2020 Washington presidential primary February 21 to March 10, 2020
This is a first for Washington, a presidential primary. Let me explain. Most countries have multiple parties, and each party chooses its own candidate for positions such as president or prime minister. The US is a politically depauperate country, with only 2 parties. All other things being equal, each party should hold its own elections to determine a candidate for the final, general election. Some years ago the Washington Grange went to court and won a ruling that political parties do not have the right to choose their own candidates. Rather, the top two vote getters in a primary advance to the general election. That means that it is quite conceivable that two members of one party could end up on the general election ballot. Gives us lots of choice, yeah?
Until now, Washington chose its presidential candidates in party caucuses. If you’ve been to a caucus, you know that it is every bit as loud, disorganized, and frustrating as what we saw happening in Iowa weeks ago. It is also very limiting. The democratic caucuses on south Whidbey were held in the high school cafeteria. It was terribly loud. People wandered about lost. Our precinct was lucky to have the benefit of Steve and his pre-programmed laptop, and my crib sheet from having attended the caucus officer workshop. For all that, only a few hundred people crowded into that space.
So this year we will receive ballots in the mail in mid-February, to be returned by March 10. For purposes of the primary you will have to state a party preference. On the red side there will be only a single candidate. On the blue side there will be a rather long list of 13 options. These ballots were printed back in December, so they do not reflect today’s political reality. Several candidates have withdrawn but their names are still on the ballot. Several others are really out of the running but have not officially withdrawn. I have given them short shrift below.
For more detailed information, check out good old Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Washington_Democratic_primary
This gives the details of the byzantine process by which delegates to the national Democratic convention are chosen. Yeah, we get to vote, but our votes only account for about 2/3 of the delegates. Party bosses and elected officials get the other 1/3 of the decision. Seems less than fair to me.
From the state elections website:
For the March 10 Presidential Primary only, the major political parties require voters to mark a party box on the return envelope. You must mark and sign the political party declaration (box) on your envelope for your vote to count per RCW 29A.56.050. Each major party wrote its declaration and provided it to the Secretary of State’s Office for ballot materials. Attempts to change the party declaration wording could result in your ballot not being counted. Your choice of party will not affect how you may vote in future elections. In the November General Election, you will not declare a party and may vote for any Presidential candidate you wish.
Your ballot is divided into 2 sides: Democratic Party (blue) and Republican Party (red). For your vote to count, you must vote for one candidate from the political party you marked on your envelope. If you vote both sides of the ballot, or the opposite side of the ballot, your vote will not count. Ballots are mailed February 21.
Ok, here are the basics:
First, you need to know that you are registered to vote. To check, go to https://weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/MyVote/#/login
Ballots will be mailed by February 21, 2020. If you don’t have one in hand by about the 24th or so, contact the elections office.
The deadline for registering on line or for changing name or address is March 2. If you miss that deadline you will have to go to the Elections Office at 400 N Main Street in Coupeville. For more information call 360-679-7366 or email elections@co.island.wa.us
They’re open 8:00 – 4:30 Monday - Friday
The Elections Office tells us that ballots must be postmarked on or before election day, March 10. The League of Women Voters has informed us that the Postal Service is being less than helpful. Ballots dropped in mailboxes in Island County get shipped to Seattle for processing, and are usually postmarked the next day. Which means your ballot would be postmarked too late. So if you drop your ballot in the mail on March 10 it may very well not be counted. NOT GOOD!
There are several solutions.
1. Get your ballot in the mail by Monday, March 9.
2. If you can’t do it before March 10, take it to the counter and ask the postal clerk to hand stamp it. And no, you don’t need to put a stamp on it, but you do need to get there by closing time, between 4:00 and 4:30. Check your local post office.
3. Drop it in one of the 6 ballot drop boxes before 8:00 pm on Tuesday, March 10. They are located at:
Island County Elections Office
400 N Main Street Coupeville
Trinity Lutheran Church
18341 Hwy 525 Freeland
Ken’s Corner Shopping Center
4141 Hwy 525 (at Langley Road) Clinton
Island County Camano Annex
121 N East Camano Drive Camano Island
Langley Post Office, front patio
115 2nd Street Langley
Oak Harbor City Hall
865 SE Barrington Oak Harbor
If you haven’t received a ballot by February 24, contact the Elections office.
And here is Marianne’s regular disclaimer: I would never presume to tell you how to vote. That is very much your business. I’m merely telling you how I intend to vote and why. You can make your own decisions from there.
