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Politics

Clone of primary election guide

Everything you need to know to vote in next week's election.

Clone of primary election guide

by

Cascade PBS Newsroom Editors •

Repuplish

Turnout equals outcome. That’s the case with all (free) elections, obviously, but it is particularly true for midterms, where a high-octane presidential contest is not driving people to the polls. And primaries for midterms? Well, a vanishingly small number of voters care about those--yes, even in the Trump era. Which means that your vote means even more. And so, with that in mind, we implore you to put your thumb on the scales of democracy and help determine the fight cards for this November’s general election. We have put together summaries of all the races on any Seattleites’ ballot, as well as endorsements from other publications and relevant stories. The rest is up to you. Ballots are due Aug. 7.

United States Senator

Endorsements

Maria Cantwell — The Stranger

Stories

Sen. Maria Cantwell, who has held this seat since 2001, came within an hour of an uneventful re-election cakewalk. Then Susan Hutchison, the chair of the state Republican Party and a former Seattle news anchor, announced her run for the office and things got way more interesting. That isn’t to say that the field was sparse without Hutchison. Quite the opposite. With 29 total candidates — including perennials like Goodspaceguy and Alex Tsimerman, as well as alt-right provocateur Joey Gibson — the race is taking up a lot of ballot space. Cantwell, a long-serving Democrat who leans toward the center on most issues, is all but assured to get through the primary. Who will she face? A Spokane Spokesman Review article noted the possibility that the Republican vote could be so split that Cantwell could, at least conceivably, face another Democrat, likely more left leaning. But the conventional wisdom is that Cantwell will be facing Hutchison, who stood firm with Donald Trump when other state Republicans were questioning his 2016 presidential candidacy.

Candidates:

GoodSpaceGuy (Republican)
     Thor Amundson (Independent)
Dave Bryant (Republican)
Jon Butler (Independent)
Maria Cantwell (Republican)
Brad Chase (FDFR Party)
Art Coday (Republican)
James Robert “Jimmie” Deal (Green Party)
Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente (Republican)
Jennifer Gigi Ferguson(Independent)
Matt Hawkins (Republican)
Joey Gibson (Republican)
     Matthew D. Heines (Republican)
Steve Hoffman (Freedom Socialist Party)
Susan Hutchison (Republican)
Charlie R. Jackson (Independent)
     George H. Kalberer (Democrat)
Mike Luke (Libertarian)
John Orlinski (Republican)
     Tim Owen (Republican)
Don L. Rivers (Democrat)
     Mohammad Said (Democrat)
RC Smith (Republican)
Dave Strider (Independent)
     Glen R. Stockwell (Republican)
Keith Swank (Republican)
Clint R. Tannehill (Democrat)
Alex Tsimerman (StandUpAmerica Party)
Sam Wright (Human Rights Party)

U.S. Congressional Representative, District No. 1

Endorsements

Suzan DelBene — The Stranger

Stories

Suzan DelBene has no opposition from fellow Democrats as she seeks her fourth term in Congress. DelBene has focused on job creation throughout her tenure, like in her 2017 bill to boost veteran employment or her aid in the passage of a 2014 farm bill that sought to aid farming families through investments and funding. She has also twice promoted a bill prohibiting the creation of a religious registry as a response to President Trump’s attempts at a “Muslim ban.” Republican challenger Jeffrey Beeler, a member of the Sultan City Council, boasts endorsements from the King and Skagit County Republican parties. The other Republican, Arlington-based attorney Scott Stafne, gained a little more than 3 percent of the vote in the 2016 primary, when he ran as a Libertarian. Independent Adam Pilskog, a school teacher, has a website with his thoughts on major issues.

Candidates: Jeffrey Beeler (Republican)
Suzan DelBene (Democrat) Democratic Party

Robert Mair (No party preference)
Adam Pilskog (No party preference)
Scott Stafne (Republican)

U.S. Congressional Representative, District No. 8

Endorsements

Jason Rittereiser — The Stranger

Dino Rossi and Shannon Hader — The Seattle Times

Stories

When David Reichert announced that he would not be running for re-election last fall, Washington’s 8th Congressional District was thrust into a national storyline that has Democrats attempting to seize the House from the Republicans. The reason? While Reichert easily won his seventh term in 2016 by 20 points, Hillary Clinton actually carried the district by 3 percent. Without Reichert, a party-line Republican still remembered as the sheriff who took down the Green River Killer, the district appears to be in play. Republican state senator Dino Rossi is almost certain to make it through the primary. He has received the blessing from the party, raised a boatload of dough, and has district-wide name recognition from his unsuccessful runs for governor (twice) and U.S. Senate. Who his opponent will be is less clear, but resumes and fundraising amounts suggest three possibilities, all Democrats: former King County deputy prosecutor Jason Rittereiser; a former director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Shannon Hader; and Issaquah pediatrician Kim Schrier. This is the race to watch on election night.

