King County voters get first shot at choosing elections chief
January 22, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
The election season is upon us once again.
A little less than two months after the Nov. 4 general election, King County voters on Feb. 3 will decide for the first time who they want heading up the county’s elections department.
The King County executive had appointed the elections director position since the home rule charter was adopted in 1968. Two months ago, voters changed the county charter to make the post an elective one, with the first election to be held Feb. 3.
“Our concern was that the elections operation was so deep in the county bureaucracy that it was really running in a way that wasn’t accountable to the public,” said Toby Nixon, who chaired a committee in 2007 that led to Charter Amendment 3 ending up on the ballot in November 2008.
Nixon, a former state house representative for the 45th Legislative District, is also a part of the Citizens for Accountable Elections Committee.
The county’s elections department will benefit from having an elected official overseeing the elections process, King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert said.
In 2004, a third-party review revealed that the county elections department — at that point a joint agency with the records and licensing division — had identified needs that weren’t being addressed by the county executive, Lambert said.
“The person who’s elected can say, yes the executive turned me down, but we need it,” she explained.
Lambert did not describe the election as referendum on current elections director Sherril Huff— on the contrary, Lambert said she supported both Huff and David Irons as candidates. In either case, the new elections director would be enabled to have direct dialogue with the County Council in way that the current appointed official can’t, Lambert explained.
Lambert said that whoever fills the role must have a sophisticated understanding of computer technology and must have management skills to lead the entire county elections department, which includes more than 600 temporary employees.
The director administers up to six elections per year for 143 jurisdictions.
Six candidates filed for the nonpartisan position that pays $146,000 annually.
They include:
• David Irons, of Seattle, a former King County Councilman who in 2005 unsuccessfully challenged King County Executive Ron Sims.
• Sherril Huff, of Seattle, current elections director.
• Bill Anderson, of Auburn, a former bank industry software engineer.
• Christopher Clifford, of Renton, a high school teacher who is trying to recall Seattle Port Commissioner Pat Davis.
• Julie Kempf, of Seattle, who was fired from her elections department position in 2002 after officials said she lied about why absentee ballots were mailed late. She has consistently denied the allegation.
• State Sen. Pam Roach, a Republican serving the Auburn area.
The King County Municipal League rated Huff and Irons as outstanding, Anderson as very good, and Kempf, Clifford and Roach as adequate.
The Citizens for Accountable Elections has recommended Irons and Kempf.
Voters can either read the candidates profiles online at http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections.aspx or watch it online at www.kingcounty.gov/KCTV/VVG.
The election will feature the county’s first all vote-by-mail balloting. There’s no primary and whoever finishes first wins, even if they get a vote count short of a majority. The initial term expires at the end of 2011. Subsequent elections to four-year terms will follow the normal model of a primary followed by a general election.
On Feb. 18, the elections will be certified and the new director takes office.
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