Whatever else you do, VOTE. And encourage, hassle, bug, and convince everyone you know to vote as well. Feel free to forward information about the blog to all and sundry.
If you’re voting in the Republican primary, you have no choice at all.
Republican: Donald Trump
I didn’t think there was any point in writing about the Republican candidate for emperor, but a friend forwarded this and I think people will appreciate it. Very well done. Have fun.
https://youtu.be/-Ue5F57dZMU
“The Day Democracy Died”
sung by The Founding Fathers
No, don’t let democracy die
He’s a famous ignoramus
Can’t tell truth from a lie
And if he wins we’ll kiss our country goodbye
Singin’ vote for anyone but this guy
Vote for anyone but this guy
I didn’t think there was any point in writing about the Republican candidate for emperor, but a friend forwarded this and I think people will appreciate it. Very well done. Have fun.
https://youtu.be/-Ue5F57dZMU
“The Day Democracy Died”
sung by The Founding Fathers
No, don’t let democracy die
He’s a famous ignoramus
Can’t tell truth from a lie
And if he wins we’ll kiss our country goodbye
Singin’ vote for anyone but this guy
Vote for anyone but this guy
Democrats:
The center of the road, as Jim Hightower so famously put it, is occupied predominantly by roadkill. Which is why I have been referring to the self-proclaimed “mainstream” democrats as the roadkill dems. Not the place for genuinely progressive activists, especially those running for president.
The roadkill dems tried to refuse to allow significant debate on the single most important issue of the day: climate change and the destruction of world civilization which has already begun. So maybe its time for those progressive activist candidates to ignore the roadkill wing of the party. I learned many years ago that when someone puts me (or anyone) in a position of “its him or me”, the appropriate response is “Goodbye. Sorry to see you go.” I think its high time for the progressive wing to tell the roadkill wing goodbye – and then to offer them a route back if they mend their ways.
The roadkill dems appear genuinely to believe that no one can win an election without their blessing and support. Is that truly the case? In 2016 the roadkill wing foisted Hillary Clinton on the country and we all watched the utter disaster that resulted. I hold this very much against them. And now they’ve tried to do it again with Joe Biden. The man is no progressive. He is a sexist with little or no regard for half the population. He really does not understand the crisis of climate change. He is Trump light when compared with the field of highly qualified progressive candidates. The roadkill dems delude themselves into believing that everyone who votes left of the KKK will automatically vote for their anointed candidate. It ain’t necessarily so. There were a very large number of progressives who simply did not vote in 2016. Do we really want to see a repeat of that?
So, to the (remaining) candidates:
Joe Biden former vice president and a loser. I dislike intensely his history of racism, sexism, and general buffonishness. He seems at this point to have lost focus. He’s against universal health care, does not appear to understand the climate crisis, and greatest of crimes, speaks of considering a Republican running mate. Not my guy.
Could he beat Trump? No way, not after the whole Ukraine/impeachment affair.
Bernie Sanders Vermont senator, true pragmatist, and a hero of mine for many years, starting back in the late 1960s when we were both anti-war activists. Through all these years his actions have reflected my ideas. Not surprising, as I was raised as a Democratic Socialist. He has proven himself at every level of government to have the best interests of all the people at heart. If I have any criticism, it is that I would like to see him take stronger actions on environmental/climate issues. Of course he has endorsed the desperately needed Green New Deal.
And then there’s the pragmatic argument: but can he beat Trump? Well, if we have anything like a genuine election, yes he can. At this point the integrity of the election is very much an open question, with Repubs advising their people to vote for the weakest Dem, and rich Dems advocating for anyone but Bernie.
Tulsi Gabbard Hawaii representative. Not clear to me if she is still in the race at all. I like what I see of her platform, but don’t consider her a serious enough candidate to spend a whole lot of time on her.
A friend contacted me to complain of the unfairness of my writing off Ms Gabbard. So I am posting what he sent me for your consideration:
Tulsi Gabbard, a 16 year member of the National Guard who did two tours in Iraq is currently a major. She is a 7 year congresswoman representing Hawaii. Elected in 2012, she is the first Hindu member of Congress and the first Samoan-American voting member of Congress. Gabbard’s announcement of her intention to seek the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election made her the first female combat veteran to run for president. Gabbard has served for 7 years on the Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Homeland Security committees, where she has been intimately involved with sensitive national security issues.
