King County delays election results due to equipment problem
November 7, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. Nov. 7, 2012
King County Elections planned to release results at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, but officials delayed the report until 6:30 p.m. due to a problem with the ballot-scanning system.
Officials attributed the problem to the ballot-scanning system the record volume of ballots handled by the elections office. The equipment vendor is on site at the elections headquarters in Renton, and resolved the problem by 6 p.m., officials said in a statement.
The elections office plans to include about 50,000 ballots in the next tally.
King County is the largest county in the United States to conduct all-mail elections.
Ballots continue to arrive at the elections office. Officials received about 985,000 ballots so far — or 84 percent turnout in the general election to date.
King County prepares to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, as supporters claim victory
November 7, 2012
NEW — 3:30 p.m. Nov. 7, 2012
King County Executive Dow Constantine is prepared to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, as Referendum 74 supporters claimed victory in the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington.
Dow Constantine
But not so fast, came the response from opponents. R-74 challengers said uncounted ballots from outside left-leaning King County could spell defeat for the measure.
In the initial results released Tuesday, R-74 led in the tally 52 percent to 48 percent, among more than 1.9 million ballots statewide. The measure relied on deep support in King County; R-74 garnered support from 65 percent of local voters.
Constantine, a longtime same-sex marriage supporter, hailed the milestone hours after the organization behind the campaign to approve R-74, Washington United for Marriage, claimed victory.
Chad Magendanz readies for transition from Issaquah School Board to Legislature
November 7, 2012
NEW — 3 p.m. Nov. 7, 2012
Republican Chad Magendanz triumphed in the race to represent Issaquah and the 5th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives, and in process, set up a vacancy on the Issaquah School Board.
Chad Magendanz
Magendanz cruised to a comfortable lead against North Bend Democrat David Spring in the initial election results released Tuesday, 55 percent to 45 percent. The candidates vied to succeed retiring state Rep. Glenn Anderson, a Republican and lawmaker for a dozen years.
“I’m really looking forward to getting out of campaign mode — which has been the focus for the last year — and rolling up my sleeves and really getting into the tough problems to solve down in Olympia,” Magendanz said in a Wednesday interview.
Ex-Issaquah legislator is locked in tight race for secretary of state
November 7, 2012
NEW — 11:55 a.m. Nov. 7, 2012
Democrat Kathleen Drew, a former Issaquah state senator, is locked in a close race for secretary of state against Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman, a Republican.
The contest to choose a successor to Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed is split 50.39 percent for Wyman against 49.61 percent for Drew in the initial results released Tuesday.
The secretary of state serves as the top elections official in Washington. The office also handles registrations for corporations and charities.
Reed plans to retire after a dozen years in the post. In 2004, he led the office through the contest between Gregoire and Dino Rossi — the closest gubernatorial race in U.S. history.
Democrat Mark Mullet claims lead in state Senate bout
November 6, 2012
Mark Mullet embraces wife Sabath at Zeeks Pizza on election night moments after initial results give him a lead in the race against Brad Toft for the 5th Legislative District’s state Senate seat. By Greg Farrar
UPDATED — 9:25 p.m. Nov. 6, 2012
The unexpectedly ugly race to represent Issaquah in the state Senate neared a coda Tuesday as Democrat Mark Mullet claimed a lead in initial results.
Dave Reichert outpaces Karen Porterfield to represent Issaquah in Congress
November 6, 2012
Karen Porterfield
Dave Reichert
UPDATED — 11:10 p.m. Nov. 6, 2012
Dave Reichert is poised to return to Washington, D.C., to represent Issaquah and the 8th Congressional District.
Reichert, a former King County sheriff and Auburn Republican, faced Issaquah Democrat Karen Porterfield, a nonprofit professional and adjunct instructor at Seattle University.
Reichert led, 59 percent to 41 percent, in the initial results released Tuesday night.
The district stretches from Auburn to Issaquah, and then across the Cascades to Ellensburg and Wenatchee.
“We toured cities from Eatonville to Chelan, and I heard the same thing, ‘We’ve got to get the economy moving again,’” Reichert said at the GOP election night celebration in Bellevue. “I’m in a good position to do that in the Ways & Means Committee.”
Sammamish couple celebrates Referendum 74 lead
November 6, 2012
NEW — 10 p.m. Nov. 6, 2012
The early lead for Referendum 74, a statewide ballot measure to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington, elicited what Dana Alixander called a “collective thank you” for supporters.
Dana and longtime partner Sage Alixander hailed the solid lead for the measure. Both Sammamish residents campaigned hard for voters to approve R-74.
The measure garnered strong support in King County, and leads, 52 percent to 48 percent, in initial statewide results.
Dana Alixander described the wait as a “collective holding our breath” before the initial results arrived just after 8 p.m.
King County voters return ballots, shatter records
November 6, 2012
Cathy Gulezian, of Maple Valley (left), watches sons Brady, 2, and Dylan, 4, place ballots for her and husband Ken in a ballot drop box attended by King County Elections workers Michele Phelps and Jon Gentry at Issaquah City Hall. By Greg Farrar
NEW — 7 p.m. Nov. 6, 2012
The ballot drop box outside Issaquah City Hall transformed into a nucleus of activity as Election Day stretched into night, and voters raced to deposit ballots before the 8 p.m. deadline.
King County Elections staffers, dressed in aprons the same shade as traffic cones, directed voters to the secure box. The elections office opened the box last month and, as the ballot deadline approached and after post offices closed, more and more ballot-toting voters arrived.
“Unlike during tax season, the post office does not stay open longer hours for voting,” said Lynne Miller, a King County Elections spokeswoman.
Staffers plan to use atomic clocks to determine the precise 8 p.m. deadline at ballot drop box sites countywide. If a line forms for a drop box, voters in line at 8 p.m., can still submit ballots.
Candidates’ signs raise stakes, then linger as litter
November 6, 2012
A cluster of political signs on the road shoulder vie for motorists’ attention Nov. 1 at the corner of Northwest Gilman Boulevard and state Route 900. By Greg Farrar
The emerald strip in the center of Northwest Gilman Boulevard is prime real estate for political signs, a landscaped median exposed to thousands of vehicles each day.
Unfortunately for candidates, city code prohibits campaign operatives from turning the median — and others around Issaquah — into a politician’s paradise in the run-up to Election Day.
Some passers-by regard political signs as litter, just another piece of detritus from a long and acrimonious campaign season. Others see the placards as grassroots organizing at the actual grassroots, a First Amendment affirmation.
Michele Forkner, code compliance officer for the city, treats the signs as a necessary but messy task.
King County to include 520,000 ballots in initial tally
November 6, 2012
NEW — 5:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 2012
King County Elections officials said the initial tally released at about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday should include at least 520,000 ballots.
In the all-mail election, voters can return ballots to designated drop boxes by 8 p.m. The elections office opened a drop box at Issaquah City Hall, 130 E. Sunset Way.
Otherwise, ballots must receive a Nov. 6 postmark.
The initial release from King County Elections is the only update for Tuesday.
The elections office plans to release the next round of results by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and then on subsequent weekdays until the election is certified Nov. 27. Voters can resolve ballot signature issues until Nov. 26.
