Want to vote in the Nov. 3 election?

The Snohomish County Auditor's Office has posted a reminder that Monday, Oct. 5, is the last day someone can register by mail or online to vote in the Nov. 3 general election.
It's also the last day that registered voters can change their address in time for the general election.
Those who have never registered to vote in the state can register to vote in person at the auditor's office until Mon., Oct. 26. The Snohomish County Auditor's office, at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., in Everett, is open Mon. through Thurs., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fri., 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For the Island County Auditor's Office, call (360)629-4522, ext. 7366.

To register to vote or change address, visit http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/voterinformation/Pages/RegistertoVote.aspx or get a mail-in form at www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Auditor/Divisions/Elections_Voting/.

Ref. 71 makes it on Nov. ballot

It appears that Referendum 71, which, if approved, would overturn the state's new domestic partnership law, will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
According to the Secretary of State blog, the unofficial results of 121,617 valid signatures would qualify the motion for the general election. The sponsor of the referendum, Protect Marriage Washington, needed 120,577 signatures for the referendum to make it on the ballot.
The signature counting of the referendum is currently being challenged in King County Superior Court, with an expected ruling sometime today.
In a press release, Gov. Christine Gregoire said, “I respect the peoples’ right to place a referendum on the ballot following legislative action. However, I am obviously very disappointed that this message will be debated once again. I signed the original bill and believe it should be and will be the law of our great state. Washington state has a history of fighting to ensure everyone – mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters – enjoys equal rights.”

Island County finishes ballot counting

Island County has posted its final preliminary results from the Aug. 18 primary.
The Island Transit sales tax increase seems to have passed with 55 percent in favor. Camano Island Fire and Rescue's fire levy lid increase failed with 51.8 percent against it, while it's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy passed with 63 percent in support of it.
Voter turnout in the county ended at about 54 percent.
Results didn't change much in the Snohomish County Council district 1 race, with incumbent John Koster (R), Arlington at 58.9 percent, and Ellen Hiatt Watson (D), Lake Howard, at 40.5 percent. Both candidates will continue on to the Nov. 3 general election.
Snohomish County's voter turnout was about 24 percent. The county has not indicated whether or not it has any ballots left to tally. If it does, the results wouldn't be posted until Sept. 1, according to the county auditor's Web site.
Counties certify their primary results by Sept. 2, and then the Secretary of State has to declare the results official.

Preliminary Primary results

Island and Snohomish counties have begun posting preliminary election results from yesterday's primary.
For Snohomish County Council district 1 position, which serves the Stanwood area, incumbent John Koster (R), of Arlington, is in the lead with 58.8 percent, with Ellen Hiatt Watson (D), of Lake Howard, at 40.7 percent. However, the future council member will be decided by general election, and not primary election, results.
In Island County, three ballot measures will be decided by primary election results.
Camano Island Fire and Rescue's levy lid lift for its fire levy is thus far failing with 51.7 percent of voters against it, and 48.3 percent of voters in favor. Passing a levy lid lift requires a simple majority of votes approving the measure.
Camano Island Fire and Rescue's renewal of the EMS levy looks like it will be approved, with 62.6 percent in favor, and only 37.4 percent opposing. A levy needs approval from at least 60 percent of the votes cast.
Island Transit's request for a sales tax increase will also likely pass. It needs a simple majority, and currently has it with 54.7 percent in favor, and only 45.3 percent against.
Both counties still have ballots that need to be tallied. Counties do not certify results until Sept. 2, and the results are not official until the Secretary of State has certified the results.

Both Island and Snohomish counties have election results available online. To see the results, visit www.snoco.org/elections/results/ecurrent.htm for Snohomish County or http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/island/Elections/ElectionResults/currentElectionresults/Pages/ElectionResults.aspx for Island County, or stay tuned to this blog.

