Shift to even-year local elections proposed

OLYMPIA – Low turnouts for local elections are leading some to advocate for moving those contests to even-numbered years alongside national races.

“Young people are part of the communities that are being left behind,” said Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle. She is a co-sponsor of a bill in this year’s legislative session to move elections to even-numbered years. She is also the youngest legislator in Washington and said this issue is very personal to her.

“This issue is about making sure that we have the best democracy we can possibly have and hearing the voices of absolutely everyone,” Farivar sa...