Scott White

The Municipal League of King County released its ratings of candidates in King County legislative and judicial races Tuesday. The Municipal League is a nonpartisan volunteer group dedicated to keeping government open and effective.

Ratings ranged from "Not Qualified" to "Outstanding" with "Adequate", "Good", and "Very Good" between them. Most candidates received at least a "Good" rating, with just under ten percent of all 85 candidates reviewed achieving the level of "Outstanding".

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Petitioners on behalf of Gerry Pollet who sought to remove Scott White from the ballot in the 46th Legislative District had their day in court, just five days after filing their grievance on June 20. Counsel from both sides gave oral arguments in front of Judge John P. Erlick this morning at the King County Courthouse, with Erlick finally deciding in White's favor.

For a full backstory on White's potential withdrawal from the race, see this article.

Topics of debate ranged widely throughout the nearly two hour hearing, touching on topics from fax machine time stamps to the credibility of witnesses, procedures of election officials and even the relevance of fax machines in the modern age.

Supporters of Gerry Pollet in the 46th Legislative District filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon to have Scott White removed from the ballot for state representative, position 1 in the 46th LD. The petition claims that County Elections Division Director Sherril Huff acted incorrectly when she reinstated his candidacy after it was apparently withdrawn on Thursday, June 12.

White faxed his paperwork from a King County Executive fax machine at 1329 hours on Thursday, June 12 according to the time stamp on the fax. The county says it received the fax at 4:35 PM, 5 minutes after the deadline for withdrawal.

Pollet's supporters imply in a press release that White's treatment had to do with political ties.

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46th Legislative District Democrats met Thursday to officially endorse candidates for local and state races. Most of these were uncontested, but a vote was required to choose Rep. Jim McDermott over Donovan Rivers in the 7th Congressional District, and to endorse Rep. Jim McIntire for state treasurer over Dr. Chang Mook Sohn.

When it came down to the contested state House race in the 46th District between Scott White and Gerry Pollet, things became a little more complicated.

A movement to suspend the rules and allow for a double endorsement was shot down only one vote short  of a necessary two thirds majority, leaving the body to choose between Pollet, White or "no endorsement". White spoke both on his own behalf and for no endorsement, saying for the latter could be a protest vote for a dual endorsement.

After neither candidate received the necessary two thirds vote on the first ballot (Pollet received 57, White 49 and no endorsement 10), Pollet  successfully moved that the rules be suspended to allow a dual endorsement which passed unanimously. Pollet and a few of his supporters had initially opposed suspension of the rules to try to expose what he said was a broken agreement by White about the way Pollet's nomination would be treated. White, on the other hand, believes that Pollet broke the faith.

But when all is said and done, the night will show that both candidates are endorsed, and all the procedures will be left for the memories of the 116 voters on site. 

A fax from Scott White to King County Elections: Obtained by PolitickerWA.comThe 46th Legislative District's race to succeed Rep. Jim McIntire for state representative in Position 1 has been no stranger to controversy this spring. There is a debate over who actually won the district line from the precinct committee, and now the two leading Democratic candidates are arguing over whether one of them is even in the race anymore.

On the afternoon of Friday, June 13, Erica C. Barnett at The Stranger reported that Scott White, a leading candidate, had withdrawn from the race upon receiving the news that he had come down with a case of pneumonia.

The Seattle Fire Fighters Union has chosen to endorse four candidates for office, The Stranger is reporting. The IAFF Local 27 is backing Democrat Reuven Carlyle in the 36th LD where he is competing against fellow Democrat John Burbank for an open seat.

The fire fighters also endorsed in a similar race for an open seat in a safe district, choosing to back Scott White in the 46th District where he is running against Democrat Gerry Pollet.

There was even some bipartisanship in their decision, as they endorsed the re-election of Attorney General Rob McKenna (R-Bellevue). 

When the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Initiative 297, which blocks continued nuclear waste from being disposed at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, was unconstitutional, it affected more than just advocates of the Hanford situation. Because of the parties involved, the decision may have an impact on some of the state's political races, as well.

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Politicker PhotoTen hours after the meeting ended, the 46th District Democrats still do not have a clear nominee for State Representative in position 1.

At the end of a long Legislative District meeting that saw a passionate exchange of ideas, and nearly a last minute change of procedure to take the nomination power away from the Precinct Committee Officers, Gerry Pollet was announced the winner of the PCO vote just before 10PM.

However, the apparent victory would only last a few hours. Early the next morning, White contacted PolitickerWA.com with news that a third recount had been completed showing White ahead of Pollet 334-329, but the vailidity of the recount remains in question.

UPDATE: The 46th LD Chair confirms that no official recount has taken place. That news suggests that Pollet is, in fact, the nominee. More to come.

Monday was the deadline for reporting April contributions and expenditures for campaigns here in Washington. Now that six months remain until election day, PolitickerWA.com will begin a monthly rundown of the financial status of the state's top races.

Here is how things stand as of April 30, 2008. The first number listed is contributions, the second number is expenditures and the third number is the difference between the two. Precluding any unusual circumstances, that third number is equal to cash on hand. The candidate with the most cash on hand is listed at the top of each section.

As Legislative Districts around the state move to nominate candidates for local offices before their party conventions, many are running into a fresh problem. With the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold Initiative 872, better known as the "Top Two" Primary, the party nomination process has been turned on its ear, leading some local LDs to openly buck state party rules.

No longer is it up to party voters to decide who their candidate is in races like those for State Representative since the "Top Two" primary ballots do not allow for partisan sections and labels. Still, that ruling does not mean the Parties will just sit idly by and allow their candidates to be chosen for them.

Instead, they have been forced to come up with new nomination processes. Now, at least in the Democratic Party, is up to a small cadre of party activists at the LD level made of up Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs) who have been both elected and appointed to those pots.

But not all party officials have come on board. In the last week and a half, two Legislative Districts' Executive Boards have voted to eschew the party rules and are choosing not to officially nominate any candidates at the State Representative level.