In 2016 Gabbard was vice chair of the DNC. She resigned the position to support Bernie Sanders due to conflicting views of foreign policy with Hillary Clinton. From the moment of Gabbard’s announcement of her candidacy she has been smeared by the mainstream media, the DNC, and Hillary Clinton for her foreign policy views and her support for Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Gabbard supports a Medicare for All health care plan she calls “Single Payer Plus” and strengthening Roe v Wade by codifying it into federal law. She co-sponsored the Family Act for paid family and medical leave. Until 2004 she voted and lobbied against same-sex marriage in Hawaii. She publicly apologized for those positions in 2012, and again after launching her presidential campaign in 2019. Since 2013 she has been a member of the LGBT Equality caucus in Congress
Her decision to meet Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and her skeptical approach to two claims that he had used chemical weapons were controversial, although new information has come out from whistleblowers who actually investigated the gas attacks and claim that contrary evidence was suppressed from the official investigation. The whistleblower information is now being suppressed to justify US intervention in Syria.
Gabbard is the only candidate who is outspoken against regime changing wars. She believes that the trillions of dollars spent on the unnecessary wars should be spent at home taking care of the American people and that these regime changing wars increase the likelihood of nuclear war.
Tulsi brings the spirit of Aloha. Aloha is a way of life. Aloha means “I come to you with an open heart, with love, respect, and an acknowledgement that we are all brothers and sister, that all life is interconnected.” The famous Hawaiian cultural leader Aunty Pilahi Paki said “The world will turn to Hawaii as they search for peace because Hawaii has the key, and that is Aloha.”
Could she beat Trump? No way.
Elizabeth Warren - withdrawn (as of 3-5-20). Massachusetts senator and brilliant scholar. She’s got a plan for everything. Like Bernie, she’s down home good people. There are those who hold against her the fact that she was raised a Republican and thought of herself as such – until she saw the logical fallacies of that political outlook and became a Democrat. Unlike Bernie, she is a proud capitalist. I consider that a failing, but I also see that she defines the term very differently than the Wall Street investors do. Her capitalism is the Adam Smith small business/yeoman farmer model. I would love to hear a friendly debate between Warren and Bernie on the question of fairness in government finance. As with Bernie, I wish she were more outspoken in her support of the Green New Deal and environmental/climate issues in general.
On the pragmatic question of whether she can beat Trump, she can obviously think and talk circles around him. What she can’t do, as Bernie can’t, is make the elections honest and inclusive. I am terribly worried that we’re going to see a complete botch of the election, leading to the final step of the fascist takeover of the US government.
Michael Bloomberg - withdrawn. (as of 3-3-20) former New York mayor and former Republican. I can’t take seriously someone who buys himself onto the ballot. I have taken the trouble to check out his website, in which he claims to be an entrepreneur, mayor, and problem-solving philanthropist. I know that as mayor of New York he approved the “stop and frisk” cops coming down on people of color for the crime of living while black. That is pretty hard to forgive. In 2008 he blamed the recession on the Democrats because they outlawed redlining (the practice of refusing to sell houses in certain neighborhoods to people of a certain skin color) back in the 1970s. He claims to have been the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for climate action. His program looks good. I just don’t trust him.
Just watched the Vegas debate, and Elizabeth Warren dismembered Bloomberg, who simply had no response to all of the allegations and accusations - which were verifiable facts. To quote one commentator: "Titanic Bloomberg, meet iceberg Warren."
Just watched the Vegas debate, and Elizabeth Warren dismembered Bloomberg, who simply had no response to all of the allegations and accusations - which were verifiable facts. To quote one commentator: "Titanic Bloomberg, meet iceberg Warren."
Can he beat Trump? Since that seems to come down to who is willing to spend the most money, it might be possible. There are just too many painful similarities between the two.
Amy Klobuchar - withdrawn Minnesota senator. Well, to start with, I’m offended that I can’t get to her website without signing in and avowing my support. So I’m stuck with Wikipedia, which duly reports a situation of employee abuse in her senate office. While a lot of employees have signed onto a letter claiming there is no abuse, one does wonder. She claims the Green New Deal is “unrealistic”. Sorry, lost me there. She claims she would take steps such as rejoining Paris, investing in green jobs, etc. She is a former prosecutor with a “tough on crime/war on drugs” background. She is credibly accused of knowingly prosecuting an innocent 16 year old, suppressing evidence to obtain a verdict, and seeing him sentenced to life without parole. Kind of unforgivable – and consistent with reports of employee abuse. She finds free higher education “unrealistic.” She does not support universal health care, or even Medicare for All (there is a difference).
Just found a report that one of her largest contributors is agribiz giant Cargill – everything that is wrong with ag. She has consistently voted in their favor on issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, labels on genetically modified foods, and even sodium in school lunches. Her legislative director is a former Cargill lobbyist.