Candidates: Keith Arnold (Independent/No Party)
Tom Cramer (Democrat)
Patrick Dillon (No party preference)
Bill Grassie (Independent Centrist Party)
Shannon Hader (Democrat)
Jack Hughes-Hageman (Republican)
   Todd Mahaffey (No party preference)
Gordon Allen Pross (Republican)
Richard Travis Reyes (Libertarian)
Jason Rittereiser (Democrat)

Dino Rossi (Republican)
Kim Schrier (Democrat)

U.S. Congressional Representative, District No. 9

Endorsements

Sarah Smith — The Stranger

Stories

In his two decades in the House, Democratic incumbent Adam Smith has built a reputation as moderate — he’s focused much of his attention on national defense issues over the years — but he has recently shifted toward more progressive stances. In his 2016 campaign, for instance, Smith emphasized economic issues, gun safety and tax reform aimed at increasing the share paid by the wealthy. Still, he faces a challenge not just from a Republican, Doug Basler, but also left-leaning Democratic newcomer Sarah Smith (no relation to the congressman). Following the upset in New York of a mainstream Democratic congressman by Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, The Progressive highlighted Sarah Smith’s campaign, calling out the incumbent’s heavy contributions from defense contractors and his 2017 vote with Republicans (and more than 100 other Democrats) for higher military spending. Progressives can hope for a Smith vs. Smith showdown in November, but Basler — a King County Republican Party official, entrepreneur and radio host — has never scored less than 23 percent of the vote in two previous primary and general election races. So, primary turnout will need to bend leftward for Sarah Smith to earn a place on the general election ballot.

Candidates:

Doug Basler (Republican)
Adam Smith (Democrat)
Sarah Smith (Democrat)

Legislative District No. 30, State Senator

Endorsements

Mark Miloscia — The Seattle Times

Claire Wilson — The Stranger

Mark Miloscia — Tacoma News Tribune

Stories

Democratic hopes to hold onto — and further solidify — all the power in Olympia rest on a handful of swing districts. This is one of them. But while party leaders have a history of targeting this seat, they also have a history of losing. It’s been particularly frustrating because the party already holds the district’s two House seats. Incumbent Republican Mark Miloscia and two Democrats are fighting for places on the fall ballot. Claire Wilson is a member of the Federal Way School Board and a career educator. Tirzah Idahosa is founder of Democrats for Diversity and Inclusion and has worked in corrections and as a paralegal.

Candidates:

Tirzah Idahosa (Democrat)
Mark Miloscia (Republican)
Claire Wilson (Democrat)

Legislative District No. 32, State Senator

Endorsements

Jesse Salomon — The Seattle Times

Jesse Salomon — The Stranger

Jesse Salomon — The Herald

Stories

The solidly Democratic district has been represented by longtime liberal activist Maralyn Chase since 2011. Before that she was a state representative for nine years. Long before that she marched against the Vietnam War. Now she faces challenges from both a Democratic vice mayor of Shoreline, Jesse Salomon, and a Republican, firefighter James Wood. The voters in the district, which includes a slice of northwest Seattle, Shoreline and southwest Snohomish County, continue to send Chase back to Olympia. But editorial boards are united in their opposition. The Stranger gave its endorsement to Salomon, saying that it wasn’t impressed (well, they used stronger wording) with him but that Chase, with experience and important committee positions, was a part of why Democrats fail to deliver on their promises on health care and other issues before the Legislature. The Seattle Times editorial board, which has never liked her progressivism, found her lecturing about industrial automation during an endorsement interview a sign that it’s really time for her to go. Joel Connelly of seattlepi.com poked fun at the Times but suggested that there’s a fair chance of a Salomon vs. Chase race in November.

Candidates:

Maralyn Chase (Democratic)
Jesse Salomon (Democratic)
James Wood (Republican)

Legislative District No. 32, Representative Pos. 1

Endorsements

Keith Smith — The Seattle Times

Cindy Ryu — The Stranger

Since first winning this seat six years ago, former Shoreline mayor Cindy Ryu has gone on to chair the Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs Committee and the Members of Color Caucus in Olympia. She is likely to make it through to the general where she would face one of two lower-profile candidates, Keith Smith and Diodato (Dio) Boucsieguez. Boucsieguez shares his website with two other Republican candidates, promoting typically Republican objectives like fiscal responsibility and smaller government. Smith, however, calls himself a “centrist” and seeks to separate himself from party lines, promoting government transparency and a broader tax base. But both candidates say that they support the state Public Records Act, a contrast to Ryu’s choice to vote for Senate Bill 6617, which sought to weaken the state’s Public Records Act.

