*EDITOR’S NOTE: Though this was published Tuesday night, you can still get the NEWEST results at any point afterward, by clicking the headline for each race*

(ADDED – KIRO-TV raw video of Ed Murray’s speech after 1st round of results)
UPDATE, 8:15 PM: The first numbers are in. Ed Murray has a big lead in the Seattle Mayor’s race; incumbents are leading in the City Council races. Results below.

UPDATE, 8:30 PM: Citywide reporters say Mayor McGinn is conceding. (Or something similar to it.)

SEATTLE MAYOR
Mike McGinn 43 percent
Ed Murray 56 percent

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL POSITION 2
Richard Conlin 54 percent
Kshama Sawant 46 percent

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL POSITION 4
Sally Bagshaw 83 percent
Sam Bellomio 16 percent

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL POSITION 6
Edwin Fruit 12 percent
Nick Licata 87 percent

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL POSITION 8
Mike O’Brien 64 percent
Albert Shen 35 percent

Next round of results, Wednesday around 4:30 pm. See separate WSB stories for other results.

*EDITOR’S NOTE: Though this was published Tuesday night, you can still get the NEWEST results at any point afterward, by clicking the headline for each race*

8:24 PM UPDATE: Here’s where we’re tracking key ballot measures. Though King County only updates once tonight, the state numbers on I-522 will change throughout the night as multiple counties come in, so we’ll update those as long as they keep changing.

STATE INITIATIVE 522 (GMO labels on food) – 9:02 pm update
Yes 45 percent
No 55 percent

STATE INITIATIVE 517 (changing initiative procedures) – 9:02 pm update
Yes 40 percent
No 60 percent

Other state-ballot-measure/advisory-vote results are linked here

SEATTLE CHARTER AMENDMENT 19 (electing councilmembers by district)
Yes 64 percent
No 36 percent

SEATTLE PROPOSITION 1 (public campaign financing)
Yes 46 percent
No 54 percent

KING COUNTY PROPOSITION 1 (Medic One)
Approve 83 percent
Reject 17 percent

KING COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT 1 (Office of Public Defense)
Approve 59 percent
Reject 41 percent

Also of interest:

SEA-TAC PROPOSITION 1 ($15 minimum wage)
Yes 54 percent
No 46 percent

Other results from around King County and its cities and other jurisdictions are here – or, in a quick all-in-text page, here.

Tuesday night is your deadline to vote – and if you want to save the cost of a stamp, you have two more chances to use the King County Elections dropoff van in West Seattle. Today was the first of three days in the West Seattle Stadium parking lot (4432 35th SW); by mid-afternoon, Cindy (above) and Sharon were almost up to 100 ballots. The van will be back 10 am-5 pm Monday and 10 am-8 pm Tuesday; those same days/times, you can also find one in White Center’s Greenbridge, just south of the city/county line (9720 8th SW). All the other options for returning your ballot are listed on this KC Elections webpage.

With nine days until voting ends and vote-counting begins, mayoral candidate State Sen. Ed Murray rallied supporters this afternoon at West Seattle’s Beveridge Place Pub. It was more an appearance to energize supporters than to win new ones; though Murray’s been leading in polls, he and supporters warned that victory “is not a done deal.” Three West Seattle-residing backers – State Rep. Eileen Cody, County Councilmember Joe McDermott, and SEIU 775NW health-care-workers-union president Dave Rolf — spoke for twice as long as Murray’s four-plus minutes; you can see our entire video clip, starting with their speeches, by clicking here, or hit “play” in the window below to skip ahead to what Murray said:

The mayoral hopeful harkened to his West Seattle roots, and singled out a locally hot topic, transportation, as an issue he thinks he can sort out: “We can have a transportation system where we can actually make bicycles, cars, buses, streetcars, pedestrians, all be able to interact … it’s going to take a different vision and a different approach … the ability to think differently about public policy, and not just say, ‘oh, we (already) have a plan for transportation’ …” Among the catch phrases in his remarks: He says he would be a mayor who “doesn’t fight Seattle, but fights for Seattle.” The event concluded with a request for volunteers to work the phones and/or walk the precincts to help “get out the vote.” Murray’s opponent Mayor Mike McGinn is scheduled to campaign in West Seattle next Saturday (November 2nd), with a 2:30 pm “town hall”-style gathering at Delridge Branch Library.

