Make sure your voice is heard
Now that Election Day has come and gone, it’s time to be sure your ballot can be counted.
Sometimes folks forget to sign their ballot and sometimes a ballot signature doesn’t match the ones King County Elections has on file.
If you received notice about an issue with your signature, take a moment to resolve the issue. You can return a signature resolution form by mail or email, in person, or online at kce.wiki/SigCure by 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 18.
Trained staff review all signature resolution forms and verify voters’ identities so their ballots can be counted before Certification Day on Aug. 19.
For more information about King County Elections, visit kingcounty.gov/elections.
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Wellness Hero Young Jang
Balanced You Wellness Heroes highlights employees doing things to better their lives, the lives of their colleagues, and our community.
Meet Wellness Hero Young Jang, IT Project Manager, King County Metro. Young discusses her work and passion for technology, and how teamwork is driving innovation across our transit systems. She shares highlights from two major projects, how collaboration brings her joy while working with talented colleagues to watch her work come to life, and what she does for self-care. When she’s not leading tech transformations, she recharges through meditation, baking, and hitting the golf course on those perfect-weather days.
“When I try to unplug, meditation is my number one go-to. I like to look out the window or be outside and look at some greenery, and just try to empty my mind,” says Young Jang.
Check out the video of Young below.
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Farming taught him patience: The skill serves him well in corrections
Crossposted from the DAJD newsletter
Officer Kevin Ntabo grew up with farming as a way of life. When not in uniform he carries on that tradition by raising and selling crops in Kent. You might assume that agriculture and corrections have nothing in common. But Ntabo says there’s a key to success in either profession: patience.
“People will say that farming is a hard and dirty job, but it is not if you have a passion to do it,” Ntabo said. “It takes a little passion to do it, and sacrifice.” Read more.
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Monitoring in Action: DAJD’s effort to improve the hiring process centers applicant experience and cuts costs
Ava Michler, with the Performance and Strategy (PSB) team, spoke with Sara Tollefson and M.J. Wheble about the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention’s (DAJD) switch to a new background investigation platform used in job hiring. This change saves money and aims to reduce vacancy rates.
The DAJD project team collaborates with the new platform’s vendor to improve experience for users and HR analysts. Collecting data is important, as they look to answer questions like: Are we successfully reaching diverse communities in our hiring process? Read the full story here.
Take a moment to check out this story, and explore others in the PSB Monitoring in Action section to see how King County programs are turning data into impact. For employee information about the portal, or if you are a King County employee and have a blog post idea, contact Sara Hospador at Sara.Hospador@kingcounty.gov.
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Something in the water: How King County is finding and fixing poop pollution
By Nalia Matias-Jacinto, WLRD Communications Intern
In King County, water is the foundation of daily life, cultural traditions, and thriving ecosystems. But what happens when poop pollution contaminates our water and dangerous levels of bacteria threaten public health and culinary treasures?
Solving that problem requires more than infrastructure alone. Scientists, public health experts, and communities must work together to keep the waters and the people of King County safe and healthy— and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Read more.
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Check your inbox: Cybersecurity training email sent Aug. 4
An email from King County’s vendor KnowBe4 was sent Aug. 4 to all employees with links to annual cybersecurity training. This is not a phishing attempt. Annual cybersecurity training is required for all employees and contractors with access to King County systems (even if you took it last year). Training must be completed by Jan. 30, 2026.
Employees who complete cybersecurity training by 5pm on Monday, Aug. 18 will be entered in a prize drawing. Additionally, the first department to cross the finish line (100% participation) will win serious bragging rights, and a shiny trophy. (Please note: this competition is only available for those who complete cybersecurity training online, not the paper version.)
Please check your inbox for the email “King County Cyber Security Awareness Training” from kc-knowbe4@kingcounty.gov. Cybersecurity training is an important safeguard that helps protect vital King County systems; the number of employees that complete training each year impacts our insurance rates. Total instruction time is about 60 minutes.
Thank you for doing your part to protect King County! For assistance, contact the KCIT Helpdesk.
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Monitoring in Action: How King County’s On-Site Septic Program is improving service and equity
Priscilla de Andrade, with the Performance and Strategy (PSB) team, recently interviewed Meagan Jackson, who leads the Operations and Maintenance team in the On-Site Septic systems (OSS) Program. They discussed how performance data is driving smarter service delivery, faster permit reviews, and more equitable responses to septic system failures across King County.
To ensure the program is meeting its goals effectively and equitably, the OSS team relies on a robust performance monitoring system. They collect and analyze data from permit applications and inspection reports to track trends, identify problems early, and evaluate how quickly the program responds to OSS failures. Read the full story here.
Take a moment to check out this story, and explore others in the PSB Monitoring in Action section to see how King County programs are turning data into impact. For employee information about the portal, or if you are a King County employee and have a blog post idea, contact Sara Hospador at Sara.Hospador@kingcounty.gov.
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Protecting historic nature camps and creating more so a new generation can enjoy healthy outdoor activities
King County Parks is applying multiple strategies to simultaneously protect historic nature camps and provide more equitable access to a new one in South King County, connecting more young people to healthy outdoor recreation and environmental education.
King County Executive Shannon Braddock recently toured Camp Sealth on Vashon Island where the county helped the nonprofit that has operated the summer camp for more than a century permanently protect most of the campsite. The Department of Natural Resources and Parks also partnered to reopen Camp Kilworth in Federal Way and helped Highline Public Schools enhance Waskowitz Outdoor Education Center near North Bend.
The multiple partnerships have made it possible for more young people in underserved communities to experience nature camps that offer a wide range of activities, such as canoeing, archery, bouldering, fishing, swimming, horseback riding, outdoor living skills, and environmental education.
“King County’s innovative approach to land conservation is opening the door for more young people across the region to experience nature camps, where they can enjoy healthy outdoor activities and create lasting memories,” said Executive Braddock. “We’re preserving beloved summer camps that have served generations, while also helping create a new camp in underserved South King County.” Read more.
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Honoring Disability Pride Month and 35 years of the ADA: King County’s path to progress
On July 26, 2025, King County Executive Shannon Braddock proclaimed Disability Pride Day and invited all employees and residents to celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities and recommit to the principles of justice, equity, and “Nothing About Us Without Us.” You can read the full proclamation here.
Executive Braddock and the Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice (OERSJ) celebrated during an event on Saturday, July 26 that included reading the Disability Pride Month proclamation followed by a short program. Monisha Harrell, Director of King County’s Office of Equity and Racial and Social Justice, kicked off the program by reflecting on how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) legislation was the first pass at civil rights for disabled people —it gave us a blunt instrument for achieving justice. But like all tools, they require refinement. Harrell stressed for all to continue to refine and do better.
Executive Braddock followed by expressing that the 35th anniversary isn’t just a milestone anniversary, but a new era of King County’s commitment to being a more inclusive place for all. She recognized that more than one in four adults in the U.S. have some type of disability and King County’s vision is for all people to have the resources that they need to be fully engaged in their communities. Read more.
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Happy Election Day!
Get your I Voted sticker out – it’s Election Day!
If you haven’t cast your ballot yet, you have until 8 p.m. sharp to get your ovals filled in, return your ballot to a drop box, and make your voice heard. With more than 80 ballot drop boxes around the county, chances are that there’s one near you – find out where at kce.wiki/DropBox.
For more information about King County Elections, visit kingcounty.gov/elections.
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