Sound Politics: Democracy held hostage: Day 32

August 10, 2007

Democracy held hostage: Day 32

Top Ten Reasons the P-I hasn't reported on King County's scandalously slow and expensive verification of I-24 and I-25 petitions

10. "Ron Sims told us that they aren't doing anything wrong and we always believe him!"

9. "This issue is so complicated. And if we can't understand it, how will any of our readers?"

8. "So what if the King County GOP is all but wiped out? Those devious and omnipotent bastards will still find a way to steal the Elections Office!"

7. "We'll report on what the Elections Office is doing as soon as we can figure out how to blame it on Bush!"

6. "We're just not that comfortable with the concept of 'more democracy'!".

5. "Checking more signatures means more union jobs, so I don't see what the problem is!"

4. "Dwight Pelz said that electing the elections director would be bad for women and people of color!"

3. "Nearly everybody who writes for the P-I has out-of-state friends illegally registered to vote at their house. We don't want any new Auditor coming in and messing that up!"

2. "I'm sorry. I just can't see how to blame this on Bush!"

1. "We like having a crooked elections office!"

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 10, 2007 01:21 PM | Email This

Comments

1. Re #3 -

Was anyone ever able to verify if this couple also voted in DC in 2004? Seems like the IRS would have some interest in them if they are receiving tax breaks at one address and voting in a completely different state! Stefan should get the 10% reward for turning them in!

Posted by: suzihomemaker on August 10, 2007 01:33 PM

2. Re #3 -

Posted by: suzihomemaker on August 10, 2007 01:33 PM

3. I'm no lawyer, but it seems like an interested party could go to court and get an order requiring them to validate or invalidate the count within a reasonable time or it would be declared valid by default.

Posted by: Wayne on August 10, 2007 01:37 PM

4. #3

Got money!!!

Posted by: NW Denizen on August 10, 2007 03:18 PM

5. Get an attorney, and we'll all pitch in to get these blowhards to do the job we pay them to do!

This is yet again another blatent bastardization of Justice from the King County Elections Office.

Where the hell is Sam Reed on this one?

Posted by: gs on August 10, 2007 03:29 PM

6. Stefan -- you should focus your ire on the King County Council. They have never approved a statistical sampling method. Previously King County initiatives and referenda have had signatures evaluated by this exact same 100% verification method.

You also talk about the delay somehow being intentional, to keep the King County Council from timely acting on the ordinance proposed by the initiative, and therefore potentially requiring two votes, instead of just one (i.e. first to adopt the ordinance to place the charter change on the ballot, and second to approve or reject the charter change).

However, the King County Council has the absolute power to adopt the proposed ordinance immediately (and have the charter change voted on in November 2007), regardless of whether there are sufficient signatures. Just as they would have the absolute power not to approve the proposed ordinance, even if the signatures were already certified as sufficient.

Posted by: Richard Pope on August 10, 2007 05:09 PM

7. Nice job, Stefan, conveniently ignoring Joel Connelly's pro-Reichert column today. Your expertise at presenting only one side of the story (in this case, the P-I is the mouthpiece for all things Democrat) is the true hallmark of a hypocritical political blogger.

Posted by: Kenny Dale Hill on August 10, 2007 06:14 PM

8. Nice job, Stefan, conveniently ignoring Joel Connelly's pro-Reichert column today. Your expertise at presenting only one side of the story (in this case, the P-I is the mouthpiece for all things Democrat) is the true hallmark of a hypocritical political blogger.

Posted by: Kenny Dale Hill on August 10, 2007 06:15 PM

9. 11. "Stefan Sharkansky does a better job reporting on this than we or the Times would, so why should we bother?"

12. "We can't write about it, because then everyone would find out about it!"

Posted by: Michele on August 10, 2007 06:16 PM

10. #3 Yes in Whatcom County former Representative Al Swift is registered to vote (resides in Virginia) has been registered at his former staff man's house just outside Bellingham...Roald Anderson on Lahti Drive. Lead by example I say

Posted by: Charlie on August 10, 2007 10:16 PM

11. I think it is very interesting that this same body of people can count and so called verify an entire election full of tax hikes and democratic candidate wins in days, but they cannot be bothered to even begin to verify I25 signatures in 32 days.

Just Asking.......

Ya Think there is something wrong with this picture, once again

Is this something a Bank would be proud of

Taking 32 days and counting to verify your signature so your check could be deposited

???????

Posted by: GS on August 11, 2007 04:04 AM

12. One more:

"Sam Reed was just in here wearing a skirt."

Posted by: Independent Voter on August 11, 2007 07:32 AM