Voter turnout lagging on election day

King County Elections says the ballot drop box outside the Ballard Library - is the busiest location in the county. Countywide, there are 53 drop boxes.

After they had dropped their ballots, voters told us they judged the candidates both on their experiences and approach to the issues. Bob Kellum told us he voted for Jessyn Farrell. Anne Dame told us she chose Nikkita Oliver and Chelsea Thronson said she looked ahead to the candidates she wants to see in the general election in November.

“I saw that a lot of people endorsed, the last name I think is Durkan, and so I went with the second one I liked because I thought it would be good if those two were in the main race. So that's what I went with,” Thronson said. She told us she voted for Cary Moon.

As of early Tuesday, just 16 percent of Seattle voters had turned in their ballots.

Seattle University political scientist Macro Lowe ran Mayor Greg Nickel's campaigns. In this crowded race, he believes name identification will be key: “Voters have to see you, know you, like you and want to vote for you.” Lowe says that he favors former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan and former Mayor Mike McGinn.

But Lowe says a candidate may need only 18,000 votes to finish among the top two.

“I think you also see Jessyn Farrell and Nikkita Oliver finishing very strong. Really high number of volunteers out there this weekend doorbelling and we could see either of them breaking through to the top two. It would not be a total surprise,” Lowe said.

So far turnout is far below the 38 percent that King County Elections is expecting, but the voters we met won’t be rushed.

“It's a mail-in election. What's the rush?” Kellum said.

Ballots must be put in a drop box  by 8 p.m. Tuesday or be postmarked by Election Day, August 1.

Cox Media Group