The 32nd District Democrats are backing a slate of challengers that represent the Shoreline Merchants Association in the Shoreline City Council and Shoreline School Board races.
The group also voted to endorse challenger and City Council member Carolyn Armanini in the race for Lake Forest Park Mayor against Dave Hutchinson and Don Quayle.
The 32nd District Democrats issued endorsements for the 2003 primary and general election after a lengthy meeting Aug. 15. Candidates had to declare they are Democrats and receive a two-thirds majority vote to receive the endorsement. About 70 members attended the meeting.
The group endorses Aurora merchant Cindy Ryu, former King County Council member Maggie Fimia and environmental advocate Janet Way in the Shoreline City Council races against incumbents Rich Gustafson, Kevin Grossman and Bob Ransom, respectively.
The group also endorses Shoreline Merchant Association members Walt Hagen and Dan Mann in the Shoreline School Board races. Hagen is challenging incumbent Mike Jacobs and Mann is running for an open seat against write-in candidate Kellie Swenson.
The group endorses Shoreline School Board candidate Jim Leigh, who is running against Sherry S. Marlin for an open seat.
The group voted to suspend the rules at its Aug. 15 dinner meeting to forward Shoreline City Council endorsements before the county endorsements, said Dorothy King, who presided over the meeting after chair Dan Harkleroad had to leave the meeting to catch a flight for vacation.
Rules were suspended several more times to consider candidates who had not completed their questionnaires or who were not recommended by the group’s endorsement committee, she said.
While the 32nd District no longer includes any portion of Seattle, the group suspended the rules and voted to back a Seattle City Council initiative regarding the enforcement of marijuana laws.
“They were interested in the passage of this because a lot of people think marijuana is a private issue,” King said.
The 32nd District Democrats also voted to endorse Don Kreiman for Edmonds City Council, after Shoreline City Council candidate Maggie Fimia gave a speech about citizens being able to talk to their representatives. Kreiman was originally not recommended for endorsement by the group’s endorsement committee because he was perceived as a one-issue candidate who is against the Edmonds City Council giving zoning decisions to the hearing examiner, King said.
The group also endorses Scott Noble for King County Assessor, Claudia Hirschey for Seattle Port Commissioner, Kevin Quigley for Snohomish County Executive, Kent Hanson for Snohomish County Assessor and Bob Terwilliger for Snohomish County Auditor.
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