Voters Approve Juvenile Curfew

Kent voters overwhelmingly approved a citywide juvenile curfew to keep kids off the streets after 10 p.m., according to unofficial election results.

Although only 20 percent of the city’s eligible voters returned their ballots in Tuesday’s mail-in vote, the initiative won approval by 74 percent.

The initiative prohibits anyone under 18 from remaining in a public place after 10 p.m. on weeknights and after midnight on weekends.

Some 3,922 voters mailed in ballots in favor of the curfew; 1,367 cast ballots against it. Officials expect another 1,000 ballots in the next few days’ mail, but don’t expect them to alter the outcome of the vote.

Kent Police Guild and Police Chief Ed Crawford opposed the curfew, saying it would divert police attention from serious problems.

The department will issue only verbal warnings for the first 90 days.

A violation will be a civil infraction, with fines ranging from $50 for a first offense to $500 for third and subsequent offenses. There is a provision to substitute community service, at a rate of $5 per hour, for the fine.