Candidates:

Diodato (Dio) Boucsiequez (Republican)
Cindy Ryu (Democratic)
Keith Smith (Centrist)

Legislative District No. 32, Representative Pos. 2

Endorsements

Lauren Davis — The Seattle Times

Lauren Davis — The Stranger

Stories

Current representative Ruth Kagi is retiring after 20 years, taking a legacy of care for children and families with her. But new faces seeking to take the position hope to fill in this gap with propositions to strengthen communities of their own. Chris Roberts, currently a Shoreline City Councilmember and its former mayor, wants to support communities through criminal justice reform and attention to workers’ rights. Lauren Davis focuses on substance-abuse treatment in her platform and is the founding executive director of the Washington Recovery Alliance, promoting suicide-prevention efforts and safe injection sites. Frank Deisler, a former paramedic in New York and King County Precinct Committee Officer, also wishes to approach substance-abuse, but has a different approach: he wants to prevent the creation of safe injection sites and ending free needle programs.

Candidates:

Lauren Davis (Democratic)
Frank Deisler (Republican)
Chris Roberts (Democratic)

Legislative District No. 33, State Senator

Endorsements

Karen Keiser — The Seattle Times

Karen Keiser — The Stranger

Stories

Opponents of Karen Keiser are at a bit of a disadvantage. Keiser’s been a well-regarded Democratic state senator since 2001 and the district — which covers Normandy Park, Des Moines, SeaTac, and parts of Burien and Kent — leans left, run entirely by Democratic officials. Kun Wang, an independent Republican, hasn’t been especially active in the race and Charles Schaefer, Keiser’s Libertarian opponent promoting government transparency and accountability, has no elective background.

Candidates:

Karen Keiser (Democratic)
Charles Schaefer (Libertarian)
     Kun Wan (Ind. Republican)

Legislative District No. 34, State Senator

Endorsements

Shannon Braddock — The Seattle Times

Joe Nguyen — The Stranger

Stories

The retirement of Sharon Nelson has left an open seat in a district that is all but certain to remain in Democratic hands. It’s no surprise, then, that Democratic candidates dominate in this unusually large pool of contenders — there’s seven of them, compared to two Republicans, one Independent and one without party preference. Shannon Braddock has risen as a strong Democratic contender, receiving a wide array of endorsements and one from Nelson herself, while other candidates like Democrats Joe Nguyen, Sofia Aragon and Annabel Quintero and Hillary Shaw, who has no party preference, show new faces and a diversity of politics that matches the region, which encompasses Vashon Island, West Seattle, White Center and Burien.

Candidates:

Sofia Aragon (Democratic)
Shannon Braddock (Democratic)
     Lemuel W. Charleston (Democratic)
Lisa Ryan Devereau (Democratic)
     Darla Green (Republican)
     Courtney Lyle (Republican)
Joe Nguyen (Democratic)
Annabel Quintero (Democratic)
Lois Schipper (Democratic)
Hillary Shaw (No Party Pref.)
Debi Wagner (Democratic)

Legislative District No. 37, Representative Pos. 2

Endorsements

Eric Pettigrew — The Seattle Times

Eric Pettigrew — The Stranger

The race to represent the district covering Beacon Hill, Central District, Rainier Valley, Columbia City, Rainier Beach and Renton isn’t garnering much enthusiasm among editorial boards. The incumbent Pettigrew has earned the two big endorsements, but neither publication is all that excited about the candidate: The Seattle Times and The Stranger both seem to be hoping for a stronger future challenger. Still, he seems likely for re-election as Tamra Smilanich hasn’t been a publicly active opponent and John Dickinson’s platform remains somewhat confusing.

Candidates:

John Dickinson (No Party Pref.)
     Eric Pettigrew (Democratic)
     Tamra Smilanich (Independent)

Legislative District No. 41, Representative Pos. 1

Endorsements

Tana Senn — The Seattle Times

Tana Senn — The Stranger

Stories

Tana Senn, an advocate for public education funding, faces no Democratic opposition in her run for re-election; her district is currently run entirely by Democratic officials. She was first appointed in 2013 following the resignation of Marcie Maxwell, who left to be the senior education policy adviser to Gov. Jay Inslee. She runs against Republican candidate Tim Cruickshank, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL and health care worker who opposes a state income tax and emphasizes equal education opportunities, and Libertarian candidate Nathaniel Deily, a Bellevue-based Microsoft employee.

