Partisan Dickering

For 67 years, we've voted in primary elections for people, not parties. But after legal action by the Democrats, Libertarians, and Republicans, we now must commit to one of them for the honor of choosing among nominees for November's general election. No more voting for a Republican candidate in one race and a Democrat in another—no more crossover voting, not in the primary. For many of us, maybe even most of us, it is viscerally distasteful to be partisan, even one day of the year. But that's what we've got to work with, at least this year, and it shouldn't prevent us from voting on Sept. 14.

For one thing, we can skip the partisan part of the ballot and vote for the best judges, like Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders, and in favor of important ballot propositions, like Seattle's Families and Education Levy or King County's library bond.

Or we can hold our nose and also fill in a little round circle to temporarily pledge allegiance as a Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian for the privilege of picking among the candidates of that one party. At least this choice of slate is private. No record is kept, and our ballot is anonymous, as always. But the requirement to pick a party and choose candidates affiliated only with that one party rankles. The American electoral system presents us with flawed choices all the time, though. Consider this one more "lesser evil" decision.

Seattle Weekly's Editorial Board is not recommending that voters choose one party slate over another. We make recommendations for the best candidates within each party's slate, endorsing candidates in every contested race in King County for the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian party nominations. In November, we will choose a single candidate for each office.

Confused? Call the King County Elections Division at 206-296-8683, look at the instructions in your voters' pamphlet, or check out www.metrokc.gov/elections.

Here we present our endorsements in the same order as they appear on your ballot.

Democratic Slate

U.S. Senator

Incumbent Patty Murray is the obvious choice for her party's nomination for U.S. Senate. Not only is she facing just nominal opposition, she has shown considerable courage by voting against the resolution on war in Iraq. That vote looks better with each passing day as the carnage mounts and the reasons for going to war disappear like a mirage. Washington's senior senator also is a consistent advocate for the interests of the state, and while this means encouraging porky politics, better us than New Jersey, as Sen. Warren Magnuson used to say. Warren Hansen and Mohammad Said are also seeking the Democratic nomination.

U.S. Representative, District 8 (Bellevue, Sammamish, Kent, Enumclaw)

Tired of predictable politicians? Vote for Dave Ross. Until recently a KIRO-AM talk-show host, he is exactly the kind of citizen politician we need more of in Congress. He won't pay deference to party bosses or toady around with special interests. He'll figure out how to crusade for common sense on the floor of the House of Representatives. Who will he hook up with? Sen. John McCain of Arizona? Rep. Bernie Sanders of Vermont? It's hard to say, but he won't be jockeying for re-election and greasing the wheels with pork. Instead, Ross will pursue the public's interests vigorously and creatively. Democrats also have a strong contender in Alex Alben, a former high-tech executive who would be an effective representative for his district. Ross' originality, however, earns him our endorsement. Heidi Behrens-Benedict is also in the race.

Governor

Washington needs bold leadership, and Ron Sims is the Democrat to provide it. Sims has chosen to advocate for a much-needed income tax in Washington state. Rightly criticizing our current property, sales, and business tax system as both unfair and inadequate, Sims has started a debate on tax reform that Washington needs to prosper in the 21st century. As King County executive, Sims has shown that he can work with a bipartisan legislative body and move an agenda—skills he will use to the whole state's benefit in Olympia. While there are many issues we've disagreed on—from his tunnel vision on light rail to his failure to adequately fund human services—we like the energy and risk-taking he has shown throughout the campaign. Attorney General Christine Gregoire is deserving of praise for fine work on major issues—the tri-party cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the famous tobacco settlement. Gregoire, however, has chosen to run a cautious campaign that reminds us too much of Gov. Gary Locke's weak, incremental approach to pressing problems. The other Democratic candidates are Eugen Buculei, Don Hansler, Scott Headland, and Mike the Mover.

Attorney General

As a two-term state insurance commissioner, Deborah Senn served as a fierce advocate for consumers desperate for affordable health care. When virtually everyone else let the issue lie after the state's attempt at health care reform imploded in the mid-1990s, Senn kept on pushing—not only battling insurance companies at the policy level but intervening in heartbreaking individual cases in which ordinary folks had been denied coverage. There is no doubt that Senn will bring her populist-crusading instinct to a range of issues as attorney general. For one, she promises to make sure that the state stops obstructing valid attempts to make use of the Open Public Records Act. She also pledges to crack down on identity theft and investigate spiraling gas prices and predatory lending to the poor. Think of current Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Christine Gregoire's fight against Big Tobacco. You'd see a lot more of that under Senn. While the other Democrat in the race, former Seattle City Attorney Mark Sidran, has the smarts and competence to do the job, we can't forget his troubling record on civil liberties as the city attorney who pushed through a range of "civility" laws affecting the homeless and the poor.