Tag Archives: recall

No’s lead, 20 to 60 ‘cure forms’ a day, and a recount deadline: What’s next in Sawant recall?

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With its latest official tally Friday showing a 249-vote lead for “no,” King County Elections says it is receiving “cure forms” for challenged ballots at a rate of around 20 to 60 per day.

As of Monday morning, the county says there are 525 challenged ballots remaining. Ballot return totals can be viewed here. That dashboard is updated at least twice a day, according to KCE. Cured ballots are then included in the ongoing daily updates. Continue reading →

‘Grassroots voting stations’ aren’t illegal — but they are core to the District 3 recall fight

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A D3 “grassroots voting station” (Image: @mattcaucus)

In the end, it will add only a percentage point or three to the turnout but these votes are exactly the kind being most contested in the District 3 recall fight over Kshama Sawant.

“These are folks who didn’t know there was an election or people who lost their ballots,” Solidarity spokesperson Bryan Koulouris tells CHS. “Overwhelmingly, they are renters, and overwhelmingly, tend to be supporters.”

Koulouris says the campaign is also highly aware and highly careful about potentially violating voting laws over electioneering.

The Recall Sawant campaign and “yes” supporters say that “grassroots voting stations” being staffed by Kshama Solidarity across District 3 are unethical and should be against the law.

“During the process of downloading, printing, and then filling out, they can’t campaign, can’t urge them how to vote,” Koulouris says of the guidelines being provided about the printing stations.

King County Elections says it began hearing complaints about the ballot printing during the General Election. Elections officials say registered voters are able to access and print their ballot online. “This is primarily for our service and overseas voters, voters with a disability, as well as for local voters who maybe lost their ballot or realized they didn’t receive one at the last minute. It saves folks a trip to a Vote Center,” a statement from KCE reads. Continue reading →

District 3 recall: A Better Seattle joins ‘yes’ fight, Kshama Solidarity holds a ‘F%#k The Recall’ Block Party, and how they would replace Sawant

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A new group raising thousands to join the “vote yes” fight, a Kshama Solidarity Block Party, media endorsements, and the first votes being cast — here are the latest updates in the December 7th recall election.

  • New political action committee forms: While only District 3 residents can vote in the recall, anybody can throw cash at the political battle. A group calling itself A Better Seattle has registered and is already collecting thousands of dollars to campaign for “yes” votes in the recall of Kshama Sawant. The group is also leaping in with a request to immediately be free from state contribution limits — one of its first expenditures was $3,000 to the Perkins Coie law firm for the work. The group has also spent $500 on a website and $5,000 to retain a firm to aid in fundraising. Early contributors were led by $1,000 from the state PAC of the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, $1,000 from the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association, and $1,000 from Matt Griffin, principal at the Pine Street Group, the developer behind the $2 billion downtown convention center expansion. Consultant Sandeep Kaushik, busy taking victory laps after progressive wins in Seattle’s November General Election, weighed in with $250 of in-kind work for the group. The group has nothing to do, apparently, with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll’s charity effort of the same name. The chair of the group is listed as Chris McLain. We tried checking to see if it’s the same Chris McLain who has led Ironworkers Local 86 union efforts but the phone number he included in filings with the city goes to the PAC’s accounting office. Continue reading →