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Here's sources for the results of the primary:
- Stranger blog has a tidy recap: http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/primary_election_results
- The Seattle Times has a series of articles. Here's a link to one about the parks levies and links to other articles: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003847962_parkselex22m0.html
Here's as link to the official results: http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/200708/results.asp
Ok, maybe it's a little gratuitous to link to a blog post that is largely comprised of quotes from the post that's already on THIS blog, but it does make me smile to see that the great work our team did in New Orleans last week is getting a little recognition:
http://blogs.king5.com/citizenrain/2007/08/seattle_works_team_aids_ailing_1.html
-- Tara
For all the old schoolers like me tomorrow is election day. I'll either vote on my way to work in the morning or right after work. I enjoy going to the polls because I get to talk to my neighbors and ask the poll workers how turnout is doing. Someday I'll be forced to vote by absentee and that will be a sad day for me. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Tomorrow is election day and despite the fact that every local media outlet has said that the field of candidates along with the fact that the primary has been moved up by a month will lead to low voter turnout I still feel compelled to remind people to vote. I'll spare you the stories I've told in the past about people losing their life for the right to vote or how Al Gore and Dino Rossi can tell you that every vote counts and just remind you that politicians have become very adept at looking at election statistics and the demographic that voters fall in. They can even tell if a particular voter voted and how often they vote. So if you don't vote good luck at getting the issues you care about addressed.
As a demographic our turnout is trending in the right direction but we still have politicians out there who perpetuate the belief that we don't vote and so the vicious cycle of campaigns continue- candidate files for office- candidate looks at the lay of the land to develop message to win election- candidate determines that only the baby boomer's and elderly vote- candidate tailors message to voting demographic.
Let's give these candidates and campaigns a reason to listen to our issues. VOTE,VOTE,VOTE!!
A good question Crosscut today -
"A puzzle in American politics: If yard signs are such a waste of time, how come people keep doing them?"
There's a sad balance in community activites of all sorts between what is most effective and what makes people feel good. Sigh.
-- Tara
Today I attended the City Club's School board candidate forum. Candidates from districts 1,2 and 6 were present. Candidates from the other district on the ballot this year district three were unavailable. We spent close to an hour and a half listening to candidates talk about issues from school closures, the achievement gap, to public/private partnerships in our schools. I can't vote for any of the candidates on stage because I live in Renton but I'll be telling my friends which candidates I liked and which candidates need a little more work. Do forget to vote next Tuesday and if you need a little help check out the Seattle Works candidate guide. Susanna provided the link in the blog post below.
~Ed
Seattle Works volunteers put together an outstanding Candidates' Guide, which can be found here:
http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/candidateguide.html
The guide is clear, easy to understand, well designed, informative and entertaining. The questions point to issues that matter for our cohort-- transportation, engagement with our generation, willingness to place action before Seattle process. It definitely changed my mind about a few of the candidates and cemented my revulsion with the current school board. Yeah, it's a lot to read through, but you'll go to your ballot well informed and, as the ad on the bus I followed into work this morning said, it's crucial to be a well informed voter.
One of the aspects of Seattle Works that I'm most excited about is the civic engagement program. Seattle Works serves as a rallying point for our generation and for providing a basis for identity building. We have the right to expect that our leaders will represent our voices and respond to our concerns. We needed to have a way to coalesce. This is our mechanism. With the publication of the guide, candidates are now aware that Gen X (and Y) are not the slackers and self-centered technofiles we are often portrayed as in the media. We are here and we vote. Make sure you do just that by August 21. (I'm an old-fashioned kind of girl-- I will make my way down to Bailey Gatzert Elementary School to cast my ballot in person on Tuesday morning.)
Susanna W.
Governor Gregoire announced today that David Dicks, 36, was appointed to run the new state agency, Puget Sound Partnership.
The Puget Sound Partnership is a state agency established in 2007 to lead efforts to protect and restore Puget Sound and its spectacular diversity of life, now and for future generations.The Puget Sound Partnership is a state agency established in 2007 to lead efforts to protect and restore Puget Sound and its spectacular diversity of life, now and for future generations. (http://www.psp.wa.gov/)
It's exciting to see someone from our generation in a high profile leadership role. Good job, David!http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003837523_webdicks16m.html
This morning's anticipated nightmare traffic congestion was (thankfully) no big whoop after all.
While it's possible we all just freaked out for no good reason, it does sound like collectively, all our responsible behavior added up to reduced traffic:
According to the Times, "Thousands of employees changed their job schedules, took vacation, worked from home or tried transit. At least one Sounder commuter train from Tacoma carried more riders than usual, including many who had to stand. Washington State Ferries reported heavier use, and the Elliott Bay Water Taxi ran an extra early boat from West Seattle to downtown."
Jan and I carpooled in together from West Seattle with a plan to work 10-6, rather than 9-5. We left West Seattle at 9:25 and hit our office in lower Queen Anne by 9:45, a commuting record for both of us.
Usually people don't change their behavior until the incentive to do so is pretty high. It's interesting to see a scenario where the incentive (or feared total inconvenience) was high enough to up our collective inclination to carpool, drive alt schedules, take transit and telecommute and so far, how it’s working out.
One morning's commute is too little data to say much, but it sounds to me like no one was terribly inconvenienced and everyone enjoyed lighter traffic. Perhaps these 19 days might inspire more people to make community-minded choices once we all pick up some new habits and realize they’re not so bad…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003834246_webi5update13m.html
--Tara
Sure, it makes sense that we've got to break things down into smaller localities in which people vote, but really, how is the average person able to keep up with which county, school board, congressional, etc. district they live in when they are all diferent!?!
In case you're curious about how things break down for the current races, here's the maps:
School board district map: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/facilities-plan/geo/board_dis/board_dis.xml
County Council district map: http://www.metrokc.gov/mkcc/distmap.htm
City of Seattle - non applicable.
Not in this election, but here you go:
U.S. House of Reps: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/congress.aspx
Washington State legislature: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/statewide.aspx
-- Tara
