🗳️ Why you should mail your ballots extra early this year

What’s Going on With Seattle’s Election?

We are just a few weeks away from the Nov. 4 election. Both mayoral candidates are making bold grabs for attention. Here’s what readers need to know:

• Missed the Debates? Read Harrell and Wilson on key issues facing our city, like cost-of-living, affordable housing, policing, and leadership style, in these in-depth interviews with City Cast contributor Guy Oron. [Real Change]
• Debunked Story Continues: As with all election seasons, controversy abounds. The Seattle Times continues to talk about a mailer that darkened Harrell’s skin. The problem with that story? It has been debunked for more than a month. [The Stranger]
• What About Transportation Safety? Mayor Harrell is saying that he has reduced traffic fatalities during his term as mayor, but the data tells a more complicated story. His opponent, Katie Wilson, founded the Transit Riders Union and has worked to reduce fares for low-income Seattleites. [The Urbanist]
• Mail Those Ballots Extra Early: The WA Secretary of State’s office says they cannot guarantee ballots postmarked later than 10 days in advance of the election will be counted due to U.S. Postal Service cost-cutting measures. Ballots postmarked beyond election day, as always, will also be thrown out. Use a local ballot box if you can! Already voted? Track your ballot here. [Spokesman Review]

🚦Questions About Misuse of Washington Surveillance Systems Grow: A report from UW’s Center for Human Rights found U.S. Border Patrol conducted thousands of searches using license plate data from 31 Washington police agencies, many of which were without authorization. This could violate a state law that prohibits collaboration with civil immigration enforcement. [KING 5]

• The story also adds to the questions about the vulnerability introduced by Seattle police’s newly approved CCTV surveillance cameras and Real Time Crime Center. [AXIOS]

🍴Former Canlis, Ethan Stowell Chef Opens Indonesian-Inspired Bakery in Ballard: Dionne Himmelfarb’s Cloudy Cafe bakery will be located in the spot vacated by Watson’s Counter. The menu will include a chicken and waffle plate made with boneless Indonesian fried chicken and pandan waffle, a croissant benedict with ham and hollandaise, and a regular breakfast with eggs, sausage, potatoes, and milk bread. My mouth is watering. [My Ballard]

🤖 Leak Reveals Amazon Wants to Replace 600,000 U.S. Workers With Robots: Documents leaked to the New York Times reportedly show Amazon’s robotics team is working towards automating 75 percent of the company’s entire operations. The company is apparently hoping robots can replace the more than 600,000 jobs it would otherwise have to hire in the U.S. by 2033. For context, since 2012, Washington has awarded more than $600 million in subsidies to Amazon, largely based on expectations of job creation. [The New York Times]

💉 Free COVID Vaccines Are Now Available: Kids and uninsured adults can now get free vaccinations without insurance. Visit the King County vax map to find the nearest location where both flu and COVID vaccines are available. [King County Public Health]