Howard Schultz Didn't Vote. Again.

School levies just aren't important enough for this great unifier. SPENCER PLATT / GETTY

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Howard Schultz failed to cast a vote in the special election on February 12, according to the Seattle Times . That means the billionaire has only voted in 11 out of the last 39 cycles, giving him a 28 percent participation rate in the democracy he's thinking about maybe hoping to save.

A key detail from the Times's story: "In a message to Starbucks employees in 2016 as part of a voter-registration campaign, [Schultz] wrote, 'More Americans should participate in all elections, even those for city councils and school boards.'"

After showing so much earnest remorse about his dismal voting record in front of a packed house at the Moore just last month, you'd think he'd be a little more cognizant about voting this time around—especially given the fact that Washington has postage-paid, mail-in ballots. But, alas.

At the Moore, Schultz blamed his bad voting record on the fact that he was very rich and had places to be. "Listen, I travel the world," he told The Evergrey's Monica Guzman. "It’s not an excuse... I’ve not been as engaged locally."

This time his excuse is somehow worse. Here's the statement he gave to the Times: “It would have been great to vote in every election, and I commend all of the Seattleites who have a 100% voting record."

"It would have been great." Incredible.

Schultz's staff hasn't responded to requests for comment from me about how he would have voted on the school levies and about how he justifies not voting in a state with mail-in ballots. I'll update this post if/when they do.

Until then, we're left to speculate. I guess he could be so rich that he doesn't even get his own mail? He could be so rich that he doesn't even read his city's newspaper? Or his city's only blog?!! Or maybe he could be so rich that he doesn't think he needs to vote if he's considering the possibility of being someone who someone else would vote for. That would be too much democracy, and he wouldn't want to accidentally overdo it. That wouldn't align with his independent centrist values, which are going to bridge the divide in this country and heal the wounds and democracy and the flag.

Anyhow, no thanks to Schultz (or the Seattle Times Editorial Board), both school levies passed. Seattle Public Schools thus avoided having to cut over 1,000 staff positions. But because Democrats and Republicans in Olympia agreed to a stupid levy swap last year, SPS will still have to cut about 90 staff positions across the board.