1) Turnout looks to be low. As of this typing, the state's website shows 26.66% turnout in terms of ballots counted thus far. Turnout will likely remain well under 40%, even after the later mail-in ballots are tallied and King County finally catches up.
That's well under what many election officials were predicting - [cough] Sam Reed [cough]. Proof that a) the top two primary is not actually the coolest thing since sliced bread as some of those aforementioned public officials proclaimed. And, b) a slew of low-profile and relatively uncompetitive contests is never going to produce high turnout.
2) In one of the most interesting intra-party contests of the primary, Kevin Parker seems to have beaten Mel Lindauer with vigor in the 6th Legislative District. Just tallying the Republican votes, Parker won 56% - 44%. That's a very large margin in a competitive race.
Parker looks like a great pick-up opportunity in November.
3) The one-party general election races will be interesting - drawing interest group resources into districts generally unaccustomed to such attention in November. On the Democratic side, open seats in the 36th & 46th Districts are the highest profile.
On the GOP side, open seats in the 7th and 8th Legislative Districts should draw attention - and perhaps drive turnout in areas north & west of Spokane as well as in the Tri-Cities where higher Republican vote totals would boost Dino Rossi.
Random note: I could see Brad Klippert losing the other GOP seat in the 8th Legislative District in an upset based on his perennial candidate history. There's usually an electorally fatal, missing ingredient when a candidate has a track record of running for office and losing. But it's still a very Republican district - even if the House Democrats have money in spades to spread around to races like this.
4) Two promising quasi-incumbents in the state House (they're running for office in seats they were appointed to) helped themselves by finishing first in their primaries. Norma Smith and Jamie Herrera should be fast-tracked to leadership positions if they can win in November.
5) Lots of conventional wisdom affirmation in the statewide races:
Rob McKenna looks solid in the Attorney General's race. Doug Sutherland has a real fight on his hands. And Terry Bergeson is vulnerable in the State Superintendent's race.
Oh, and Allan Martin has a real shot to pick up the Treasurer's slot for the GOP if he can raise some money. He's been badly outspent thus far, but his superior resume and qualifications obviously helped land him a nice vote total for the primary.
Posted by Eric Earling at August 20, 2008 07:42 PM | Email Thisall you govt bitchers---why not 99%? so what if a primary; your right to no-show; my right to discount your later whinings; something, anything, is more than nothing;
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on August 20, 2008 07:59 PMI would encourage SP readers everywhere to donate to Randy's Campaign - this is a real good chance to pick up a seat in the House.
Posted by: Doyle on August 20, 2008 09:24 PMFor decades, the Primary Elections were held on the second Tuesday of September when schools and colleges are in full swing. I thought it was a mistake to have moved the Primary to August during the end of summer vacation and at the height of construction season. It would have made more sense to have moved the General Election to December when everyone is done and home with their families.
Look around, do you see all of the construction happening around you? There are thousand of contractors and laborers in our state who work ten to twelve hour days/nights up to six days a week during this time before the rain and snow season arrives. They also don't have time to go to a poll to vote when they are dirty, tired, and hungry, especially in the lousy traffic congestions I see everywhere in our state.
How about the thousands of firefighters out there in the middle of nowhere trying to put out wildfires this very minute? You want them to put down their fire suppression activities to go to a poll?
How about the thousands of National Guard soldiers that are being deployed for another tour in the Middle East in the past few weeks or those that are over there now? You think they are wondering about who do vote for right now?
This is harvest time and many are toiling in the fields to get done before the rain damages the crop. Let's not forget about the loggers and commercial fisherman out in the middle of nowhere trying to make a living.
Posted by: John W. Aiken, Jr. on August 20, 2008 10:22 PM