The citizen-based King County Charter Review Commission under the co-leadership of former county council member Lois North, a Republican, and former Gov. Mike Lowry, a Democrat, referred 10 amendments to the King County Council for review — and recommended that they be forwarded to the voters.
OK, Pierce County voters: How many of you can explain Ranked Choice Voting or Instant Run-off Voting?
Due to the graying color of my hair, an inaccurate assumption is occasionally made that I have been around politics since statehood.
In June, I wrote a column suggesting readers watch certain legislative races to see how conventional political wisdom was holding up against the voters’ actual choices after the primary.
If you like exciting elections, stay tuned for the next couple of months because you’re going to see several.
The economy has slowed way down.
The primary election is next week on Aug. 19.
Look for a larger than usual turnout of about 40 percent with a Democratic flavor. This is the elimination round as the top two regardless of party will move forward.
If you were suddenly made czar of Federal Way, what would you change?
King County Executive isn’t up for election until November of 2009, but with this year’s budget debate serving as a backdrop, the race is already well underway.
If you like public policy debates about what government should, or shouldn’t do, or about what government’s priorities are or should be, you’re going to love the debate about the 2008 King County Budget.
In the end, pragmatic politics won out in an effort to avoid winning the battle but losing the war.
Just hours before Judge Marsha Pechman was to issue her ruling regarding the Sonics’ fulfilling the remaining two years of their lease, the City of Seattle and the Sonics basketball team reached a settlement.
Last week, we looked at many of the King County Charter Review Commission’s recommendations that are under review by the King County Council.
Today, we will look at the rest of the issues.
For those of you who missed it, the King County Council was in town recently.
The council is holding a series of public hearings to gather input as council members consider the recommendations of the Charter Review Commission.
The King County charter, which is like a constitution, is reviewed by a group of knowledgeable citizens every 10 years. The King County Council can then decide if it wants to put any of the items on the ballot for public consideration.
Most of the public generally believes the state Legislature can probably do better.
However, most of the public also tends to believe their legislators are doing a good job. It’s those legislators from other areas that are the problem. Therein rests the likely outcome for this year’s legislative races.
When the votes are tabulated, most incumbents will probably be re-elected and the Democrats will retain comfortable margins in both the House and the Senate.
Filing week has come and gone.
It’s time to fill out your score card and tape it to the refrigerator because there are some races you should watch closely.
The highlight is the race for governor between incumbent Democrat Christine Gregoire and Republican opponent Dino Rossi. That race will dominate the news for the next several months.
But there are some other equally intriguing races you should watch.
This is a national and state year in the election cycle, but there is so much speculating and maneuvering going on at the local level as a carryover from last year and preparatory to next year.
We should do an update.
A few years ago, the Mariners public relations theme to sell tickets was “The Mariners are Playing Hardball.”
In politics, you never know where the twists and turns are going to occur or where humor or miscalculation will alter events.
