Election Center
Related Coverage, Page 21
McKenna makes candidacy official
OLYMPIA – Several candidates who have been running for months made it official Thursday, adding their names to the growing list of current and potential officeholders for the Aug. 7 ballot. State Attorney General Rob McKenna, who has offices in Seattle and Olympia, filed for governor online, from Spokane. While McKenna is considered the likely Republican nominee for the state’s top job, he joined six others who also want the job, four of them listing their party preference as Republican.
Marijuana activist files for Congress
A Spokane man active in efforts to legalize marijuana entered the primary for Eastern Washington’s congressional seat Wednesday. Ian Moody, 32, who said he is a leader of the Sensible Spokane Alliance as well as an original member of the Occupy Spokane protest, filed for the seat currently held by Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Moody listed no party preference. Rich Cowan, former chief executive officer of North by Northwest, filed earlier this week as a Democrat, and McMorris Rodgers has not yet filed her paperwork although she is actively campaigning.
Six seek to succeed Reed as secretary of state
OLYMPIA – Some political races began filling quickly on the first day for candidates to file for office and pay their fees. The statewide race attracting the most attention on Monday was the one that oversees elections, secretary of state. Incumbent Sam Reed is retiring, and six candidates already want to take his place.
Spin Control: Go ahead, run for office – but keep rules in mind
Tomorrow marks the official start of campaign season. Would-be officeholders will file the paperwork and plunk down the fees for the political position of their choice, or perhaps their dreams. Thanks for that. You help keep the newspaper’s government and political reporters in beer and burgers with your willingness to participate in the democratic process.
For candidates, it’s time to be official
Everyone thinking about running for political office this year, take note: You have less than a week to make up your mind. Everyone talking about running and acting like they’re already full-fledged candidates, take note: It’s not official until you file your paperwork and pay your fee. Candidate filing week starts Monday morning and ends when the office where that paperwork and fee must be deposited closes on Friday. Here’s a tricky part – because of budget cutbacks, some county elections offices close as early as noon on Fridays, others at 4 p.m., and some stay open until 5 p.m. Anyone planning to wait until the last minute to build suspense would be wise to make a phone call to the appropriate office and check when that last minute is.
Obama touts record to Seattle supporters
SEATTLE – Barack Obama acknowledged he hasn’t been a perfect president as he asked some 2,000 supporters to consider a different question than the standard “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” The question he wants to frame the election: “Will we be better off if we keep moving forward?”
Labor Council backs Riccelli without seeking views of other Democrats in House race
Candidates haven’t even officially signed up to run for office, but the contest for a state House seat representing central Spokane is heating up. The race for the seat held by state Rep. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, already has attracted four candidates, in large part because Billig decided last week that he wouldn’t run for re-election as planned so that he could seek the state Senate seat held by Lisa Brown, who announced that she would not run for a new term.
Sen. Brown was financially ready for campaign
State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown perhaps was too prepared for her re-election bid. She already had ordered her campaign signs when she made the surprise announcement last week that she would not seek a new term.
Snyder, Waite enter field for House seat
The scramble is on for a state House seat in central Spokane, part of the fallout of Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown’s surprise decision not to seek re-election. Brown said Thursday that she would not run again for her 3rd Legislative District Senate seat. State Rep. Andy Billig immediately said he would run for Brown’s Senate seat, leaving a vacancy that often attracts multiple candidates.