Dear Group,
You were thinking Presidential Election? That consumes the consciousness of many Americans, and it certainly consumes the national news media. Here in eastern Washington, though, we’ve got a
Municipal Primary Election on Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Municipal General Election on Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Put those dates on your calendar. You should receive a ballot for the Primary in the mail by the third week of July. These are the elections to which many of us (including this writer) have paid little attention in many past years. As a result people like Mike Fagan, a speaker at the Liberty State Gala, get elected. THEY pay attention.
First, check yourself out on MyVote.wa.gov. Are you registered? Is your information up to date? One tab there shows you who your incumbent elected officials are. Another tab, “Voters’ Guide,” shows those among whom you get to chose in the Primary. (Note: Since we have “top two” primaries in Washington State, if two or only one candidate has filed for a position, they will appear only on the General Election ballot in November.)
Print out the list. Pay attention to the names. Who, if any, is the incumbent? When you look at the paper or watch local news some of what you hear and see will stick better with some name recognition.
These elections are said to be “non-partisan.” It only takes a few minutes at the computer to figure out likely party affiliation. No one, for instance, is likely to mistake Nadine Woodward for a Democrat, especially after she dutifully attended the recent Washington Policy Center “Solutions Summit” with “Governor” Scott Walker (WI) as the featured speaker.
For those interested in a broader view of the election landscape check out the comprehensive list of “Candidates Who Have Filed” available through the Spokane County Elections website. Check out the links to maps in the References section in the next box below, maps that show the layout of the City Council Districts and School Districts.
Finally, the Public Disclosure Commission’s “Campaign Explorer” offers a snapshot of who currently has a significant campaign war chest. Click on individual names to get an idea of who their contributors are. It takes some fiddling, but there is a wealth of information there required by law, information that can be very revealing.
At the very least right now go to MyVote.wa.gov, make sure your voter registration is up to date and check out your Voters’ Guide so you know who the players are.
Keep to the high ground,
Jerry