June 01, 2007
I-25: Accountable elections are only $20,000 away

The I-25 campaign reports that the only thing needed to ensure enough signatures to qualify for the ballot is to raise $20,000 to pay the signature gatherers for the final weeks of work.

The rest of the funding for the signature phase has already been raised or pledged. But the last $20,000 must be in hand by Thursday, June 7. If the money doesn't come in, then the initiative dies, as does any hope for fair and accountable elections in King County for years to come.

If you've already donated, or gathered signatures, or raised money from others, then thank you! If the recent corruption and mismanagement in King County Elections upsets you, but you haven't contributed yet, now's the time to step up.

And I'll make it even easier. If others donate $15,000, I'll kick in the last $5,000 myself.

Fair elections aren't free, but they're a better deal than the alternative. Donate by paypal or check -- before it's too late.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 01, 2007 10:12 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Neat: all you need to do is cough up enough money and you can ensure an initiative qualifies for the ballot.

Democracy at its finest.

Posted by: Daniel K on June 1, 2007 11:26 PM
2. Yes, it is a good testament to our democracy that there's a way for citizens to get an initiative on the ballot when (a) it's a good idea, (b) there's enough popular support for the idea that it's worth the time and effort to get it on the ballot, and (c) the legislative body failed to act.

And just between you and me, I would have been happier (and $5,000 better off) if the County Council had placed this on the ballot last year when they knew full well that this was something that a large majority of voters wanted.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on June 1, 2007 11:40 PM
3. yeah, but (a) if it's a bad idea, (b) and there's no popular support for the idea and not worth the time and effort to get it on the ballot, and (c) the duly elected legislative body opposed it--you can still buy its way onto the ballot if you've got the dough.

Posted by: murtz on June 1, 2007 11:57 PM
4. Daniel K. obviously needs a refresher lesson in American Civics. Perhaps all the time he spent in France leaves him confused about how our system works, and why it is *better*.

Posted by: Jeff B. on June 2, 2007 06:11 AM
5. "murtz", when was the last time an initiative with "no popular support" actually won at the polls?

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on June 2, 2007 06:55 AM
6. I just tried to donate, twice actually. Both times I got an error message about 'invalid session data' and no details as to which field, if any, was incorrect.

Pretty sure everything was right on my end, at least the 2nd time around.

-Doug

Posted by: Douglas Tooley on June 2, 2007 07:11 AM
7. I just tried to donate, twice actually. Both times I got an error message about 'invalid session data' and no details as to which field, if any, was incorrect.

Pretty sure everything was right on my end, at least the 2nd time around.

-Doug

Posted by: Douglas Tooley on June 2, 2007 07:11 AM
8. I just gave through Paypal. Good luck.

Ken

Posted by: Ken on June 2, 2007 07:26 AM
9. Changed the words once again

yeah, but (a) if it's a bad idea, (b) and there's no popular support for the idea and the people take the time to get it on the ballot and vote , and (c) the duly elected legislative body still ignores it, and does it anyway.....Or passes Emergency Legislation.

The current Democratic Run Washington State

Posted by: Chris on June 2, 2007 08:46 AM
10. Changed the words once again

yeah, but (a) if it's a bad idea, (b) and there's no popular support for the idea and the people take the time to get it on the ballot and vote , and (c) the duly elected legislative body still ignores it, and does it anyway.....Or passes Emergency Legislation.

The current Democratic Run Washington State

Posted by: Chris on June 2, 2007 08:49 AM
11. Changed the words once again

yeah, but (a) if it's a bad idea, (b) and there's no popular support for the idea and the people take the time to get it on the ballot and vote , and (c) the duly elected legislative body still ignores it, and does it anyway.....Or passes Emergency Legislation.

The current Democratic Run Washington State

Posted by: Chris on June 2, 2007 08:50 AM
12. Sorry for the triple posts, but it was worth repeating ;)

Posted by: Chris on June 2, 2007 08:59 AM
13. Daniel K & murtz
If you 2 KLOWNS are so concerned about paying folks to gather sigs, you must be outraged at the Unions for forcing members to pay dues that are funnelled to one political party...even if the member is not a DEMOCRAT!!

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on June 2, 2007 09:26 AM
14. My 200 is on the way good luck

Posted by: With you all the way brother on June 2, 2007 11:05 AM
15. good luck

Posted by: Andy on June 2, 2007 11:32 AM
16. To people such as Daniel and murtz, if it's George Soros spending 10s of millions of dollars trying to buy the presidency for the Poodle, it's democracy at it's finest. If it's Stefan donating $5K to pay for signature gatherers, not ads, not air time, not political activists, not fraudulent voter registrations, it's trying to buy an election.

What a couple of maroons.

Posted by: Obi-Wan on June 2, 2007 12:30 PM
17. Stefan said, "this was something that a large majority of voters wanted".

And you know that a large majority of voters want this how? You don't.

If this makes the ballot, then it makes the ballot. If it doesn't then your money will not have been enough to convince people it should have.

As for knowing whether a large majority of voters want this, save that for a November blog posting.

Posted by: Daniel K on June 2, 2007 01:58 PM
18. Daniel K: "And you know that a large majority of voters want this how? You don't."

A number of public opinion polls commissioned by different groups in the last couple of years have shown this. Bob Ferguson told me and several other people last year that he was certain that it would pass if the Council put it on the ballot. (that was a couple of days before he withdrew his support for putting it on the ballot).

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on June 2, 2007 02:09 PM
19. Daniel K, I, too, hate the idea of paid initiative gatherers. But, it takes too long since there are so many more voters and the time to gather the signatures is short compared to olden days.

And, if you are one of those that wants to emasculate the 'initiative' process by taking it away from the voters, you are enabling the "tone deaf" elected officials. And that, considering your ideological bents, is the exact purpose to maintain the status quo of the one party system in this State.

Posted by: swatter on June 4, 2007 08:27 AM
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