Local races remain unresolved as ballot count resumes for another week
November 7, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 7, 2010
King County Elections concluded four days of ballot counts Friday, but the latest batch of results did little to clarify the outcome in still-unresolved Issaquah-area races.
The elections office added 74,265 ballots to the tally Friday to bring the total number of ballots counted to 569,743. The office reports the next results at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
Since Election Day, the tight state Senate race in the 48th Legislative District seesawed to favor Democrat Rodney Tom.
The incumbent lagged behind Republican challenger Gregg Bennett on election night, but Tom has built a 1,010-vote lead in days since.
Democrat Ross Hunter, a 48th District representative, solidified a lead against Republican Diane Tebelius. The margin between the candidates increased to 1,824 votes by Friday.
Dino Rossi trails in U.S. Senate race as count continues
November 3, 2010
Dino Rossi, U.S. Senate candidate, kisses wife Terry as children (from left) Jake, Joseph, Juliauna and Jillian look on during a GOP celebration in Bellevue Tuesday. By Greg Farrar
State Senate races remain too close to call
UPDATED — 5:55 p.m. Nov. 3, 2010
Republican Dino Rossi, a Sammamish resident and former Issaquah state senator, trailed incumbent U.S. Sen. Patty Murray by about 24,800 votes Wednesday afternoon, though the number could shift in the days ahead as mail ballots reach elections offices statewide.
Statehouse incumbents appear to be headed for re-election
November 2, 2010
UPDATED — 9:20 p.m. Nov. 2, 2010
Incumbents in the race to represent Issaquah in Olympia — Republicans Glenn Anderson and Jay Rodne, and Democrat Judy Clibborn — pulled far ahead of opponents in initial election results released Tuesday night.
The representatives trounced little known or under-funded candidates to cruise to re-election.
Meanwhile, Democrat Marcie Maxwell appeared to be locked into a close contest against Republican Peter Dunbar to retain the state House of Representatives seat she clinched in 2008. The same scenario appeared to be the case for Democrat Randy Gordon and Republican Steve Litzow in a state Senate bout.
The measure to increase the King County sales tax rate to pay for criminal justice services trailed in early returns and a state liquor-privatization measure backed by Issaquah-based Costco lagged.
Republican Dino Rossi, a Sammamish resident and former Issaquah state senator, remained locked in a tight race against incumbent U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, Democrat in a close fight for a fourth term.
48th Legislative District candidates answer questions
October 12, 2010
Voters in the 48th Legislative District will decide a state House of Representatives state Senate races next month. Here, the candidates discuss a variety of local and state issues in 25 words or fewer.
Incumbent Democrat Ross Hunter faces Republican Diane Tebelius for a House seat. Incumbent Democrat Rodney Tom is running against Republican Gregg Bennett for a Senate seat.
Battleground for Legislature runs through Issaquah
October 5, 2010
The battleground for control of the Legislature is on the shores of Lake Sammamish.
Republicans, re-energized after a decade of defeats and defections on the Eastside, hope to shift a handful of lakeside districts back into the GOP column. Incumbent Democrats promise difficult fights to hold the suburban territory in and near Issaquah.
Democrats hold sizeable majorities in Olympia. The party outnumbers Republicans 61-37 in the House of Representatives and 31-18 in the Senate. Gov. Chris Gregoire is also a Democrat.
The effort to change the political calculus is focused on House and Senate races in the 41st, 45th and 48th legislative districts — the upper-middle class communities arranged around Lake Sammamish.
“I think it’s probably a pretty safe bet that the Republicans will pick up some seats, but I don’t know how many,” Washington State University political science professor David Nice said. “My guess is that, no matter who ends up in majority status in either house of the Legislature that the majority is not going to be a very big one.”
Register to vote in November election by Monday
September 30, 2010
NEW — 8 a.m. Sept. 30, 2010
In order to vote in the November election, Washington residents must register to vote by Monday.
To register, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a Washington resident, at least 18 by Election Day and not under the authority of the state Department of Corrections.
