Two long-term city lawmakers have been voted out of office in the Nov. 8 general election while four more are in razor-thin races too close to call.
Two-term Burien City Councilman Gordon Shaw was trailing challenger Bob Edgar by 21 percentage points in returns released by King County Elections on Wednesday evening. Edgar, who had attempted to withdraw from the primary race because of family health issues, was garnering 60 percent of the vote to Shaw’s 39 percent. Shaw was a strong advocate for White Center annexation and an auto mall on Des Moines Memorial Drive while Edgar and his wife, Chestine Edgar, were frequent anti-annexation speakers at council meetings.
SeaTac Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher was also badly trailing his opponent, ex-councilman Barry Ladenburg. Ladenburg had 64 percent of the vote to Fisher’s 36 percent. The elected mayor proposition that Fisher advocated was trailing 47 percent yes to 53 percent no. Fisher has been mentioned as a possible candidate for mayor if the proposition passes.
Two Highline mayors are in very tight races. Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler has 49 percent of the vote to Rebecca King’s 50 percent.
Normandy Park Mayor Shawn McEvoy has garnered 50 percent while businessman Todd McKittrick has 49 percent.
In the other contested Normandy Park council race, former Mayor Charlie Harris and opponent Stacia Jenkins are dead even with 50 percent each.
In an anti-incumbent election, possibly the most surprising result is the one-percent lead of SeaTac Councilwoman Mia Su-Ling Gregerson (50 percent) over Erin Sitterley (49 percent.)
Emails recently made public between Gregerson and SeaTac Human Services manager Colleen Brandt-Schulter reveal the two making disparaging remarks about other council members and city residents. The emails, many of them read publicly by Fisher’s wife at a council meeting, also show that Brandt-Schulter gave Gregerson contact information for nonprofits that receive human services funding. The information was reportedly used to help defeat the elected mayor proposition in 2009.
Earl Gipson, SeaTac Citizens for Elected Mayor treasurer, has filed a Public Disclosure Commission complaint against Gregerson and Brandt-Schulter alleging a pattern of illegal behavior.
Highline School Board President Sili Savusa also appears to be headed for defeat. Savusa has 44 percent of the vote while Tyrone Curry Sr. has 55 percent.
Curry won $3 million in the state lottery but has continued to work as a track coach and janitor on the Evergreen High campus in White Center. A new Evergreen track was dedicated recently. Curry contributed $40,000 for the track.
King County Elections will continue to post new results each weekday at 4:30 p.m. until the election is certified on Nov. 29. The results are available at www.kingcounty.gov/elections.
In Burien, the chance for city residents to cast a referendum vote on annexation produced mixed results. Edgar handily defeated Shaw and Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak, the council’s lone voice against annexation, received 65 percent of the vote against Planning Commissioner Greg Duff, 35 percent.
However, the council’s strongest annexation advocate, appointed Councilman Jerry Robison garnered 54 percent to Debi Wagner’s 46 percent.
Money possibly made the difference in SeaTac.
According to one tally of the PDC website by an elected mayor proposition supporter, as of last week, $123,000 had been spent on the SeaTac election, as opposed to $21,000 in Burien, $19,000 in Des Moines and $30,000 in Tukwila.
Much of the money came from labor union and other political action committees against the elected mayor proposition and its supporters.
And while the council and proposition are nonpartisan races, an email from Aileen Fisher, Deputy Mayor Fisher’s wife, to Gregerson and King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson with a copy to state Republican Party chairman Kirby Wilbur, was labeled “SeaTac Sets the battleground for the Republican and Democratic Parties.”
In a Times/News interview, Wilbur said the party would not invest heavily in SeaTac because residents tend to vote for Democrats.
In turn, D. Omaha Sternberg, 33rd District Democratic Party chairwoman, filed a PDC complaint against candidates Michael Kovacs and Sitterley over a mailing sent by a political action committee supporting them.
In an email to the Times/News, Sternberg also alleged the Tea Party is heavily involved in SeaTac politics.
The elected mayor proposition is trailing with 46 percent yes to 54 percent no. The proposition would have replaced the current City Manager system of government with a mayor elected by a citywide vote. This was the fourth time the ballot appeared on the ballot. In 2009, the measure failed by only 9 votes.
Mayor Terry Anderson with 64 percent is assured of re-election. Her opponent, Sandra Cook-Bensley received 36 percent.
Real estate agent Dave Bush will replace Councilman Ralph Shape, who chose not to run for re-election. Bush has 64 percent while Michael T. Kovacs has 35 percent.
In Des Moines, former Des Moines Councilwoman and former King County Superior Court Judge Jeanette Burrage will rejoin the council. She has 61 percent to Carri Litowitz’ 38 percent.
Community activist Dan Caldwell will also be a new council member. He has 56 percent while Dave Markwell garnered 44 percent.
A proposition that would have increased the utility tax to pay for improvements to roads and historic Beach Park buildings was soundly defeated, 37 percent yes to 63 percent no.
In Tukwila, an advisory vote on allowing card rooms to stay in the city is being approved 61 percent to 39 percent.
Mayor Jim Haggerton is headed for re-election with 62 percent of the vote. Pam Linder has 38 percent.
Louise H. Strander and Kate Kruller are tied with 50 percent each in a council race.
In the other Tukwila races, the incumbents are easily leading.
Kathy Hougardy, 77 percent, is defeating Mackenzie Weitzeil, 23 percent, and Dennis Robertson, 82 percent, is way ahead of Abshir Mahamed, 17 percent.
