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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 11 |
| 1859 | 5 |
| 1860 | 2 |
| 1861 | 14 |
| 1862 | 6 |
| 1863 | 9 |
| 1864 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1872 | 9 |
| 1876 | 47 |
| 1877 | 17 |
| 1878 | 19 |
| 1879 | 2 |
| 1880 | 20 |
| 1882 | 1 |
| 1883 | 25 |
| 1884 | 24 |
| 1885 | 45 |
| 1886 | 26 |
| 1887 | 20 |
| 1888 | 23 |
| 1889 | 79 |
| 1890 | 16 |
| 1891 | 101 |
| 1892 | 194 |
| 1893 | 145 |
| 1894 | 139 |
| 1895 | 175 |
| 1896 | 2 |
| 1898 | 6 |
| 1899 | 17 |
| 1900 | 8 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 79 |
| 1904 | 55 |
| 1905 | 3 |
| 1907 | 3 |
| 1908 | 29 |
| 1909 | 116 |
| 1910 | 20 |
| 1911 | 21 |
| 1912 | 8 |
| 1914 | 23 |
| 1915 | 20 |
| 1916 | 54 |
| 1917 | 22 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1922 | 1 |
| 1923 | 5 |
| 1924 | 8 |
| 1925 | 5 |
| 1928 | 2 |
1,685 stories matching election
- Who Gets to Vote in the Primaries?
Seattle's corporation counsel says registration is not optional—even for party primaries—and that election judges cannot waive it.
- City Hall Showdown: Council and Reformers Clash Over Charter Revision
A heated joint meeting of the city council and civic organizations debates whether to call a special election for a new city charter, with accusations of bullying and claims of wasted taxpayer money.
- Guns at the Polls: Seattle’s First Ward Primary Erupts in a Street Brawl
Sheriff Woolery and saloon man John Considine tried to seize a Republican primary by arresting the election judges; Chief Rogers and his police fought back with warrants, clubs and drawn revolvers.
- Seven Votes Decide the Sheriff: Judge Langley Tosses Out Fraud Charges and Seats Van de Vanter
After a six-week ballot-by-ballot recount, a Seattle judge ruled that clumsy election officers could not disfranchise King County voters—and confirmed the Republican sheriff by a seven-vote margin.
- The Last Rally: How Seattle’s Republicans Tried to Buy the Vote with Prima Donnas and Quartets
As election day approaches, the Republican party stages its final grand spectacle at the Armory, promising musical entertainment for ladies and a landslide victory for Frank D. Black over the 'mongrel' Populist ticket.
- The Treasurer-Elect Nobody Would Sign For
J.W. Maple won the King County treasurer's office, then allegedly traded away patronage and alienated his own party—leaving him unable to post the bond required to take the job.
- Twenty Votes for the Dike, One Against — and the Whole Election Thrown Out
Calispel Valley farmers voted 20 to 1 to create Diking District No. 2 at the New Hope school house. Then the opposition pointed out the notices had been posted only eight days — and the district collapsed before it ever levied a cent.
- Olympia's Election Scramble: A Mayor Bows Out, a Boss Bides His Time
With municipal elections set for December, Mayor Horr declines a second term while Councilman Sickels and other local figures jockey for influence—and talk of a west-side ward and Tumwater consolidation simmers.
- Seattle's 1894 Election: Corruption, Fraud, and the Fight for City Hall
As voters head to the polls, the Post-Intelligencer unleashes a blistering attack on the Democratic administration, alleging graft, forgery, and a machine determined to hold power at any cost.
- A Missing Word Nearly Derailed Bellingham's First City Election
Washington's Supreme Court ruled that Whatcom and Fairhaven could hold a combined city election in December 1903, reading past a clerk's drafting error to honor the legislature's intent.
- The Pony Express Ends: Lincoln Wins, But the South Sees War
As the Pony Express delivers the shocking news of Abraham Lincoln’s election to a nervous Sacramento, Olympia residents mark local weddings and watch their market prices hold steady.
- The Dries Sweep Stevens County—and 39 Saloons Get Their Notice
A local-option election gives the dries a 677-vote majority, closes 39 saloons, and leaves Newport's saloonkeepers pinning their hopes on a court challenge.
