Ballots are due for the special election next Tuesday, February 9, but don’t plan on swinging by a ballot box to cast your vote – many of them won’t be there. In the past Queen Anne residents have been able to drop off their ballots at the nearest ballot box at the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center, located at 5604 22nd Ave NW, however this time around there will be no drop box.

Because of the tight budget, drop boxes in all but two locations in the county have been eliminated. “King County had to make some hard choices to balance the 2010 operating budget,” King County Elections Director Sherril Huff said. “This included cuts to all departments in services that citizens want and depend on. 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.”

If you want to drop your ballot off in person, you’ll need to go to the King County Administration Office downtown, at 500 4th Ave (shown above), or the King County Elections headquarters at 9010 East Marginal Way S, Tukwila. King County also has three accessible voting locations, one at Union Station (401 S. Jackson St) which will be open Monday, February 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, February 9 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A first class stamp will allow you to mail your ballot in, but don’t forget that it has to be postmarked by February 9 to count. (Here’s the voters’ guide in case you’ve misplaced yours .pdf)

(Thanks to MyBallard for the tip!)