When filing for Shoreline City Council ended Friday, Councilwoman Janet Way was not on the list of candidates.
Way sent a press release Monday that said a computer error had caused the problem.
She reportedly contacted King County Councilman Bob Ferguson, but Ferguson told me Monday that he had told Way to contact county Elections Director Sherill Huff.
“That’s an independent branch of county government,” Ferguson said Monday.
If Way doesn’t qualify for the ballot, there would be no primary, leaving challengers Patty Hale and Will Hall alone on the November ballot.
Way could still register to run as a write-in candidate, something state Sen. Darlene Fairley, D-Lake Forest Park, said that Way would have to do since Way has raised more than $7,000 and spent more than $5,600.
“What’s she going to do? Give it back?” Fairley asked Sunday.
Way can register as a write-in through election day, meaning that officials would have to count her votes. She could win a three-way battle with a little more than one-third of the vote, which sounds easier than the majority she would need in a general election against whichever of the two challengers would emerge from a primary.
Still, successful write-in campaigns a rare.
A victory by either Hale or Hall could tip the council majority. Way and Mayor Cindy Ryu have kept that majority on most issues, usually with the support of Deputy Mayor Terry Scott and Councilman Chris Eggen. But with Way off the ballot and minority Councilman Keith McGlashan unopposed, Ryu would have to win her race with Shari Tracey and challenger Chris Roberts would have to defeat longtime Councilman Ron Hansen for the group to keep a majority.
A write-in candidacy would be nearly impossible if either Hale or Hall were to withdraw, forcing Way to get a majority in November.
Another surprise: McGlashan unopposed
Way’s failure to file was just one of the surprises in Shoreline filing. McGlashan ended up unopposed as both possible opponents, Kyle Burleigh and Wendy DiPeso, ended up elsewhere.
DiPeso is running against School Board President Debi Erlichman and challenger Corey Murata. Burleigh filed to run for a seat on the Shoreline Fire Commission being vacated by Scott Keeney when that position seemed to be open, then withdrew when Rod Heivilin filed for the position.
The other two council positions on the November ballot have only two candidates each: Ryu against Tracey and Hansen against Roberts.
Evan Smith can be reached at entpolitics@heraldnet.com.
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