For candidates throughout Washington, the official start to the 2012 campaign season kicks off Monday morning with Filing Week, which runs May 14 through May 18. Online filing begins Monday at 9 a.m. and runs day and night until 4 p.m. next Friday, May 18. In-person filing starts Monday at 8 a.m. and ends at close of business on Friday. For the Office of Secretary of State, close of business is 5 p.m. If you’re a candidate running for a…
This year, candidate Filing Week is May 14-18, but if you’re running for office and just can’t wait that long to file, you can get a head start. Candidates can mail in their declaration paperwork starting April 30. All candidate declarations must be received no later than May 18. Candidates file with the Office of Secretary of State either in person, online or via U.S. mail if they’re running for a federal office, statewide office, multi-county legislative seat or multi-county…
Washington Democrats and Libertarians are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear yet another challenge of the state’s popular Top 2 Primary. Various appeals have been underway since voters approved the system by a landslide eight years ago. The open primary, which allows all voters to select their favorite candidates for each office, without regard to party label, has been successfully used since 2008, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to allow it. The high court did leave open…
The Washington Supreme Court has unanimously authorized use of the new Redistricting Commission boundaries to run the 2012 elections, even as a citizen challenge to the commission’s work proceeds. Secretary of State Sam Reed said he was pleased — and relieved — to get the ruling: “This is very good news. Our 2012 elections season is barreling down on us, with Filing Week beginning May 14 and Top 2 Primary ballots going in the mail in July. The counties are…
Washington’s political parties are back in federal appeals court, continuing their six-year challenge of the state’s popular voter-approved Top 2 Primary. The Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties of Washington asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday to throw out the system, which allows voters to choose their favorite for each office, without respect to party, with the two favorites advancing to the November General Election ballot. Neither party is guaranteed a November runoff slot, and the Top 2…