Hasn’t been much campaigning on this side of the bay during this year’s race for Seattle Mayor – some quiet fundraisers, only one public forum (WSB coverage, with video, here). But both candidates have sent word they’re headed this way in the next week:

SEN. ED MURRAY: “Get Out the Vote” rally, all invited, 3-4 pm tomorrow (Sunday, October 27th) at Beveridge Place Pub. The Murray campaign says local supporters including King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and State Rep. Eileen Cody will be there.

MAYOR MIKE McGINN: He’s on a pre-election town-hall tour, with a West Seattle stop next Saturday (November 2nd), 2:30 pm at Delridge Branch Library.

Remember that ballots are due November 5th, and the county will have dropoff vans at West Seattle Stadium and in Greenbridge in White Center; addresses and hours (the days are Nov. 2, 4, and 5) are on this King County Elections infopage.

While Election Day is almost three weeks away, the voting begins at your home as soon as tomorrow – since King County Elections has announced that ballots for the November 5th election are going out in the mail today. Once again, they’ll have drop vans in West Seattle and White Center, this time on November 2nd, 4th, and 5th. More information here on how to get your ballot back to the county – remember that if you mail it, it needs a stamp.

Toplines from last night’s meeting of our area’s largest political group, the 34th District Democrats, at The Hall at Fauntleroy:

WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: Speaking to the 34th Dems on behalf of the just-launched, and now renamed, advocacy group were Mat McBride and Joe Szilagyi. “We want to do the greatest good for the greatest number of folks,” explained McBride – not just advocating for the peninsula with Metro, but also addressing issues such as development density without transportation capacity. 6:30 pm November 12th at High Point Center/Neighborhood House (6400 Sylvan Way SW) is the next meeting, Szilagyi announced, and there will be work to build a transportation-improvement plan “and bring everybody together, come hell or high water, to solve these things” – they’re hoping for all stakeholders, everyone interested, to come and be part of it. (The WSTC website is here.)

SPEAKING OF TRANSPORTATION: Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen spoke toward the start of the meeting regarding the state Senate Transportation Committee‘s upcoming public hearing, Monday 10/14, 6-9 pm at a new location – First Presbyterian Church at 1013 8th Ave. downtown, larger than the original location. “They said they want to hear from regular people – they want to hear from you,” he said. County Councilmember McDermott included concerns in his brief speech toward the meeting’s start, too.

Ahead, other topics from the federal shutdown to immigration reform, and more:

Read More

That’s our video of King County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Joe McDermott (who chairs the county Board of Health) in White Center at noontime today, speaking out against the federal-government shutdown as it threatens a program that serves 38,000 pregnant women, new mothers, and young children. Layoff-warning notices went out today to 82 King County employees who work on the Women/Infants/Children nutrition program, since federal funding expires October 31st if the situation doesn’t change. “It’s time for Congress to stop holding America’s future hostage,” declared Constantine. Also speaking to reporters at the media briefing was Crystal Ruegger, a WIC client and spouse of a furloughed federal employee.

Lots to decide in the November 5th election – from Seattle Mayor to ballot measures including electing councilmembers by district and adding info to food labels. But you won’t have a say if you’re not registered to vote, and with one big deadline days away, King County Elections has just shared a raft of reminders:

Count yourself in by voting in the next election. Be sure you’re registered to vote and that your voter registration information is up to date.

Monday, Oct. 7 is the deadline for mail-in and online voter registration and address changes. King County Elections will mail ballots to all registered voters on Oct. 16 for the general election, so it’s important that citizens register to vote and keep their address and other information, including their signature, updated.

King County residents not currently registered to vote in Washington can register in person at the King County Elections office or the Voter Registration Annex through 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28.

