A court ruling that could be made today is either momentous or a non-event, depending on whether you are Bob Ferguson or Carolyn Edmonds:
• “My fate is clear whichever way the judge rules,” Ferguson said recently.
• “It makes a very big difference,” Edmonds said.
Ferguson and Edmonds, both elected as Democrats to the Metro King County Council, are apparently heading for a primary showdown in September. In 2004, voters approved shrinking the council from 13 to nine members and Edmonds’ District 1 will be combined with part of Ferguson’s District 2 to make a new District 1.
The issue scheduled for U.S. District Judge Thomas Zilly’s courtroom on Wednesday, July 13, is both parties’ challenge to another big change approved by voters in 2004, the so-called top-two primary. A ruling from Zilly could come as soon as today, Friday, July 15.
Top-two sends the top two vote-getters in the primary on to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
For years, Washington voters saw multiple Democrats and Republicans on primary ballots, sending the winner for each party, and minor party candidates, on to the general election. The new system is a result of the parties successfully getting the previous all-comers primary thrown out by the state Supreme Court.
In response to the top-two primary, the parties conducted nominating conventions with only their precinct committee officers able to vote. At stake, the parties say, is the right to carry the label, “Democrat,” or “Republican.”
On June 28, Ferguson outpolled Edmonds, who immediately announced she would run in the primary anyway, regardless of party designation.
“(Zilly’s ruling) determines what I’ll be running as,” Edmonds said.
Edmonds said she isn’t a fan of top-two and would prefer it thrown out. Her second choice is that the court will allow anyone to file with any affiliation, denying the parties’ claim to exclusivity.
“I’m going to file, the question is what exactly I’m going to call myself,” she said.
Ferguson, who has raised about $75,000 to Edmonds’ $103,000, says he’s not concerned.
“My life hasn’t changed much,” he said. “Carolyn made it clear she’s running anyway.”
Ferguson made a name for himself in his first campaign through walking most of his district and he said that’s still his strategy.
“I’ll be knocking on the same number of doors, whichever way (Zilly) rules,” Ferguson said. “The court decision has much more impact on Carolyn than it does me.”
Edmonds says she decided to continue her campaign because she feels the nominating convention vote doesn’t reflect the will of the voters in the district.
“I don’t believe for one moment that if Shoreline PCOs such as Maggie Fimia had walked their precinct and asked voters what they wanted that they would’ve told her to vote for Bob Ferguson,” Edmonds said.
To get a better indication of what voters do want, Edmonds said she is paying for a poll of the district, with results due sometime next week.
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