State Convention Delegates

The following people were elected as delegates and alternates to the 2012 WSRP State Convention from Grays Harbor:

Elected Delegates:

 Sandra Blair

Lorna Carter

Cathy Colley

Leo Cormier

Wes Cormier

Bonnie Fleck

Valerie Johnson

Chris Lowder

Joshua Mayr

Sally Sheldon

John Straka

Sam Taylor

Phineas Thieme

Michael Thompson

Christine Yeager

Alternates:

Grant Shaffer

James Walsh

Jamie Walsh

Carter Avery

Phillip Pine

Linda Webb

David Cannady

Kay Metsker

William McClarty

Mary Stanky

Thomas Twiford

Shane Curren

Diane Schneider

Otis Leathers

Chris Fleck

PCO Candidate Filing is May 14 - 18

The following information has been received from the county auditor's office regarding the procedure for PCO Candidate Filing in 2012:

• Candidates for PCO must file during Candidate Filing Week (May 14-18). A separate Declaration of Candidacy form is used and available on the Secretary of State’s website or in the Auditor’s Office.

• Each precinct will have two positions open; one for the Democratic Party and one for the Republican Party. PCO candidates affiliate with a major political party when filing.

• There is no filing fee.

• Because a PCO candidate only qualifies for the precinct in which he/she is registered, our office will verify the precinct. We will notify the candidate if a precinct needs to be corrected.

• Candidates who file for PCO may also file for one other position on the ballot.

• If a PCO position is void at the close of Candidate Filing Week (May 14-18), that office is lapsed and is not placed on the ballot. The political party may fill the position by appointment. (RCW 29A.28.071)

• Special 3-day filing periods will not be held for PCO positions.

• If, after the last day to withdraw, only one candidate has filed for a party position, that candidate is considered elected immediately and the County Auditor must issue a certificate of election.

• Write-in candidates have been eliminated from PCO elections. A candidate cannot file as a declared write-in.
• The term of office for PCO is two years. There are no short term or unexpired term elections conducted for this office.

• PCO races appear on the even-year Primary ballot only.

• Only contested races appear on the ballot. For example, if two candidates file for a Democratic Party position, but only one candidate files for the Republican Party position, only the Democratic PCO race will appear on the ballot.

• When both party positions qualify to appear on the ballot, the order is determined by the statewide results of the last Presidential Election. For example, in 2012, all Democratic candidates are listed first and the Republican candidates follow.

• Candidate order within each party is determined by lot draw which will be held May 18^th at 5:00 pm.

• There is no minimum requirement for the number of votes cast for a candidate.

• Results for PCO races certify at the same time as other offices—14 days after the Primary. 

You can file on-line beginning May 14 here.

GHRP Affirms County Platform, Constitution at County Convention

Aberdeen, WA - Approximately 100 elected delegates to the Grays Harbor Republican Party County Convention packed the Aberdeen Elks Lodge to affirm the party's commitment to limited government, fiscal responsibility, essential liberty and the rule of law at the party's county convention on April 21.

     

It was standing room only as fired-up Republicans from throughout the county passed twelve resolutions, including a resolution opposing the Wild Olympics Plan of Rep. Norm Dicks and Sen. Patty Murray and the convention endorsement of Jesse Young, "a strong constitutional conservative" and candidate for Congress in the Sixth District.  Delegates also voted to retain the county's current platform, which reads:

We believe in and support the Declaration of Independence and its respect for unalienable individual rights and responsibilities; in the Constitution of the United States of America, with limited and enumerated powers of the federal government as originally intended and documented by the Founding Fathers; and in the Bill of Rights, including our sacred rights to Life, Liberty, Property, and the fruits of our own labors; and respect for the states and the people to be protected by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments."

"The turn-out was exceptional," said Grays Harbor Republican Party Chair Kristine Lowder.  "An extraordinary number of people gave up a sunny Saturday to be part of the process, make their voices heard and ensure real hope for a change in November."