Voters can check to make sure their registration information is current by:

Read More

1 PM: We’re at the Senior Center of West Seattle, where the upstairs meeting hall is filled with people here to see and hear the two men vying to run Seattle for the next four years, Mayor Mike McGinn and State Sen. Ed Murray. This is expected to last an hour; we will be updating here live. We also are rolling video, so if all works out, we’ll be able to add that to this later. (ADDED 3:32 PM: Here it is, in its entirety, starting with the center’s executive director Karen Sisson and moderator Lucy Gaskill-Gaddis:)

1:05 PM: Five-minute opening remarks from each candidate, starting with McGinn. He goes through introductory comments – why he ran four years ago, how he took off in the “deepest economic recession since the Great Depression.” He contends Seattle has the “fastest-growing urban economy in the nation.” After listing a few other things, he reiterates, “We DO have economic growth.” He says they made a promise to neighborhoods like West Seattle that have been “accepting growth,” promises not yet kept, such as how transportation and other infrastructure will be handled. He mentions that Sound Transit (whose board he’s on) is studying getting light rail to West Seattle. He says, “I want to invest in all our neighborhoods,” including making it “safe to walk.” His 5 minutes are up.

1:11 PM: Now, Murray’s introduction. He gets quickly to his West Seattle roots, including his time at Holy Rosary School, and how he doorbelled with his mom when he was five “for John Kennedy for president.” He says “West Seattle is a special place,” and promises it “won’t be an afterthought” if he is elected. Moving on to his legislative work, he says he is working with seniors’ best interest in mind – he talks about regulation for home-health-care workers. As for why he’s running for mayor, he touts himself as “bring(ing) people together … I think Seattle is craving leadership that is willing to sit people down at a table” to find solutions “not just ideologically based, but (to) move us forward as a city.” Then: “This is a city that has a public safety problem … a transportation problem .. that cannot be blamed on the Legislature alone …” He mentions Tatsuo Nakata (not by name)’s death at the 47th/Admiral crosswalk in 2006, and accuses McGinn of “resistance” to the long-sought-after crosswalk there. The mayor says “That’s false.” (Here’s what happened: He had proposed money for a beacon and to study a traffic signal there; the City Council then upgraded that to full funding of a signal.)

1:15 PM: Now to Q/A. Audience members have filled out cards with questions. First one read by moderator Lucy Gaskill Gaddis: Transportation problems and density with many apartments on the way and Metro facing more cuts. “What practical solution do you advocate” to those, she asks. Murray first: “We’re going to have to create a high-tech war room of (many jurisdictions’) officials” to make sure that traffic can move through. He says he’s feeling “positive” about a transportation solution in the Legislature. He says “you can’t starve cars without transit to replace it.” Next, McGinn – he starts with an attempt at correcting Murray regarding the 47th/Admiral light, and touts current paving projects that are under way such as Delridge. Then: “This tunnel project … isn’t going to do that much for us in the long run.” Transit is the only way to solve things, he says. He says “a legislative session or something else” is needed to solve things. “Our local transit money is being held hostage to highway projects around the state.”

(EDITOR’S POST-DEBATE NOTE: Here’s our coverage of what happened re: the signal)

Murray rebuttal: “You can bash Olympia or you can choose to work with Olympia. Your senators (state) are not the reason transportation is not moving forward … What we’re missing is a partnership with the city of Seattle,” instead of bashing Olympia.

McGinn rebuttal: He says the legislature has “underfunded” many things. He addresses Murray directly: “You couldn’t keep control of the Senate, you couldn’t manage the budget … I’m not blaming everyone in Olympia … that was your job to keep the majority.”

1:24 PM: New question: What role do communities and social issues play in land use policy and development? First McGinn: Affordability is important. He says he’s appointed a stakeholder committee that’s drawing up a report. “If you ask for too much, (developers) won’t use the incentives to build affordable housing.” He gets quickly to the Whole Foods/4755 Fauntleroy Way SW alley-vacation opposition and why he thinks that wages are important.

Murray: He says he supports the concept of what the mayor did but “not how (he) did it” – after sighing, “The attacks go on.” He also responds to something McGinn said earlier regarding accountability and goes on to point out city fraud – rather than replying to the question that the moderator had asked.

New question: Public safety, and what will they do about it? Murray first brings up the Justice Department/Seattle Police situation, going back to the beginning, and suggests that the city fought the feds and instead led to “years of a police force that was in turmoil… and remains in turmoil.” And: “We have to admit we have a problem … not all crime is down in all parts of the city … We have to move forward on public safety” and mentions a Junction business walkthrough and hearing from businesses: “The same thing I hear from downtown, the same concerns.”

