From 2005 to 2019, he reportedly voted in 11 of 38 municipal elections. His voting record in Seattle has been described by "The Seattle Times" as a "pattern of ignoring many local elections over the decades." The paper reported in 2020 that while Schultz is heavily involved in the state's political debates, he often "doesn't show up to vote" in various municipal elections including that of the city's mayor and city council. Washington governor Jay Inslee, who was running against Schultz in the 2020 election, criticized him for his absence in state politics.