- A Mayor, a Rigged Lottery, and the Fight for Olympia's City Hall
A month out from the municipal election, the Tribune accuses Mayor J. C. Horr of quietly fixing his fences for a second term — and the drawing of lots that handed one councilman a longer seat looks to a good many people like a put-up job.
- Newport Votes Itself Dry by Sixteen Votes
A local-option election on Sept. 7, 1909, ended licensed liquor sales in Newport, 110 to 94, after challenged voters, an illegal-registration arrest and a hard-fought badge campaign. The saloons were set to close Dec. 6, with a countywide vote still to come.
- Republican Wave Sweeps Local Tacoma Elections
A decisive Republican victory in Tacoma's municipal elections marks the total defeat of the Democratic ticket, fueled by economic unrest and accusations of 'boodle' politics.
- Tacoma Voters Hand the Mayor a Council — and Unlock the Water Fund
A rain-soaked municipal election gives Tacoma's administration a working majority and lets the city redirect money from springs judged inadequate.
- Governor Hay Wants to Appoint, Not Elect, Washington's Officers—This Labor Editor Says No
A proposal to make state offices appointive sparks a fierce defense of the direct primary and the people's right to choose their own officials.
- The Last-Week Jam in Olympia: Liquor, Primaries and a Budget Nobody Counted
With the 60-day session expiring, Washington's lawmakers settle local option, rewrite the primary ballot, kill the initiative and abandon the joint budget committee — leaving taxpayers to foot a three-mill levy.
- Stevens County Votes on the Saloon
A countywide local-option election on Nov. 9 will decide whether saloons can operate outside incorporated towns—and Newport voters must register at the I.W.N. station to be counted.
- The Battle for the Territory: Judson vs. Jacobs in the 1876 Election
As the nation grapples with the disputed presidential election of 1876, Washington Territory voters head to the polls to decide their own future, pitting Republican J.P. Judson against Democrat Judge Jacobs in a fierce contest for territorial supremacy.
- Ballot Box Battle in Goldendale
A tight election leads to accusations of fraud, lost ballots, and an appeal for funds in a county split by Populist politics.
- The Price of a Vote: Seattle’s 1884 Election Costs
A look back at the surprisingly high cost of democracy in early Seattle, where administrative overhead, printing, and legal red tape turned local elections into a financial burden for the growing town.
- The Judge, the Primary, and the Socialist Scare
A Newport lawyer begs Stevens County voters to put judicial fitness above party—then a Chewelah paper warns that Socialists could capture the superior court.
- The Great Odd Fellows Sleep-In: A Night of Fractured Rituals in Seattle
When the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows convened in June 1909, a bizarre mix of procedural delays and social distractions turned a solemn ceremony into a chaotic spectacle that spilled onto the dance floor.
- Aberdeen Sleeps Through Its Own Election
Only 219 of 278 registered voters bothered to show, the usual campaign cigars never materialized, and one or two candidates went duck-hunting instead. The Citizens' Ticket still swept every office.
Also about this, in other words
- Election Day in 1880 Seattle
A report from the polls captures a day of intense political fervor, quiet order, and the early counting of ballots in the frontier city.
- Preparing for the Territorial Vote
Governor Elisha P. Ferry issues a formal proclamation for the November 1876 general election, including a critical vote on whether to draft a new State Constitution.
- The Weight of the Ballot: Washington’s First National Election
On the eve of statehood, Seattle residents prepared for their first campaign tied to national parties and federal power, marking a shift away from local autonomy.
- The Bitter Election Dispute
After the municipal election, the city council held formal proceedings to address a contest regarding the validity of the treasurer’s election, ultimately upholding W. B. Mack.
- The Price of Apathy in the 1876 Seattle Election
A pre-election plea from the Daily Intelligencer warns that if 'responsible' business owners don't turn out to vote, the city will pay a heavy cost in taxes and mismanagement.
- Seven Votes Decide an Office: The Ballots Are 'Indescribable'
A contested Seattle election heads to the state supreme court, where a recount has whittled a 78-vote plurality down to seven — and counsel warns that some ballots defy description.
- The City Goes to the Polls in 1878
A rare glimpse into the logistical footprint of Seattle’s civic life during the era of wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages.
- Voters Reject Political Machine in School Board Race
A decisive victory for incumbent school directors confirms public support for the current board's management, while a candidate backed by the Democratic political machine fails significantly.