McGinn: “I would love to have a discussion about the future … but Sen. Murray’s campaign has not been about the idea, it’s about saying I can’t get things done, I can’t work with people. … Let’s talk about crime. When I took office, we did in fact have a police department not trusted by the community.” He says he took action including bringing in a Community Police Commission. And he touts the announcement earlier today of 15 more officers to be added. He says Murray passed bills that put felons on the street without dealing with mental-health issues. Murray rebuttal: This year, we expanded social services bigger than anything since the Johnson Administration, and mentions a Medicaid expansion which will mean “mental health funding … for people on the streets.” And he talks about people being released because they are “not violent offenders” after being accused of having “too many people” behind bars … “we were able to close an entire juvenile facility because we could put them in programs with best practices.” McGinn rebuttal: “I was referring to Senate Bill 5891 … with respect to mental-health services … we do have a situation where this state is 50th in terms of mental-health beds available.” He says interim Police Chief Pugel testified about the situation in Olympia, and a bill is pending to eliminate a tax exemption for tourists, to use the money to spend on mental health – “But the business community objected, the same business community that’s funding his campaign.” He accuses Murray of “pretty neat trick” to vote to let felons out without voting for mental-health funding.

1:37 PM: New question: What will you do or have you done to preserve industrial job base? McGinn: Funding a freight master plan, working with the Port to mitigate traffic impacts … “When you cross the West Seattle Bridge, you’ll see the new Harley Marine building … we changed the rules for that …” to accommodate their headquarters. He says he is working on job training because he hears from industrial firms that they need qualified people. “We’re fortunate to have multiple thriving sectors.”

Murray: “This city’s traditional industrial industry is a key part of the future of our economy … Preserving and growing that has not been a priority of this administration.” He says that both the SODO and Ballard industrial areas should be addressed with plans, and mentions the possible sports arena (which McGinn did not mention) could affect industry and that should be dealt with. He also mentions that Nucor’s predecessor, Bethehem Steel, is where his father worked. He says he would work with the Port to “design a brand-new industrial plan.” He then brings up the mayor’s claim about campaign funding: “(He) inferred my supporters are rich” and mentions supporters who are not. He says he’s “not trying to divide the city by saying ‘he’s the rich guy'” … “I’m not trying to divide this city.”

1:41 PM: Last question, budget priorities for the city? Murray: “Serious inventory of our infrastructure – not just the roads and streets, but also (utilities) …. when infrastructure fails, it’s the poor and elderly who get stuck. You can see it in New Orleans, you can see it back east … #2, public safety … #3, deal with the backlog of major maintenance … of crumbling sidewalks and streets … Then he mentions he’d like to see some of the talent from past administrations come back “so that our budget will be a sustainable budget and not a budget where you read about … fraud that was never addressed.” McGinn: “We discovered that fraud, removed that person …” And then he accuses Murray of not taking responsibility for an issue he had to deal with. “Our big challenge is that we are a growing city and not everyone gets to share in that prosperity … What we’re doing: #1, Early Learning Academy … working with the council on a plan for universal preschool … We’ve increased our spending on basic infrastructure 37% in the past (few) years even without new funding from the state … Transit Master Plan, working to get Sound Transit to the ballot by 2016 so our neighborhoods will get the transit they need … If the state won’t act (on transportation) we’ll figure out how to get the money we need.” He mentions again his roots as a neighborhood activist.

1:46 PM: Murray’s five minutes of closing remarks: He compliments the WS Senior Center for reaching out to LGBT seniors. “As I mentioned before, I have worked in Olympia for 18 years,” and he mentions that it took a long time for some things to get done, like the 17 years it took to pass marriage equality. “That’s what Olympia is like … you have to get people to the table…that’s why I want to be mayor … that’s the kind of leadership Seattle is craving.” He mentions he’s been endorsed by several City Councilmembers, “unusual when you have an incumbent who’s running.” He says West Seattle legislators have endorsed him as has County Councilmember Joe McDermott and the 34th District Democrats: “it’s good to be home in West Seattle … I want to work to bring this city together … I want to be a mayor who doesn’t spend two years fighting with the state over the viaduct.” He accuses McGinn of waiting four years to announce programs and says he will make announcements from the start. He says he grew up here as a “poor kid,” if “that kid from 61st Street would grow up to be the mayor of Seattle.”

