Perhaps the saddest episode of the November 2005 King County Executive race was when Sims operatives trotted out David Irons' ailing elderly mother to declare that she wasn't going to vote for her own son. As it turns out, Ron Sims' mother didn't vote for her own son either. Sims' mother, Lydia Sims, is registered to vote at Ron Sims' residence, but records show that she did not cast a ballot in either September or November 2005 when her son was running for re-election. Mrs. Sims is 85 years old, so I would assume that she didn't cast a ballot for her son solely because of failing health, which frankly is the same conclusion I reached about Mrs. Irons after listening to her on the radio. I wish both Mrs. Sims and Mrs. Irons good health and a long life.

It also appears that we have several other politicians who didn't win the votes of their own children --

As mentioned in an earlier post, King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson's son Alexander did not vote in November 2005 when his mother was running for re-election.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' son Jake did not vote in November 2005 when his dad was running for re-election.

Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin's son Tony Conlin-Allen did not vote in November 2005 when his dad was running for re-election.

And Sam Reed's son David did not vote in either November 2000 or November 2004 when his dad ran for Secretary of State.

I can understand if ailing elderly people don't always vote, but grown children who don't vote for their own parents? Maybe they know something the rest of us don't.