The King County Democrats met last night to endorse candidates for the August 18, 2009 Primary. Many candidates were voted by acclimation following the recommendations of the endorsement committee. The most fought over races were those for Seattle City Council and Seattle Mayor. A 2/3 vote was required for endorsement.

No candidate was endorsed for Seattle Mayor. A series of single and dual endorsement votes failed to find any combination with the necessary 2/3 vote needed for endorsement. Despite Mayor Nickels being a strong Democrat, he could not muster enough support among Party Democrats, a number of who voiced their opinion that he is out of touch with neighborhood issues and the public. One gets the feeling that Nickels is taking local Democrats for granted – he certainly is not out hustling on the campaign trail or showing any significant grassroots organizing in the districts.

Joe Mallahan – the T-Mobile Vice-President got the most votes of any candidate.

Here are some of the votes taken in the Mayor’s race:

Joe Mallahan – single endorsement 31/21 failed
Greg Nickels – single endorsement 21/31 failed
Mallahan and Nickels – dual endorsement 27/24 failed
Mallahan/McGinn – dual endorsement 33/20 failed

Seattle City Attorney:

Tom Carr – single endorsement 23/21 failed
Pete Holmes – single endorsement 33/12 endorsed

Seattle City Council Position 2

Richard Conlin – endorsed
David Ginsberg – endorsed

Seattle City Council Position 4

David Bloom – endorsed
Dorsal Palnts – endorsed

Seattle City Council Position 6

Nick Licata – endorsed

Seattle City Council Position 8

David Miller – endorsed
Bobby Forch – endorsed

Seattle School Board District 5

Mary Bass – endorsed

Seattle School Board District 7

Charlie Mas – endorsed

King County Executive

Dow Constantine – endorsed
Larry Phillips – endorsed

The following candidates were all endorsed by acclamation on the recommendation of the endorsement committee based on interviews and their questionnaires.

Anne Ellington – Washington State Court of Appeals, Division 1, Position 3
Bob Ferguson – King County Council Position 1
Julia Patterson – King County Council Position 5
John Creighton – Port of Seattle Position 1
Max Vekich – Port of Seattle Position 4
Michael Marchand – City of Bellevue
Jack Block Jr – City of Burien Position 3
Brian Bennett – City of Burien Position 7
Jennifer Armenta – City of Bothell Council Position 6
Ava Mac D Frisinger – City of Issaquah Mayor
Mqaureen McCarry – City of Issquah Position 5
Tola Marts – City of issaquah Position 7
Jamie Danielson – City of Kent Position 3
Dennis Higgins – City of Kent Position 4
Elizabeth Albertson – City of Kent Position 8
Brad Larssen – City of Kirkland Position 3
Karen Tennyson – City of Kirkland Position 5
Jean Thomas – City of Lake Forest Park Position 3
Bill Erxleben – City of Newcastle Position 6
Kimberly Allen – City of Redmond Position 4
Jim Flynn – City of Renton Position 2
Janet Way – City of Shoreline Position 3
Chris Roberts – City of Shoreline Position 7
Susan Boundy-Sanders City of Woodinville Position 5
Tim Clark - Kent School Board Position 5
Julia Lacey – Northshore School District

previously endorsed in February:

Rob Holland – Port of Seattle Position 3
Cindy Ryu – City of Shoreline Mayor

The King County Democrats also voted on 2 ballot measures with the following recommendations:

Yes on Measure-Proposition No. 1 North Highline South Annexation Area (proposed annexation to the City of Burien)

No on Initiative 1033 proposed by Tim Eyman for the Nov. Ballot
(This measure would limit the growth of certain state, county and city revenue to annual inflation and population growth, not including voter-approved revenue increases. Revenue collected above the limit would reduce property tax levies.)

A third ballot measure – City of Seattle – Referendum 1 received a vote of 24/16 to support it but failed to receive the necessary 2/3 vote for endorsement. A simple majority is needed on the August 18, 2009 ballot by Seattle voters to pass this measure.

Referendum 1 was placed on the ballot after the plastics industry paid signature gatherers to collect signatures. The Referendum is on Seattle City Council passed Ordinance No. 122752 concerning imposing a 20-cent fee on disposable shopping bags.

“This ordinance would require grocery stores, drug and convenience stores to collect the fee for every disposable shopping bag provided to customers. Stores with annual gross sales of under $1,000,000 could keep all the fees they collected, to cover their costs. Other stores could keep 25% of the fees they collected, and would send the remainder to the city to support garbage reduction and recycling programs. The stores would get a business-tax deduction for the fees they collected.”