You Help Our Neighbors Participate in Elections

Signage for King County Elections’ voter registration table

Did you know that over 700 people get their mail at Ballard Food Bank? Having a stable address is important for job applications, accessing benefits, and staying in touch with loved ones. It also provides a stable and secure place to get IDs, ballots and election information.

Another astounding number - 500 of our neighbors are registered to vote at this address! As ballots started to arrive this week, staff and volunteers noticed.

Both King County Elections and Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness have visited our Community Resource Hub to share information on voter eligibility and help folks register to vote.

Katja Kovaleva, Language Access and Outreach Coordinator at King County Elections, says her role involves informing people about their voting rights under Washington state law, including being able to register to vote using a non-traditional address such as a street corner, park, shelter, or a service provider like Ballard Food Bank.

“We’ve seen the most excitement from people who were eligible to vote but thought that they didn’t have voting rights due to previous conviction or being homeless.”

Mail desk volunteer Marilyn says seeing all the ballots come in helps her remember to return her own.

Meghan Piotrowski from Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness shares, “For many people, knowing there’s a place where their mail will be safely kept is a huge relief. It gives them a sense of control, especially when so many aspects of life can feel unpredictable. The security and convenience of having a consistent, trusted place to retrieve mail empowers them to participate in the democratic process without the added stress of worrying about where their ballot might end up.” Voters who actively receive their ballots at Ballard Food Bank have told Meghan how it’s very convenient to pick up their ballots, fill them out, and mail them back that same day.

It’s so important for those most impacted by local policies and issues to be able to participate in the elections that help determine those policies. Thank you for helping give our neighbors a safe place to get their ballots!