Candidates:

Tim Cruickshank (Republican)
     Nathaniel Deily (Libertarian)
Tana Senn (Democratic)

Legislative District No. 41, Representative Pos. 2

Endorsements

My-Linh Thai — The Seattle Times

Tana Senn — The Stranger

Stories

The Democrats are losing one of their longest-serving representatives in Olympia with the retirement of Judy Clibborn, who has served since 2002. Three candidates are vying to begin their own tenure representing the entirety of both Newcastle and Mercer Island. Two of those candidates are Democrats, coming in with a wealth of policy experience: My-Linh Thai, who shows strong interest in education following her time on the Bellevue School Board, and Wendy Weiker, a member of the Mercer Island City Council who has been endorsed by Clibborn. Michael Appleby, the race’s sole Republican candidate, is a small business owner hoping to fully fund education and strengthen transportation by creating an elected board of directors for Sound Transit.

Candidates:

Michael Appleby (Republican)
My-Linh Thai (Democratic)
Wendy Weiker (Democratic)

Legislative District No. 43, Representative Pos. 2

Endorsements

Frank Chopp — The Seattle Times

Frank Chopp — The Stranger

House Speaker Frank Chopp has held this seat since 1994 and there is no reason to think that he won’t continue holding it, much less fail to advance to the general election. Progressive voters have shown discontent with Chopp’s performance in the past — which is unsurprising, considering the district’s liberal landscape, from Capitol Hill to Fremont to the University District. But both of Chopp’s challengers — Republican Claire Torstenbo and Independent Boris Joffe — are first-time candidates, so their work to make an impact is cut out for them.

Candidates:

Frank Chopp (Democratic)
Boris Joffe (Independent)
Claire Torstenbo (Republican)

Legislative District No. 47, Representative Pos. 1

Endorsements

Debra Entenman — The Seattle Times

Debra Entenman — The Stranger

Stories

In an especially dynamic swing district — one that contains both the state’s Democratic House majority leader and a moderate Republican — incumbent Mark Hargrove isn’t necessarily a shoe-in for re-election. Hargrove has earned a strong Republican following in his district after years of supporting businesses like Boeing and running on a platform promoting limited government and fiscal responsibility. He has also supported an anti-transgender bathroom bill and an anti-abortion bill. Debra Entenman enters the race as the only Democrat, boasting a dozen years of experience working for Congressman Adam Smith and myriad left-leaning endorsements. James Dillon, an independent, has not been as active in the race as Entenman and Hargrove.

Candidates:

James Dillon, Independent Party
Debra Entenman (Democratic)
Mark Hargrove (Republican)

Legislative District No. 47, Representative Pos. 2

Endorsements

Pat Sullivan — The Seattle Times

Pat Sullivan — The Stranger

Stories

Democratic House leader Pat Sullivan is the incumbent in this race, for which the seven-term legislator has drawn two Republican challengers. A moderate who represents Covington and surrounding areas, Sullivan’s most recent accomplishment is as an architect of the McCleary school-funding solution that was passed during the 2017 session. His challengers are Ted Cooke, a software tester, and Lindsey Shumway, a health coach.

Candidates:

Ted Cooke (Republican)
Lindsey Shumway (Republican)
Pat Sullivan (Democratic)

Legislative District No. 48, State Senator

Endorsements

Rodney Tom — The Seattle Times

Patty Kuderer — The Stranger

Stories

Two Democrats and an independent are running in the district encompassing Redmond, Bellevue and Kirkland. This might not seem so surprising after the area’s last few left-leaning elections. However, Rodney Tom provides a less-typical Democratic candidate to the race, contrasting incumbent Patty Kuderer. As the Seattle Times puts it, he’s “an independent-minded man” who ruffled some feathers after a 2006 Republican-to-Democratic party switch and then, later, allying with Republicans again in 2013. Now he’s back with the Democratic Party, leaving voters to decide if they’re looking for a senator who’s a more traditional Democrat (Kuderer) or someone a little in between (Hirt or Tom).

Candidates:

Bill Hirt (Independent)
Patty Kuderer (Democratic)
Rodney Tom (Democratic)

Northeast Electoral District, Judge Position No. 1

Endorsements

Marcus Naylor — The Stranger

The one thing that all three of the candidates for this District Court position have in common is that they are all, at the very least, qualified for the position, according to the King County Bar Association. That is not always the case.

Candidates:

Marcus Naylor
Joshua Schaer
Mychal Schwartz

King County Proposition No. 1

Endorsements

Approve — The Seattle Times

Reject — The Stranger

Stories

Regulatory property tax levy, automated fingerprint identification system services

This levy for a tax to fund King County’s Automated Identification Fingerprint Service has been renewed numerous times without much fuss. But now that the county wants to upgrade to a system that would allow for the possible implementation of facial recognition technology, it just got a little more complicated.