Lloyd Hara, one of three candidates that have officially filed their intent to run for King County Elections Director (a formerly appointed position that voters made elected in November) reportedly plans to keep his part-time Port Commission seat if he is elected elections director, numerous sources say. Hara has raised just over $37,000 for his port reelection, and has not yet raised any money for his King County Elections bid. Although Lori Anderson, spokeswoman for the Public Disclosure Commission, has not returned a call for comment, state law stipulates only that a candidate’s name can’t appear twice on the same ballot. Because the elections director position is on the ballot in February, and the Port position is on the ballot in November, the two positions would appear on separate ballots.
There is some precedent for holding both a state and a local office. Tim Sheldon, a conservative Democratic state senator from Potlatch, ran for Mason County Commissioner in 2004 and won; and Pam Roach, a state senator from Auburn, ran for King County Council in 2003 and lost. Both Sheldon and Roach were were seeking jobs that paid significantly more than their existing positions; about $65,000 and $104,000 for Mason County Commission and King County Council, respectively, compared to state senators’ part-time salaries of approximately $33,000. (Roach’s name is also on the list of likely candidates for elections director this year).
However, Hara’s case would be different in one key respect: As elections director, he would be overseeing his own election. Under Washington State’s “incompatible offices” doctrine, a person can’t hold more than one office if “the functions of the two offices are inconsistent or, more generally, where occupation of both offices is detrimental to the public interest,” such as “where one office is subordinate to another in some aspect of its functions and duties.” That same doctrine was raised—unsuccessfully—in Sheldon’s case in 2005, but Hara’s case seems more clear-cut. In the words of one close observer of the elections process, “it’s a totally clear conflict of interest.”
Hara’s situation is parallel to Sheldon’s and Roach’s in one other respect: The new job would pay substantially more than his current position. Port commissioners receive a per diem for going to meetings and travel expenses for junkets around the world—about $6,000 a year, plus up to $8,600 for attending events. The elections director, in contrast, makes $146,000. In the past, Hara has argued that port commissioner should be a full-time job—with full-time pay and benefits. He did not return calls for comment.
In other elections-related news, Sherril Huff, the current King County elections director, will reportedly announce tomorrow that she’s running to keep her position. Huff, appointed by county executive Ron Sims in 2007, previously said she wouldn’t run but appears to have changed her mind. (She didn’t return a call for comment either). Huff’s entry into the competition could eliminate some would-be candidates who were thinking about jumping in, as she’s generally respected in county government. (Progressives and candidates with a Democratic background may also be hesitant to overcrowd the field and hand the position to someone like Roach, as I wrote in last week’s In the Hall column.)
Also in the running: Alec Fisken, a former port commissioner who was defeated by Bill Bryant in 2007. He says that although Huff has “a good record,” his name recognition will count for more in a low-turnout February election. Fisken opposed making the elections director an elected position and says he’d work to keep the office “truly nonpartisan.” Meanwhile, Joe Fain—chief of staff for Republican King County Council Member Pete von Reichbauer and a leader of the campaign to make the elections director appointed—is not running for the position. The filing deadline is this Friday, December 12.
Erica
Does this mean Sherril Huff will be moving to King County from Kitsap County where she has previous electoral history?
I would think that the doctorine you cite wouldn’t be a problem as Pat McCarthy in Pierce County did that this year. She was running for Pierce County Executive while administering that election as County Auditor.
As elected elections director wouldn’t that position oversee the election of the election director regardless?
An elected elections director would have to certify his own election to that office, so why not certify his election to Port Commissioner as well? Sam Reed certifies his own election every 4 years.
I think the conflict of interest inherent in certifying one’s own election is one of the best arguments for an appointed elections director. However, if it’s going to be an elected position, I don’t see why that individual can’t also run for another elected office.
Sure let’s bring in the Port of Seattle staff to clean up the elections office.
Why does this post assert that racism and sexism are no longer societal problems?
I heard the KC Dems have an election forum with all the real Dems who are running for the seat.
Might be nice if you linked that, ECB.
An Elections Director (or conventional County Auditor, as in WA’s other 38 counties) always oversees his or her own election — unless he/she declines to run … which takes “accountability” out of the occasion.
Lloyd Hara, David Irons, Ross Baker, Jason Osgood and facebook candidate Ted Maroutsos have filed campaign paperwork with the Public Disclosure Commission. The filing that counts – with County Elections – is later this week.
I’m not used to being sincere on the SLOG, but here goes: Huff will do well. Her record shows she can manage elections well in difficult circumstances. She deserves credit for helping turn things around there and that office (and King County voters) deserves some stability.
Now to be snide: How does Fisken propose to keep the office “truly nonpartisan?” Does he guarantee to alternate wins between D’s and R’s? Purge a few hundred thousand D’s from the voter rolls to… you know… even things out?
Personally, I’ll be voting for Jason Osgood.
Jason Osgood clearly has the best skills, background and interests. Jason is not running for a paycheck this is an issue that he has devoted years to working on. Jason has the health, experience and background to not only win but succeed in ths office. Jason is scandal free.
Visit http://www.jasonosgood.com/
Best wishes,
Barry O’Connell
Barry @ 12 — “health”? Jason’s campaign is playing the Health Card???
Isn’t that “clearly” just a little … sick?
How so RonK? What are you getting at? What is the point of running if you can’t do the job?
Barry, you have no idea what a tangled web you weave.
@12 – citation needed.
Jason Osgood is a joke. His biggest supporter is a Persian Rug dealer who trolls google constantly.
Most Democrats who are contenders don’t have to rely on Internet Blog trolling to get their name out… because people already know their name.
Jason who?? Oh yeah the sweaty paranoid computer geek… yeah he’s the one to vote for…
Jason, to his credit, has a longstanding record of profound disapproval for the type of campaigning the virtual rug merchant exemplifies above.
The grass roots is not without its thistles.
Unfortunately, Jason has already dropped out to support Huff. Sorry that I can’t link to my inbox.
From WashBlog, Jason’s swan song.