More Candidate Filing Problems - This Is No Joke

Filing week continues and the problems with party preference continue to plague candidates who have been confused by the new filing forms.

On Monday Richard Pope observed that Brian Baird was listed as "Prefers Democrat Party". Richard contacted the Baird people and they then contacted the Secretary of State to correct the preference to read "Prefers Democratic Party".

Since then I have been monitoring the candidates listing page, and I have noted and informed twenty candidates that their preference also reads "Prefers Democrat Party".

So far Pat Sullivan, Karen Fraser, Jim Kastama, Ron Weigelt, Fred Jarrett, Jeff Morris, Mark Ericks, Carol Moser, Mike Sells, Jon Viebrock and Jim Cutler have all been able to correct their filing.

However, although I have tried to notify Jim McIntire, Lisa Brown, Ann McDonald, Stephanie Kountouros, Paul Gonzales, Ken Henderson, Dave Quall, Kelli Linville and Hans Dunshee of the same problem with their filings, as of now they are still listed as "Prefers Democrat Party".

I also count 27 candidates listed as "Prefers G.O.P. Party", "Prefers G O P Party", or "Prefers R Party", including Dino Rossi.

This is a serious issue in my opinion, if you have a filing system that results in 50 or more candidates mistakenly filling out their party preference, and I don't blame the candidates, I blame the creators of the forms they've had to fill out, and the rules governing them. As I wrote today in a HorsesAss.org thread:

This kind of confusion may be comical now, but demonstrates a complete lack of understanding about how small things can have big consequences. These are the same people in the Secretary of State office that want to design our ballots. Confusion on a filing form is one thing, but confusion on a ballot could lead to another Florida controversy.

I have tried contacting a couple of people at the Secretary of State office, but I haven't heard back from either of them. I have also urged the candidates I've contacted to impress upon the Secretary of State office that they need to ensure every candidate with a questionable filing is contacted so it can be corrected. State Representative Mark Ericks (1st LD) has been particularly helpful in this regard, and has said he will help inform House Democrats at a meeting tomorrow.

This just highlights how much Sam Reed's office has brought nothing but confusion into this year's primary. Regardless of the merits of what Washingtonians voted for at the ballot box to change the system, this surely wasn't what they intended. We don't need anymore election snafus, and this filing mess doesn't instill much confidence.