Maybe it's just that political candidates who file on opening day tend not to be spitball-shooters, but so far it looks like candidates are abiding by Secretary of State Sam Reed's plea to not grandstand with colorful ballot language.

With the first day of filing wrapping up, most candidates are playing it straight when asked to put a party preference between the ballot wording "(Prefers ________ Party)".

A few declined to state a party preference at all. Bellevue's Mark Green, who's challenging Reed, listed his party preference as "Party of Commons." A lot of Republicans are writing in "G.O.P." (Grand Old Party Party?) and Democrats seem divided on whether its the Democratic or Democrat party.

Still, Andrew Villeneuve at the Northwest Progressive Institute argues that candidates might as well have some fun. The new top-two primary largely excludes minor-party candidates from the ballot, he notes.

"Since the primary is already a joke, it might as well be entertaining," writes Villeneuve.

---

---