A glance at campaign funding

Do you wonder where County Council District 1 candidates are getting their dollars?
All campaign funding information is available through the Public Disclosure Commission (www.pdc.wa.gov/QuerySystem/candidates.aspx). The site includes reports of donations, in-kind contributions and expenditures.
As of Friday afternoon, incumbent John Koster had raised $56,242.26, and opponent Ellen Hiatt Watson had $10,424.50.
On the commission's Web site, each donation is entered as it is received. For simplicity, in the following list, donations from the same person, couple or company have been added together.
Here are supporters who gave $500 or more to Koster's or Watson's campaigns:

Koster, Republican, of Arlington:

• Dee and Charles Burnett III, retired Seattle residents, $3,200
• Connie and Brent McKinley, of Vine Street Group, an Arlington development company, $3,200
• Spadafora Construction and Development of Mukilteo, $2,900
• Dave and Kristine Barnett, Cowlitz Tribe and the Lake Roesiger development, $2,800
• Mary Ann and Ralph Monty, of Ramo Realty & Construction in Arlington, $1,720
  
• PRH, LLC of Everett, $1,600
  
• J.A. Sternola, owner of Permagas, a propane supplier in Lake Stevens, $1,600
  
• The McNaughton Group LLC/Lake Goodwin A Joint Venture, Lake Goodwin developer, $1,500
  
• Dwayne Lane's Chrysler Jeep/Lane Properties LLC, car dealership, $1,450
• Michael Echelbarger, of real estate company Echelnarger Properties in Lynnwood, $1,200
• Michael Appleby, of Stanwood and American Scandia and Chicago Title, $1,200
• C.W. Binford JR, of investing company Venture Pacific Partners, $1,050
• Steve Fulton, of State Farm Insurance in Arlington, $1,000
  
• Gordon Cole Investments LLC, of Snohomish, $950
• Butch and Polly Kvamme, of Everson, $900
• Affordable Housing Council, a Master Builders program, $800
• Forresters Incorporated, of Stanwood, $800
• Geoffery Gow, CEO and president of Polygon Northwest Co., a Bellevue developer, $800
• Gary Young, of Polygon Northwest Co., $800
• Harvey Airfield Inc., of Snohomish, $750
• Quadrant Homes, a Bellevue construction company, $750
• Camwest Development Inc, a Kirkland development company, $700
• Sundquist Homes, a Lynnwood development company, $700
• Michael Leibold, of Everett Powersports, $600
• Crown Distributing Co. LLC, of Arlington, $500
• Matthew Maynard, an Arlington dentist, $500
• Joe Pignataro, owner of Pignataro VW car dealership in Edmonds, $500
• Previs Equipment of Woodway, $500

Watson, Democrat, of Lake Howard

• Snohomish County Democrats, $2,000
• Martha Kongsgaard, a Seattle lawyer, $500
  

Larsen withdraws

Krista Larsen, of Arlington, withdrew from the race for the Snohomish County Council District 1 position. That narrows the field down to Republican incumbent John Koster, of Arlington, and Democratic challenger Ellen Hiatt Watson, a Lake Howard resident.

Candidate update

In addition to the local positions listed in the last entry, Stanwood-Camano School Board director position 1 is also on the ballot. Patrick Patterson, current school board member, is running unopposed for that seat.

Candidates file for local elections

Quite a few local races are on the ballot this year.
Today is the cutoff for candidates to file for office.
The Snohomish County Council District 1 seat, currently filled by John Koster, is up for election. Koster is running, and he is joined by local resident Ellen Hiatt Watson and Arlington resident Krista Larsen. Both Watson and Larson have indicated a Democratic preference, and Koster has filed as a Republican for the 4-year, partisan office.
For the city of Stanwood, incumbent Conrad Ryer is currently unopposed for city council position 1. Timothy Pearce and Gerald Steik have both thrown their hats in for city council position 2. Incumbent Leonard Kelley is also unapposed for position 7.
Stanwood Mayor Dianne White is running for re-election with Timothy Loney, the current city councilman for position 6, as an opponent. Should Loney be elected, city council would appoint someone to fill his position, and position 6 would be up in the next election.
All of the city offices are nonpartisan and 4-year terms.
With the Stanwood-Camano School District, Roger Myer, current president of the school board, is unopposed for director district 2, a 4-year nonpartisan office.
For North County Fire/EMS Fire District 14, which covers Warm Beach, Stuart Lervick is running unopposed for re-election as district 14 commissioner position 2, a 6-year, nonpartisan office. For fire district 19, which includes Silvana, Kevin Buhr has filed.
The primary will be held Aug. 18, and the general election on Nov. 3.