Yep, this is the pre-election-day nag about the importance of voting, particularly if you are in King County.
Yes, I'm talking to you. You. Go and dig out the ballot that you got in the mail a couple weeks ago and tossed onto the "important bill" pile by the front door. This bill has come due, and it's time to exercise your franchise, as it were.
Best place to start is to go through the candidates statements in the Voter's Guide. But if you want some other help, here are my recommendations. And Shelly's. And Publicola's. And the Stranger's (though the Stranger's recommendations should always be considered NSFW and read only while garbed in your radiation suit).
This is an important election just because it IS an off-year. Less voters = your vote counts more towards the total. And yeah, there is a lot opportunity to do serious damage to ourselves if we're not paying attention.
What, you already voted? Well, then reward yourself with this story by Kij Johnson, which won the World Fantasy Award for short story (Congrats, Kij!). But don't read it unless you've voted!