The proposed changes in the elections calendar that I wrote about recently are getting little emphasis in the Legislature.
Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Diepenbrock said last week, “The change in Election Dates is not a priority bill of the (auditors’) Association at this time. We want to have more discussion with other interest groups. We support the concept but want more discussion with school boards, fire districts, water districts, etc.”
The local government entities worry about how changing the dates for special elections will affect their budget calendars.
The state now sets one date for special elections in each month from February through May, plus the primary and general election dates.
Diepenbrock gave me her reasons for supporting having fewer dates for special elections:
“With the cut-off dates and longer certification periods, the spring election cycles overlap considerably which invites errors. It is difficult to run two and three elections all at the same time. In addition, elections are costly to the special districts and their voters. Another factor is voter confusion when possibly receiving multiple ballots within weeks of each other.”
Other elections-reform proposals went before a state Senate committee last week, including a change in the way we elect judges. Under current law, any judicial candidate who gets a majority of the primary vote is unopposed in the general election.
Under the proposal, judicial contests would be treated like other non-partisan elections. When three or more candidates run, the primary would narrow the field to two. If only one or two candidates run, they would move straight to the general election.
State needs protection for medical-marijuana providers
A state senator wants to clarify the rights of patients using marijuana for medical purposes and those who help them get relief.
A law passed in 1998 by citizen initiative allowed people with certain medical conditions to use marijuana and allowed them or their caregivers to keep up to a 60-day supply.
Then, three weeks ago, drug enforcement officials from Bremerton, apparently having nothing better to do, raided medical-marijuana suppliers in Everett and Renton.
They turned over plants and user lists to federal narcotics officials.
Wouldn’t the West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team make better use of its resources by combating the escalating sale of drugs to students at Bremerton High School?
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, who helped create the state medical-marijuana initiative, said she plans to introduce a bill this legislative session to clarify patients’ rights to obtain and grow marijuana and to better define “caretaker.”
That’s good, but I want a law that will tell state police agencies to protect medical marijuana suppliers, and order them to keep from cooperating with federal authorities.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com.
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