King County voters looking to drop off their ballots for the Feb. 9 special election t their local ballot box may be surprised to find their local ballot box is no longer there.

The 24-hour ballot drop boxes that for the past two years were found at libraries and other neighborhood centers were eliminated this year as a cost-saving measure.

"King County had to make some hard choices to balance the 2010 operating budget. This included cuts to all departments in services that citizens want and depend on," King County Elections Director Sherril Huff said in a press release. "As a cost savings measure, Elections was asked to reduce the number of ballot drop boxes as well as the operational hours of accessible voting centers."

For this winter's election, that means there are only two 24-hour drop boxes available, located at the King County Elections building at 9010 E. Marginal Way S. in Tukwila and the King County Administration Building, 500 4th Ave, Seattle.

In addition, there are drop boxes available during business hours at Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue and at Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St. in Seattle.

According to Elections Chief Communications Officer Kim van Ekstrom, the decision to eliminate the drop boxes, a program that was expanded two years ago, saved the Elections department more than $100,000. Van Ekstrom said the cost includes everything from the cost of printing materials about the drop box locations to be packaged with ballots to the expense of sending teams of two to collect the ballots from each box.

"It's not absolutely necessary to be able to conduct an election," van Ekstrom said of the boxes.

Ballots for this month's special election must be postmarked by Tuesday, Feb. 9 or placed in one of the drop boxes by 8 p.m. Feb. 9.

On the ballot this month are two replacement levy propositions from the Kent School District, including the maintenance and operations levy, which accounts for 20 percent of the district's budget as well as the technology levy.

Contact Kent Reporter General assignment reporter Brian Beckley at bbeckley@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5054.

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