Last week, Mike McGinn released a video describing the transition’s philosophy and process.

Darryl Smith and Kip Tokuda have agreed to serve as transition facilitators and oversee the transition’s outreach efforts, as described in the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UxFKwJqIjA

Further outreach meetings will be announced to ensure that as many voices as possible will be heard. Your concerns, ideas and input play an important role in the transition and the new administration.

A list of people who have attended outreach meetings so far is after the jump.

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You can drop your ballot at any of King County Elections’ drop boxes by 8 PM on Election Day.

King County Elections Drop Boxes

Today is the last day to register to vote in person. For more information, click here.

The deadline for voter registration is fast approaching. If you have never been registered to vote in Washington, you may register in person at King County Elections until Monday, the 26th of October. We’ll have volunteers standing by on Monday to help people register to vote. If you’d like a ride, make sure you meet the requirements below and we’d be happy to give you a lift!

To register, you must meet the following guidelines:

· You have never been registered to vote in Washington

· You are a citizen of the United States

· You are a resident of the City of Seattle

· You will be at least 18 years old by election day

· You are not under the authority of the Department of Corrections

King County Elections is temporarily located at:

9010 East Marginal Way S
Tukwila, WA 98108

The office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30. You must register in person.

To get to the Elections office by bus, you can take the #124 from 3rd Avenue in Downtown Seattle, and get off at E. Marginal Way S. & S. 87th Place. To find the route nearest you, check the King County Trip Planner.

If you would like a ride, we can take you from our Southeast Office to King County Elections on Monday, October 26th. Just click here and fill out the form, and we’d be happy to give you a lift. Just take the light rail to the Othello Station, and we’re on the Northwest corner of MLK & Myrtle, at 6951 S MLK, Jr Way, Suite #222. Volunteers will be standing by all day to help.

Monday, the City Council unanimously authorized Mayor Greg Nickels to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the State of Washington committing Seattle to the tunnel plan.

I disagree with the decision. I disagree with the timing.

But the reality is Mayor Nickels and the Council have entered into an agreement, and the City is now committed to the tunnel plan.

If I’m elected Mayor, although I disagree with this decision, it will be my job to uphold and execute this agreement. It is not the Mayor’s job to withhold the cooperation of city government in executing this agreement.

I will, however, continue to ask tough questions:

• We don’t know how much it’s actually going to cost.

• If it ends up costing more than the current budget allows, there is serious disagreement between Seattle and the State over who will pay the cost overruns.

• Where will the money come from, and who will bear the burden? Will we have to cut police, fire, library, or services for the poor?

I will not stop asking the tough questions nor will I ever stop standing up for Seattle’s interests in this process.

I’m worried the people that want the tunnel have a champagne appetite and the City has a beer budget. The question is who will end up paying the tab.

There is a clear choice in this election.

My opponent has refused to ask any hard questions about the tunnel.

In fact, when asked about the Legislature passing the cost overrun amendment, he said:

“If I were mayor, rather than taking potshots at Democratic leadership who put that (amendment) on, I’d express disappointment and say, “OK, we can live with this.”

SeattlePI.com - Chris Grygiel, 05/11/09

Seattle cannot live with paying the cost overruns on the tunnel.