LIVE from Renton: The May 2015 King County Democrats Endorsement Meeting

Good evening from Renton. Tonight, the King County Democrats are meeting to consider taking endorsement action in a number of contests, most of which will be decided by voters this August and September. This post will offer a running chronology of the meeting proceedings, including endorsement votes.

• 7:10 PM: We started on time at 7 PM and proceeded through the Pledge of Allegiance, adoption of the meeting agenda, adoption of meeting minutes, and guest speakers (Maria Leininger for Congressman Adam Smith, Tim Burns for Carol Gregory, Diane Bedwell for Claudia Balducci, and Jonathan Tong for I-735).
• 7:16 PM: We’re now hearing a report from the Platform, Resolutions & Bylaws Committee. We’ll be considering a housekeeping bylaws amendment and a resolution on Initiative 735, which is being jointly presented with the Endorsements Committee.
• 7:20 PM: We have just taken our first endorsement vote of the evening and have adopted a position in favor of Initiative 735, by resolution. As this was an endorsement vote, it required a two-thirds threshold to pass.
• 7:22 PM: We have voted to adopt the endorsements calendar and order of consideration proposed by the Chair and the Endorsements Committee for tonight’s evening.
• 7:26 PM: We are currently working on the slate. Executive board members have the opportunity to pull races from the slate, but there must be at least four seconds to pull a race for individual consideration. Races that have been pulled:
  • King County Assessor
  • King County Director of Elections
  • Seattle City Council #2
  • Seattle City Council #3
  • Seattle City Council #5
  • Shoreline City Council, Position #2
• 7:31 PM: We are now voting to adopt what remains of the slate (which is most of it)
• 7:39 PM: By a vote of fifty-seven to zero, we have adopted the slate. The following candidates have now been endorsed by the King County Democrats:
  • King County Council, District#4: Jeanne Kohl Welles
  • King County Council, District #8: Joe McDermott
  • Port of Seattle, Position #2: Courtney Gregoire
  • Seattle City Council, District #7: Sally Bagshaw
  • Issaquah City Council, Position #2: Jennifer Sutton
  • Kirkland City Council, Position #6: Dave Asher
  • Shoreline City Council, Position #4: Doris McConnell
  • Shoreline City Council, Position #6: Lorn Richey
  • Tukwila City Council, Position #6: Kate Kruller
  • Seattle School Board, District #2: Rick Burke
  • Seattle School Board, District #3: Jill Geary
  • South King County Fire & Rescue, Position #2: Roger Flygare
• 7:41 PM: We have now moved to consideration of candidates in individual races, beginning with King County Assessor.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. Forty-nine members of the executive board voted to endorse Lloyd Hara. He is endorsed.
  • We then considered a motion from the floor to endorse John Arthur Wilson. Sixteen members voted in favor of an endorsement; thirty-seven voted against. The motion failed.
• 7:51 PM: Moving on to the position of Director of Elections.
  • We first considered the recommendation of the Endorsements Committee. By a vote of forty-two of eight, we  endorsed Zack Hudgins for Director of Elections.
  • We then considered a motion from the floor to endorse Christopher Roberts. By a vote of forty-two to nine, we endorsed Chris Roberts for Director of Elections.
• 7:55 PM: Moving on to Seattle City Council District #2. This is a race in which the Endorsements Committee has made no recommendation. Any motions to endorse will have to come from the floor.
  • A motion was made from the floor to consider endorsing Bruce Harrell. He is endorsed by a vote of fifty-six to zero.
• 8:01 PM: No further motions from the floor were offered for Seattle City Council District #2, so we have moved on to Seattle City Council District #3.
  • We first considered the recommendation of the Endorsements Committee. By a vote of forty-one to ten, we decided to endorse Rod Hearne.
  • A second motion was made to endorse Pamela Banks for the same position. This motion failed by a vote of five to thirty.
• 8:16 PM: Moving on to Seattle City Council District #5.
  • We first considered the recommendation of the Endorsements Committee. By a vote of forty-eight to two, Debora Juarez was endorsed.
  • A motion was made from the floor to endorse Sandy Brown. This passed by a vote of thirty-eight to eighteen.
  • A motion was made from the floor to endorse Halei Watkins. This failed by a vote of twenty-two to twenty-five.
• 8:41 PM: Moving on to Shoreline City Council, Position #2.
  • In accordance with KCDCC endorsement rules, the only action possible in this race is to take up the committee’s recommendation. By a vote of forty-nine to eight, Keith Scully was endorsed.
• 9 PM: This concludes tonight’s endorsements action. We are moving into committee reports.
• 9:17 PM: We are adjourned.

Spot any errors, like misspelled names? Please let us know in the comments.