Renton, WA

It’s election day, have you voted yet? Head to your local polling place, or if you are like 90% of the area voters, to your mailbox. There are lots of important issues on the ballot today.

Next year, with presidential and governor’s positions up for grabs, we should see a far greater voter turn-out. This year, we are going to be lucky to get half. 51% was the estimate made by our Secretary of State Sam Reed. And now he is wondering if he over-estimated. Come on, people, you have no right to complain if you don’t vote. And I’d say that more than half of our population is complainers, so more than half of them should be voters!

In case there is any shortage of information, there is a MySpace page at www.myspace.com/secstatewa and a Facebook group called Washington State Elections for voters who want elections information via the social networking sites. If you are really desparate, you could refer to that voters pamphlet you received via snail mail.

On the ballot today …

-Tim Eyman’s Initiative 960, the only citizen initiative on the ballot, deals with how Olympia handles tax and fee voting. It would reassert the two-thirds supermajority requirement for passing taxes.

-A constitutional amendment generated by the Legislature, HJR4204, meanwhile, would do away with the supermajority for voters to approve local school levies. Instead of 60 percent to raise property taxes, a simple majority would suffice.

-Another constitutional change, SJR8206, would create a “rainy day” savings account, with the state required to sock away 1 percent of its revenue every year, primarily for use during a recession or disaster.

-The largest transportation tax package ever placed on a Washington ballot, Proposition 1, would boost sales and car-tab taxes in the congested tri-county area of King, Pierce and Snohomish. It would pay for more roads, light rail and other projects.

The most expensive battle, though, involves Referendum 67. The measure would make it illegal for insurers unreasonably deny claims or violate unfair practice rules, allowing up to triple damages. It does not apply to health benefits.

Polls in King County open at 7 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. A piece of identification is required. Mail ballots must be postmarked Tuesday or dropped off at a designated site. For details on where you should go to vote, visit www.vote.wa.gov