1:50 PM: McGinn’s closing remarks – he says yes, Murray’s been a uniter, and rattles off corporation names. Then he says, yes, we all get contributions from all over the place. He says, “We’ve gotten a lot done … leading the nation in jobs … innovative new programs to hire local workers … doubled the Families and Education Levy … all of our libraries open on Sundays … rebuilding the Rainy Day Fund … and none of those things happened all by themselves … it took a team of people, the mayor and City Council .. to get them done … imagine what we can do if … I’ve been to ‘mayor’s school’. … I have made myself available, held myself accountable, passionate about this job, working to divest from fossil fuels, want universal preschool ….This city can be a leader demonstrating what it means to the world to live as a multicultural society … and other cities will look at us and say, ‘We want to be that city.’ … I would love to continue to be your mayor.”

1:53 PM: The forum is over and the two shake hands. A few minutes of mingling is promised for the standing-room only crowd. It was intense and lively and pointed; our words cannot quite convey it as well as the video will, and we will upload it as soon as we get back to HQ.

For the first time in almost two years, per our archives, City Councilmembers Sally Clark (current council president) and Sally Bagshaw will bring their “Coffee with the Sallys” community chat back to West Seattle. (Our photo above is from their stop at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market in November 2011.) Just got confirmation from council staff that they will be at High Point Branch Library (35th/Raymond) 2:30-4 pm on September 28th. It’s an informal drop-in event – so if you have a concern, question, idea, be there.

P.S. Not that it should limit what you bring up, but if you want to know which committees they’re on, check here. Clark currently chairs the Economic Resiliency and Regional Relations Committee, while Bagshaw chairs the Parks and Neighborhoods Committee.

With nine weeks until the November 5th election, and summer in the rear-view mirror, the campaign for Seattle mayor is about to resume in earnest, and what we believe to be West Seattle’s first post-primary mayoral forum has just been confirmed for two weeks from today: Senior Center of West Seattle executive director Karen Sisson says incumbent Mayor Mike McGinn and challenger State Sen. Ed Murray will be there at 1 pm on Tuesday, September 17th. Lucy Gaskill Gaddis will moderate, in a format including opening/closing statements, moderator questions, and audience questions. (The Senior Center is at California/Oregon in The Junction.)

Any other groups have forums/debates scheduled? Don’t wait until the last minute to let us know – we’d love to get your event in the WSB calendar now; editor@westseattleblog.com. Thanks!

(West Seattle section of Times’ mayoral-vote map, shown with permission; click to go to interactive map on ST site)
With a little over two months to go until the general election, our partners at The Seattle Times have mapped out the primary-election results in the mayoral race. As you can see when you click here to go to the interactive map (click any spot to get that precinct’s results, or put an address into the search box), State Sen. Ed Murray took more territory (purple), running strongest in north/west West Seattle – where, as he frequently noted – he grew up – while Mayor Mike McGinn (orange) finished ahead in much of the east and south. City Councilmember Bruce Harrell (green) took two precincts in Arbor Heights, one in the Roxhill area, and one in Admiral. And just in case you wondered, given pre-election developments regarding a certain development – McGinn won the precinct containing the 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW (aka Whole Foods) development site and much of The Triangle, with 27 percent of the vote to 25 percent for Murray and 21 percent for Peter Steinbrueck, who, according to The Times’ map, did not win any precincts in West Seattle outright. General election day: November 5th.

Just a few of the sightings at the 34th District Democrats‘ annual Garden Party in the bright Friday night sunshine at West Seattle Nursery: Above, guest auctioneer and City Council President Sally Clark with the 34th Dems’ hospitality chair Mike Heavey; another of the elected officials on hand, 34th District State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon:

The 34th DDs’ State Committeeman Chris Porter was decked out in the spirit of this year’s party theme, “Fiesta”:

Busy weekend for the group – they plan to table at today’s Delridge Day festival, along with more than 70 other organizations and businesses (including us!).

