t match the one on file or those voters missed a step in filling out all the required fields. Because the Presidential Primary election requires you to state a party preference, which differs from other Washington state elections, you may want to double check that your ballot was counted. 

Our outstanding King County Elections team will reach out to voters with challenged ballots, by mail, phone, or email, but the quickest way to learn of and resolve a challenge is to sign up for ballot alerts. If your ballot hasn’t been counted, you have until 4:30 PM on Thursday, March 21 to resolve a challenge. Don’t miss the chance to resolve any issues with your ballot because our democracy works best when every vote is counted and you deserve to make your voice heard! 

In honor of Women’s History Month, I am co-sponsoring an educational panel discussion with local women leaders. All are welcome to join us on Thursday, March 21 either in-person from 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM in-person at the King County Chinook Building, Rooms 121/123 (401 5th Ave, Seattle) or via livestream at 11:30 AM on King County TV. 

The theme for this year’s panel is “Empowering Women who Power the Economy”, a discussion that will dive into the role of women in our economy. The panelists sharing their experiences will be: 

• Shaunie Wheeler James (she/her), Deputy Executive Secretary-Treasurer, MLK Labor Council 
• Ilona Lohrey (she/her), President & CEO, Greater Seattle Business Association 
• Sharmila Swenson (she/her), Vice President, Public Affairs & Social Impact, Symetra 
• Lalita Uppala (she/her), Executive Director & Community Program Director, Indian American Community Services 

Property tax statements for the first half of 2024 have been mailed and payments are due April 30. Because our regressive tax structure severely limits what kind of taxes local governments can collect, I understand that many households face a heavy property tax burden. I have heard concerns from many constituents about property taxes and want to make sure people are aware that King County has programs that can help. Seniors, people with disabilities, disabled veterans, and low-income households may be eligible for property tax exemptions and deferrals.  

You may qualify for a deferral of your property tax liability if: 

• You are 60 or older, or retired because of physical disability; 
• You own the home in which you live and occupy it at least nine months a year; 
• Your household income for 2023 was $88,998 or less; and 
• You meet equity requirements 

Deferrals and interest become a lien on your property until you repay the total amount. 

You may qualify for a property tax exemption if: 

• Your 2023 annual income is under $84,000 (the income eligibility just went up, so even if you haven’t qualified before, check your eligibility now!); 
• You are either at least 62 years old the first year you apply OR are disabled OR a veteran with a service-connected evaluation of at least 80% total disability rating; 
• You own the residence as of December 31 of the prior year of the property tax year;
• You occupy the residence for at least 6 months each year (for tax years 2022 and 2021); and 
• You occupy the residence for at least 9 months each year (for tax year 2020) 

Please note that you are eligible to apply the calendar year BEFORE you turn 62 so that you can get the full benefit of the program. 

King County’s limited income deferral program allows you to defer your payment if you: 

• Own your property for at least 5 years; 
• Live in the home as of January 1 of the current year; 
• Occupy the home for at least 6 months during the application year;  
• Have an annual household income of $57,000 or less for the previous year; and 
• Meet equity requirements 

Remember, you’ll need to pay the first half of your taxes before you apply for a deferral on the 2nd installment. Staff from the Assessor’s Office are ready to help answer questions or help you apply! Email Exemptions.Assessments@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-3920 for exemptions or 206-263-2338 for deferrals.