LIVE from Renton: The June 2016 King County Democratic Endorsements 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.

• 7:20 PM: We started at 7:15 PM and proceeded through the Pledge of Allegiance, adoption of the meeting agenda, adoption of meeting minutes, and adoption of endorsement ground rules.
• 7:25 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: Governor, Seattle Proposition #1, and Seattle Initiative 123.
• 7:30 PM: We are now voting on the slate.
• 7:34 PM: We have adopted the slate by a vote of forty-four to two. The following candidates have now been endorsed by the King County Democrats:
  • Luis Moscoso, State Senate, 1st Legislative District
  • Derek Stanford, State House, Position 1, 1st Legislative District
  • Shelley Kloba, State House, Position 2, 1st Legislative District
  • Kristine Reeves, State House, Position 2, 30th Legislative District
  • Noel Frame, State House, Position 1, 36th Legislative District
  • Lisa Wellman, State Senate, 41st Legislative District
  • Tana Senn, State House, Position 1, 41st Legislative District
  • Judy Clibborn, State House, Position 2, 41st Legislative District
  • Nicole Macri, State House, Position 1, 43rd Legislative District
  • Helen Halpert, Position #31, King County Superior Court
  • Mariane Spearman, Position #53, King County Superior Court
  • Initiative 1433 (statewide): YES/please sign
  • King County Fire Protection District #2, Proposition #1: YES
  • King County Fire Protection District #43, Proposition #1: YES
  • King County Hospital District #2, Proposition #1: YES
• 7:37 PM: A motion was made from the floor to endorse U.S. Senator Patty Murray for reelection. By a vote of forty-one to two, she is endorsed.
• 7:44 PM: A motion was made from the floor to endorse Tony Ventrella for U.S. House, 8th District. The motion failed by a vote of two to thirty-six.
• 7:48 PM: A motion was made from the floor to endorse Bob Ferguson for Attorney General. By a vote of thirty-nine to three, he is endorsed.
• 7:44 PM: A motion was made from the floor to endorse Mary Verner for Commissioner of Public Lands. The motion was not taken up due to a lack of seconds.
• 7:54 PM: A motion was made from the floor to endorse Karen Porterfield for Commissioner of Public Lands. The motion failed by a vote of six to twenty-nine.
• 8:15 PM: We just heard a great speech from Governor Inslee, followed by Q&A. In the wake of the speech and Q&A, Governor Inslee was unanimously endorsed by a vote of forty-four to zero.
• 8:20 PM: We next took up the Endorsements Committee’s recommendation to take a position supporting Seattle Proposition #1, this year’s housing levy. This passed by a vote of thirty-eight to zero.
• 8:25 PM: We took up the Endorsement Committee’s recommendation to take a position opposing Initiative 123, which concerns an alternative plan for the Seattle waterfront. This failed by a vote of twenty-five to fifteen.
• 8:32 PM: We considered a motion from the floor to take a position supporting Initiative 123. This failed by a vote of eighteen to twenty-three. We thus do not have a position on Initiative 123.

After the second vote on Initiative 123, we concluded our endorsements business for this evening. Further endorsements will be considered at our July meeting.