LIVE from Renton: The May 2016 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.

Note that the threshold for endorsement of the King County Democrats is a two-thirds vote of those present and voting.

• 7:16 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 adoption of endorsement ground rules. We are now hearing the preliminary committee report from Endorsements Chair Randy Gordon.
• 8 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.
• 8:04 PM: We are now voting on the slate.
• 8:06 PM: We have adopted the slate by a vote of sixty-two to nothing. The following candidates have now been endorsed by the King County Democrats:
  • U.S. Representative, 1st Congressional District: Suzan DelBene
  • U.S. Representative, 9th Congressional District: Adam Smith
  • State Auditor: Jeff Sprung
  • State Senate, 11th Legislative District: Bob Hasegawa
  • State House, 33rd Legislative District, Position #1: Tina Orwall
  • State House, 37th Legislative District, Position #1: Sharon Tomiko Santos
  • State House, 48th Legislative District, Position #1: Patty Kuderer
  • State House, 48th Legislative District, Position #2: Joan McBride
  • King County Superior Court, Position #26: David Keenan
  • King County Superior Court, Position #52: Anthony Gipe
  • King County District Court, Southwest, Position #3: Laurel Gibson
  • King County District Court, West, Position #1: Lisa Paglisotti
  • King County District Court, West, Position #4: Greg Hirakawa
• 8:08 PM: We are first considering U.S. Representative, 7th Congressional District. 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 Brady Walkinshaw. This failed by a vote of twenty-four to thirty.
  • A motion was then made from the floor to endorse Pramila Jayapal. This passed by a vote of forty to nineteen.
  • A motion was then made from the floor to endorse Joe McDermott. This failed by a vote of seventeen to twenty-eight.
• 8:30 PM: We have moved on to U.S. Representative, 8th Congressional District.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. Fifty-two members of the executive board voted to endorse Santiago Ramos, with two opposed. He is endorsed.
  • We then considered a motion from the floor to endorse Alida Skold. By a vote of seventeen to twenty-six, the endorsement motion failed.
• 8:33 PM: We have moved on to Lieutenant Governor. 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 Cyrus Habib. This passed by a vote of fifty-two to four.
  • A motion was made from the floor to consider endorsing Karen Fraser. This failed by a vote of thirty to sixteen.
  • A motion was made from the floor to consider endorsing Steve Hobbs. This failed due to a lack of seconds.
• 8:44 PM: We have moved on to State Treasurer.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. Forty-five members of the executive board voted to endorse John Paul Comerford, with three opposed. He is endorsed.
  • A motion was made from the floor to consider endorsing Alec Fisken. This failed by a vote of ten to thirty-one.
• 8:50 PM: We have moved on to Commissioner of Public Lands.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. Forty-two members of the executive board voted to endorse Hilary Franz, with one opposed. She is endorsed.
  • A motion was made from the floor to consider endorsing Dave Upthegrove. The motion failed by a vote of twenty-six to twenty-one.
• 8:57 PM: We have moved on to King County Superior Court, Position #14.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. By a vote of fifty-seven to zero, Nicole Gaines-Phelps is endorsed.
  • A motion was made from the floor to endorse David Greenspan. The motion failed by a vote of three to thirty.
• 9:03 PM: We have moved on to King County Superior Court, Position #43.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. By a vote of fifty-nine to zero, John McHale is endorsed.
• 9:06 PM: We have moved on to King County Superior Court, Position #44.
  • We first considered the recommendation by the Endorsements Committee. By a vote of thirty-five to thirteen, Cathy Moore is endorsed.
  • A motion was made from the floor to endorse Eric Newman. By a vote of forty-seven to six, he is endorsed.
• 9:14 PM: We have concluded our endorsement proceedings for this evening.