The convention also hosted candidates or candidate representatives from the Michael Baumgartner for U.S. Senate campaign, Dr. Art Coday for U.S. Senate, County Commissioner candidate Wes Cormier, Shahram Hadian for governor, Judge Richard Sanders and Jesse Young for Congress. The Young campaign provided complimentary pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution.  

County delegates voted in fifteen delegates and fifteen alternates to the Washington State Republican Party State Convention to be held at the Tacoma Convention Center, May 31 to June 2.

Grassroots Key to McKenna Win

"Grassroots is where we're going to defeat the Democratic machine" said Jill Fagan, McKenna Political Director, to an enthusiastic group at Hoquiam's Golden Dragon restaurant last night. Ideas were flying and brains were storming at the McKenna Steering Committee Meeting.

"It's all about voter contact and making it local. Voter contact is key," she added, "whether it's door-belling, phone-banking, talking to your friends and family, work contacts, wherever you are. If you're excited about a candidate, you can get your contacts excited, too."

Fagan reported that in the first day out after the fundraising freeze lifted while the legislature was in session, the McKenna campaign raised $30,000. "Rob's campaign has more donors and more excitement than our opponent's" she said, noting that McKenna is also getting good press from the media. Although early, he also leads Inslee "in nearly ever poll."

A variety of volunteer opportunities and a countywide field plan were also discussed as well as the "Super Saturday" door-belling event set for April 28.

The next McKenna Steering Committee Meeting is set for Tuesday, May 14, at 208 E. Wishkah Street, Aberdeen. See Cathy Colley for details: cathycolley@comcast.net or 581-5053.

Wasteful State Budget

I see Brian Hatfield sees the capital budget as a ‘jobs bill’. Why aren't voters challenging him on the real function of government, which is NOT to be a taxpayer funded jobs provider, but rather a good steward of limited taxpayer resources?


It's also necessary for citizens to challenge the press, as I do with my frequent contacts. They should actually ask government officials real questions and stop just repeating PR news releases.

Here's one example of the new state budget waste. The TDN reported yesterday ‘Capital projects budget clears path for new $38.5 million LCC building’ http://tdn.com/news/local/capital-projects-budget-clears-path-for-new-lcc-building/article_3f666100-83fb-11e1-a150-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=comments. This is a story about a 70,000 square foot science building. Yet the story doesn’t compare the construction cost of $550 per square foot to the industry norm. Why? According to this website

http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/construction-forecast/news/2009/05/rsmeans-dollars-per-square-foot-construction-costs-four-types-of-college-bu/ the average per square foot cost of construction for a laboratory school building in Seattle is $175.95 in 2009, less so for class rooms. So why then are we paying an average $550? Is the premium going to the ‘green roof’? Then how much is the state paying extra for ‘green roofs’ and is it fiscally responsible?  

PCO Elections and House Bill 1860

On March 29 the governor signed Engrossed Third Substitute Bill 1860 regarding election of PCOs. The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately. A summary of the bill appears below:

SUMMARY: Elections for PCOs must be held at the primary election in even-numbered years. Only contested races may appear on the ballot, and write-in candidates are not allowed. If no one files for office, the position must be filled by the county chair of the county central committee of the appropriate political party. If only one person files for office, he or she is deemed elected.

County auditors may offer the PCO election on a consolidated ballot or a physically separate ballot. If a consolidated ballot is used, the race for the PCO must be clearly delineated from other races on the ballot. If a physically separate ballot is used, it must be distinguishable from the top two primary ballot. A ballot is not invalidated if it is returned outside of the security envelope.

Ballot instructions must include the following statement: "In order to vote for precinct committee officer, a partisan office, you must affirm that you are a Democrat or a Republican and may vote only for one candidate from the party you select. Your vote for a candidate affirms your affiliation with the same party as the candidate. This preference is private and will not be matched to your name or shared."

Party affiliation is affirmed by including the following statement after the name of each candidate: "I affirm that I am a Democrat" if the candidate is a Democrat, or "I affirm that I am a Republican" if the candidate is a Republican. In the event a voter votes for candidates from both parties, the votes cast for PCO on the ballot are not counted.

If a provision of the act is held invalid, the remainder of the act is not affected.