(WSB photo from August 2012: Part of the crowd at last year’s Garden Party)
It’s a summertime staple – the annual Garden Party fundraiser for our area’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats – and tomorrow (Friday) is the night, West Seattle Nursery‘s the place. This year’s theme is “Fiesta,” with a Tex-Mex buffet and live music, and some of the auction items even fit the theme – including a week in Sayulita, Mexico. Also up for grabs to the highest bidder(s):

* a half-case of wine from the Vashon winery,
* a yachting tour of Lake Union with Dow Constantine
* a week on the island of Majorca, Spain in a luxurious condo,
* cocktail party at Rep. Eileen Cody‘s home, co-hosted by County Councilmember Joe McDermott

This year’s guest auctioneer is Seattle City Council President Sally Clark, and the event’s always a draw for other local political leaders, so you never know who you’ll get a chance to chat with. Tickets are $34 individual/$60 couple; the event starts at 6 pm Friday at WS Nursery (California/Brandon).

King County Elections has released its second round of primary-election results – which look a lot like the first round, though in the races for mayor and Council Position 2, the distance between first and second place tightened a bit.

SEATTLE MAYOR – Results are here.
Murray 30%
McGinn 28%
Steinbrueck 16%
Harrell 15%

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, POSITION 2 – Results are here
Conlin 49%
Sawant 34%
Carver 17%

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, POSITION 8 – Results are here
O’Brien 58%
Shen 35%
Ishii 7%

KING COUNTY PARKS LEVY – Results are here
Yes 69%
No 31%

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE – Results are here
Constantine 76%
Lobdell 12%
Goodspaceguy 7%

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION, POS. 3 – Results are here
Bowman 66%
Wolfe 18%
Pilloud 15%

A plain-text file of all races is here. Next update is expected in the 4 pm hour tomorrow.

8:14 PM: King County Elections expects to be out with election results any time now. They will publish the first ballot count tonight – then another update around 4:30 tomorrow afternoon, and more updates daily (or near-daily) from there.

8:18 PM: The numbers are in, and we have updated below:

SEATTLE MAYOR – Results are here.
Murray 30%
McGinn 27%
Steinbrueck 16%
Harrell 15%

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, POSITION 2 – Results are here
Conlin 49%
Sawant 33%

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, POSITION 8 – Results are here
O’Brien 57%
Shen 35%

KING COUNTY PARKS LEVY – Results are here
Yes 67%
No 31%

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE – Results are here
Constantine 76%
Lobdell 12%

A plain-text file of all races is here.

Making the rounds at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market this morning, Peter Steinbrueck became the third mayoral candidate in five days to visit the peninsula. He brought along what seemed like an armada of supporters – they staked out the corners by the market, offering literature to passers-by (we were hit up twice in each direction) even as the former city councilmember mingled. No soapbox speeches, just handshakes and on-the-fly chats. His visit follows incumbent Mayor Mike McGinn‘s coffeehouse chat yesterday (WSB coverage here) and State Sen. Ed Murray‘s Wednesday night event at the Masonic Temple (WSB coverage here). Any of the other six candidates (here’s the online voters’ guide for all 9) headed this way before voting ends Tuesday night? Let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com. And if you haven’t voted yet – whoever you’re voting for – the West Seattle and White Center ballot-dropoff vans will be back tomorrow and Tuesday.

Nine candidates are in the running for Seattle Mayor, going into Tuesday’s primary election, and another one made a final-days campaign stop in West Seattle this afternoon – the incumbent himself, Mike McGinn. His campaign sent word at 1 pm that he would be at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) around 3 for an informal coffee-hour chat. Several people asked the mayor questions about topics from transportation to development to the 4755 Fauntleroy Way development; he said he understands West Seattle’s undergoing growing pains and – as he had said in this interview we reported on two months ago – needs more transit, which he says he’s working for. We asked how he thinks the effort to clear the “Nickelsville” encampment by next month is going; he said that while he didn’t have specific numbers handy, it didn’t seem as if the City Council-approved efforts to help find housing for campers was making much of a dent in their numbers yet.

Elsewhere on the mayoral campaign front, State Sen. Ed Murray was in West Seattle this past Wednesday night, and we learned this afternoon that Peter Steinbrueck plans to campaign at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market around 11 tomorrow morning. Any other mayoral candidates campaigning here before voting ends Tuesday night? Let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com.