Voters do not have to register by political party or declare political party membership in order to vote in primary or general elections.
Find a full list of requirements and registration forms at King County Elections.
Issaquah voters will decide legislative, judicial and congressional races in the Nov. 2 election, plus a measure to raise the county sales tax rate.
Incumbents earn high marks in Municipal League ratings
July 27, 2010
Issaquah residents face some good choices — and a few not-so-good options — in the primary election next month. Or so the Municipal League of King County has decided.
For the most part, Issaquah-area lawmakers fared better than the challengers campaigning against them in August and November. The league released the ratings July 19.
The league ranks candidates through a rigorous process during each election cycle. The ratings provide a tool for voters — plus fodder for candidates’ campaign mailers and websites.
Evaluators scrutinize candidate records, talk to references, review candidate questionnaires and interview the electoral hopefuls. The league rates candidates on four criteria: involvement, character, effectiveness and knowledge. Candidates then receive a grade ranging from the coveted outstanding to the less-desirable not qualified.
Incumbents earn high marks in Municipal League election rankings
July 20, 2010
NEW — 11 a.m. July 20, 2010
Issaquah residents face some good choices — and a few not-so-good options — in the primary election next month. Or so the Municipal League of King County has decided.
For the most part, Issaquah-area lawmakers fared better than the challengers campaigning against them in August and November.
The league ranks candidates through a rigorous process during each election cycle. The annual rankings provide a tool for voters — plus fodder for candidates’ campaign mailers and websites.
Evaluators scrutinize candidate records, talk to references, review candidate questionnaires and interview the electoral hopefuls. The league rates candidates on four criteria: involvement, character, effectiveness and knowledge. Candidates then receive a grade ranging from the coveted outstanding to the less-desirable not qualified.
Republican candidates convene in Issaquah for campaign boot camp
June 29, 2010
Political candidates convened in Issaquah last week to learn how to be better campaigners and, perhaps someday soon, lawmakers.
The right-of-center Jennifer Dunn Leadership Institute recruits and readies potential candidates for office. The institute, a three-day course held through June 26 at the Issaquah Hilton Garden Inn, included Republican up-and-comers seeking state Senate and House of Representatives seats.
Think of the session as summer school for candidates, with the first test set for the Aug. 17 primary.
In addition to policy primers, the 23-member class took in lessons about government institutions, the political process and how to communicate to voters and journalists.
Instructors included state Rep. Kevin Parker, a popular Spokane Republican; staffers from the Washington Policy Center, a Seattle-based think tank; and Troy Nichols, policy director for the House GOP caucus.
Washington Democrats run a similar boot camp for candidates, the Institute for a Democratic Future.
Candidates file for legislative races
June 15, 2010
The candidates to represent Issaquah in Olympia include some familiar faces and political newcomers.
June 11 marked the deadline to file as a candidate for federal, state, county, city, judicial offices. No city posts will be decided this year.
State Rep. Glenn Anderson announced his re-election campaign late June 10, a week after Democrat Dean Willard kicked off his bid for the seat. Anderson, a Fall City Republican, has held the 5th Legislative District post for a decade.
“In spite of the drastic downturn in the economy, the Legislature and governor ignored the effects on regular people outside of Olympia,” Anderson said in a campaign news release. “We need to get Washington back on track with a ‘live-within-our-means’ budget and no new taxes. We should not be following California down the road to bankruptcy.”
Willard, a Sammamish information technology consultant and a former T-Mobile executive, launched his campaign at Vino Bella in downtown Issaquah on June 3.
The race also includes 2008 Democratic candidate David Spring, although the local party has endorsed Willard.
Incumbent GOP Rep. Jay Rodne will face Sammamish Democrat Greg Hoover, a real estate agent and attorney, for the other 5th Legislative District seat.
King County Council members appointed Rodne, a North Bend attorney, to the seat in 2004 when then-5th District representative Cheryl Pflug became a state senator. Rodne has been elected and re-elected since.
