Deep Thoughts on the Primary
Turnout
The Secretary of State’s elections Web site shows that if the number of ballots “on hand” left to count is true, it would take statewide turnout up to about 32 percent, while Kitsap County would come in around 50 percent. Still, Sam Reed is projecting between 40-45 percent across the state. That would be close to what he projected. If the Kitsap numbers come in as robustly as Reed projects it will for the state, it would mean county officials were fairly close to the mark when they projected 60-65 percent, then 55-60 percent.
Reed also said general election turnout could surpass the record 82.6 percent set in 1992.
One-Party Control
Among the predictions for the “top-two” primary was that it would result in one-party general election races. It has done that. In four five legislative races Democrats will rule the ballot, while Republicans will own one two. (My bad, I missed two districts.) The GOP owns one of the Legislative District 7 races, which takes in parts of Ferry, Lincoln, Okanagan, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens counties. In that race no Democrats filed to run. Five Republicans fought for two spots.
In the Legislative District 7 Senate seat held by Margarita Prentice, her two opponents were both Democrats. In the other three races now dominated by Democrats, one in Pierce County and two more in King County, both major parties were represented.
Kitsap Elections Office Comes in First
Nick Handy from the Washington Secretary of State’s office sent a note last night to Kitsap County Elections officials congratulating them for being the first in the state to send in elections results. Allow me to second that congratulations. For Chris Henry covering the South Kitsap commissioner it had to be refreshing to be able to bank on good numbers so quickly.
However, I covered the 35th District, which does take in parts of Kitsap County, as well as Grays Harbor and Thurston County. The big numbers there, though, come from Mason County, which was among the last group county to post numbers Tuesday night. Those numbers were important in the Position 1 seat in the 35th District, because until Mason County numbers were in, Brad Gehring was in the lead. As it was, though, everything was in by 9 p.m. It was a good night for those of us trying to get something out quickly.
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Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
August 20th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Steven…I don’t know how you all do it…you have to be married to a reporter’s job of getting news out in a timely manner. Your husbands, wives, partners have to be the best …not to speak of the children. Your children learn obligation and responsibility toward something bigger than yourself…the news.
Maybe someday someone will investigate how the children of news reporters ‘turn out’ versus the children of those who have a steady 9-5 job, without deadlines.
I suspect the news folk kids tend to grow up with responsibility and obligation in their core and to grow up into the backbone of our country type folks… they know passion and performance and duty.
Just a thought. Thank you all!!!
Sharon O’Hara
August 20th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Compared to their civil service and local government counterparts, reporters do not get paid enough. ALL serve the public.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
‘Serving the public’ isn’t what I meant, Mike. Almost every business serves the public one way or another.
I don’t know about the pay (I’ve heard it is not the best)… and proves my point.
They don’t have tenure and a ’secure’ future…they have stories to write and deadline to meet….and could be let go at any time. That is dedication, passion, responsibility, obligation… and all the emotions going into the different stories. Sad, funny, joyous…all of it.
I am talking about the need for a reporter (newspaper people) to be wide awake and ready to roll if a story breaks outside the 9 – 5 office hours….or to work within a deadline.
Their jobs are unusual and demand a certain kind of individual. If children mimic their parents… kids will pick on it, knowingly or not.
I’ve seen children raised by lazy complaining parents grow up into the same lazy complaining type adult. Those children don’t see their parents involved in their job nor focused on anything other than week-ends, vacations, retirement.
They are certainly not involved with a ‘work ethic cause’ as newspaper people are…in my humble opinion.
Sharon O’Hara