Readers of this newsletter and others online suggest the antidote to low voter turnout can be found in the results of Washington’s August primary.

Anyone who believes one voter can’t make a difference should take a closer look at the race for public lands commissioner. State officials believe the contest for second place – and a trip to the general election – was the closest primary in Washington history. After a hand recount, just 53 votes got Democrat Dave Upthegrove on the ballot for the general election.

Share that story with 53 people you know who forgot to vote, decided not to vote, didn’t even know there was a primary, only care about the presidential election or don’t believe one vote matters.

And for those who question election integrity and security, please point out that the original vote count by machines in election offices across Washington was nearly identical to the hand vote recount in those same offices. Even though I am someone who trusts our election system, I found that result a bit miraculous. Thank you to all the election workers and officials — your service to our democracy is appreciated.

In our last politics newsletter, we asked for ideas to convince reluctant voters of the importance of voting in state and local elections. In addition to the evidence offered by the public lands commissioner race, you sent in a few more ideas.

Susan Ward of Seattle has a long list of reasons people should vote in state and local elections, including getting to choose a governor who agrees with them on issues that are decided on the state level: reproductive choice, gun laws and environmental legislation, to name a few.

“Presidential elections may be the most exciting, sure, but local elections run your town,” Ward wrote in an email after the last newsletter. She also notes that many people who end up being national political figures start by running for local offices.

A good example is one of the most powerful women in Congress, Sen. Patty Murray, who started her political career as a parent lobbying the Legislature about preschool education and then was elected to the Shoreline School Board. Ward’s list includes Barack Obama, who served three terms in the Illinois State Senate before running for the U.S. Senate, and Kamala Harris, who was elected California attorney general before her U.S. Senate run.

“If you want to have a say in how your city, your state and your country is led, vote in the primary!” she wrote.

In addition to conducting your own private get-out-the-vote campaign, we have another election assignment for our readers: Help us decide what questions to ask candidates before the general election. You have just a few more days to submit your questions. And you are welcome to submit multiple questions, but you’ll need to fill out this form separately for each question. Thanks for helping us make sure the candidates for Congress, statewide office and the Seattle City Council answer voters' questions instead of just talking about their favorite topics.

Please submit your ideas here, and we will use your suggestions to build a unique questionnaire for each race. We will be accepting ideas through Friday.