Latest news is that Klobuchar is supporting proposals for two metals mines on the border of the Boundary Waters, by a Chilean company notorious for the environmental and human damage from its existing mines. The more I see, the less I like.
Latest news is that Klobuchar is supporting proposals for two metals mines on the border of the Boundary Waters, by a Chilean company notorious for the environmental and human damage from its existing mines. The more I see, the less I like.
Can she beat Trump? While it appears she can be every bit as mean, that does not translate to votes.
(March 2, breaking news. Klobuchar withdraws and endorses Biden)
Pete Buttigieg - withdrawn former South Bend, Indiana mayor and bright boy. He is using his youth and his gayness to try to pass as what he is not – progressive. Pete is establishment lite. He’s against universal health care, which for me is a drop dead. He can’t seem to understand that making health care or higher education universally available is actually cheaper than having to go through the sorting/vetting process to determine who is eligible. He is mildly, blandly in favor of not cooking the planet but doesn’t seem to take it very seriously. I am deeply offended by his claim, before the votes were counted, to have won the botched Iowa caucus. His website claims that he takes no $ from federal lobbyists, corporate PACs, or the fossil fuel industry. Checking that statement, we find Forbes reporting in December that 40 billionaires are financing him. Most of those made their bux in investments, hedge funds, and silicon valley. So while the campaign fund statement is technically true, it is not true that he is independent of corporate interests. Bottom line: he is too much in the mold of Hillary and Biden for my taste.
Can he beat Trump? I don’t know. There are a lot of closet homophobes out there.
(latest bulletin. As of 3-1-20 he has withdrawn)
Tom Steyer - withdrawn businessman, largely self-financed. His website reports that he has submitted 3200 pages of tax returns in service to openness. It also tells us that he and his wife pledged in 2010 to give the vast bulk of their wealth to charitable pursuits during their lifetime. He is committed to the wealthy paying their fair share. Refreshing. He would use that income to improve public education, access to healthcare, and Social Security. His platform includes taking back power from the corporations, climate justice and climate change, limiting capitalism, supporting labor unions. He espouses the “5 rights.” health, equal vote, clean air & water, education, a living wage. I conclude that not all rich people are dipwads. Tom Steyer appears to be the genuine article and I would like to see him in a position in federal government where he can do some good. Sadly, I don’t think he has a snowball’s chance at the presidency.
Can he beat Trump? Probably not. While he has tons of $$, he also has ethics. That makes it hard.
(He withdrew after the South Carolina primary)
Cory Booker (withdrew)
Andrew Yang (withdrew)
Michael Bennett (withdrew)
John Delaney (withdrew)
Of this now-winnowed crop of candidates, I am torn between Bernie and Elizabeth. I wish I didn’t have to decide between the two of them. What I would really like to see is a joint candidacy (hey, I can dream), with the two as co-presidents and no need for a vice president. Given that at this point the Constitution is a quaint document cited for historical purposes and having precious little to do with the governing of the country, why not have co-presidents?
This past Saturday I attended a Warren organizing meeting, and now I'm more torn than ever. I really want to see both of these two working together to lead this country. I found out at that meeting that Warren organized all her campaign workers into a union so they would have health care and so they wouldn't overwork themselves into burnout. That impresses me.
This past Saturday I attended a Warren organizing meeting, and now I'm more torn than ever. I really want to see both of these two working together to lead this country. I found out at that meeting that Warren organized all her campaign workers into a union so they would have health care and so they wouldn't overwork themselves into burnout. That impresses me.
I will be voting for either Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren for democratic candidate for president.
We're getting right down to the line. Super Tuesday has been and gone - sort of. Seems that roughly half the votes in California have not been counted yet. Bloomberg has withdrawn. Good riddance. Elizabeth Warren has withdrawn and that is painful. That makes it all the more important to vote for Bernie, since Biden will/would almost certainly lose, and that is a fate too painful to contemplate. In light of all of this, I ended up voting for Bernie Sanders.
We're getting right down to the line. Super Tuesday has been and gone - sort of. Seems that roughly half the votes in California have not been counted yet. Bloomberg has withdrawn. Good riddance. Elizabeth Warren has withdrawn and that is painful. That makes it all the more important to vote for Bernie, since Biden will/would almost certainly lose, and that is a fate too painful to contemplate. In light of all of this, I ended up voting for Bernie Sanders.
National nominating convention Milwaukee, Wisconsin summer 2020
Washington has 107 delegates
