Lack of choice in WA State races discouraging http://www.eoionline.org/blog/lack-of-choice-in-state

[eridani]

http://www.eoionline.org/blog/lack-of-choice-in-state-races-discouraging/

We don’t have much influence on the presidential election, and our Congressional delegation is only a tiny percentage of the entire Congress, so we don’t have much leverage on public lawmaking at the federal level. But we can and do actually elect our state legislators. They are the people who make the decisions that affect us most directly on schools, roads, public health, safety and health at work, unemployment compensation, taxes and tax giveaways, and higher education, among other issues.

With that thought in mind, we should brace ourselves for highly visible and well argued elections throughout our state. But as is turns out, in two-fifths of all these elections, either the Republican party or the Democratic party has failed to field candidates. So, for example, if you want to vote for a Republican candidate in the 38th District, the heart of Everett, you are out of luck. You also can’t vote for a Republican in the 21st District for position No. 1 (Mukilteo, Edmonds, and Lynnwood). Likewise, if you want to vote for a Democratic candidate for Senate in the 39th District (Darrington, Arlington, Monroe, and Sedro Wooley), you can’t.

You could make an argument that in some of these districts voters could choose among Republican candidates and in other districts, among Democratic candidates, and in some districts they could vote for a Libertarian. So perhaps there is a little choice there. But in almost a quarter of the races, there is no race at all, because there is only one candidate. In the 38th District, position 1, you can vote for June Robinson, period. No other candidate is on the ballot. In the 39th District Senate race, you can vote for Kirk Pearson. And that’s your choice! In the 40th District (Mount Vernon, Anacortes, the San Juans, and part of Bellingham), you have no choice for the House positions. You can vote for Kristine Lytton for position one and Jeff Morris for position two. And that’s it.

The Democrats have essentially ceded Eastern Washington and the Republicans have ceded Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Edmonds and Everett.

It is no wonder that hundreds of thousands of citizens don’t bother to vote. On the issues closest to them, such as funding for education, they have no choice to make on their ballots. So why bother?

[Buzz cook]

1. Is it too late to register?

Surely there's some democrat in the 39th that's willing to put their name on the ballot.

It's possible given the revulsion against Trump that many formerly safe red districts may be up for grabs.

[eridani]

2. Yes--filing closed the 3rd week in May n/t

[MorningFrog]

3. All hope is not lost

Pend Oreille County (upper NE corner of WA) has a Democrat running for County Commissioner this year. His name is Bob Eugene and he is a progressive Bernie Sanders supporter.
www.electbobeugene.com

Joe Pakootas, Democrat, is running for Congress again this year in WA 5th Congressional District. He is also a progressive Sanders supporter.

Our caucus' had a fairly large turnout this year. Thanks to Bernie Sanders. We may have an abundance of republicans on this side, but we also have alot of hippies and progressives. If we can keep the Bern Revolution at least alive through November, our Progressive Democratic candidates should have a fighting chance.

[Hulk]

4. Am hoping Mosier kicks Jamie Herrera beutler's butt in our district.

Ever since Brian Baird turned tail and ran from the bickering of the House, we've been stuck with this empty-headed, do nothing tea bagger, Jamie Herrera buetler. What a wate.

We finally have a decent, substantive democrat opposing her in Clark County, and I hope she gets her ass handed to her along with her packing bag.

Every district she provide a democratic opponent. If the DNC head their collected heads out of their asses, they would. I couldn't care less about the obstructionist party.

[chwaliszewski]

5. Word!

I'm here in Camas and I'm sick of seeing Jamie Herrera Beutler & Liz Pike signs. Arrrgh!

[Hulk]

6. She has my wife baffled

I got into a discussion with my wife the other day, as she believes beutler is spearheading job fairs, and all sorts of good things for the communities she represents. I've tried to explain she only sticks her puss on ads to connect her worthless teabagger ass to things that have NOTHING TO DO with her creating or running. All pr bull shit.

My wife is another "low info voter" who falls for advertisements between shows. I've got my work to do before the election, but there are probably thousands more just like her, unfortunately.