West Seattle, Washington
16 Friday
Thanks to RLV for sending that pic of the Alki Elementary PTA Election Day bake sale outside Alki Community Center – we haven’t made it over there just yet. (There’s another Alki pic on the county blog.) Seems voting can rustle up quite an appetite; Morgan Junction Starbucks told us they’d had a run on pastries to go with the free drip coffee. We’ll add Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) soup lunch/bake sale pix here after we’re back from there. (Any other Election Day treats to share?) Side note: If you want to see what’s up in other Puget Sound ‘hoods, here are some links from some of our fellow neighborhood-news sites: Ballard voting lines, via MyBallard.com; Capitol Hill notes from CapitolHillSeattle.com; Central District voting lines via CentralDistrictNews.com; Tacoma open thread at Exit133.com. Also interesting to check: The Twitter stream of King County Elections – it’s NOT official, it’s little bits and blurbs from various polling places – follow kcvotes on Twitter or just browse it on the Web at twitter.com/kcvotes.
ADDED 1:57 PM: Here are those promised pix from Fauntleroy Church — first, the bake sale (you can’t have the pumpkin bread at lower right, we bought it, yum):
Here’s the crew that was serving soup during the lunch hour:
Some of the crafts on sale during the bazaar (even if you don’t vote at Fauntleroy, it’s worth a stop, there’s a LOT of stuff on sale):
And pardon us for getting misty all day long, because we just can’t believe we’ll never see signs like this again:
Next stop – We’re going back to our polling place, to REALLY get misty-eyed as we do the in-person voting thing one last time (we were there earlier but just to get pix/video of the first voters in line), plus we’re heading over to High Point – though we’ve just gotten some advance pix (thanks! keep sending yours, all day and all night, we’ll be frequently updating till at least oh 2 am or so, and we’ll add results info/links once the polls start closing) …
That’s one minute of video, three corners of Fauntleroy/California (sorry about the passing trucks), as fourth and fifth graders from Gatewood Elementary School‘s “Team Earth Peeps” spent some time in the past hour waving signs to get out the vote. Go, kids, go! (Thanks to Gatewood teacher Darren Radu for letting us know!) (Added later) Here are a couple pix, too:
Earlier, WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli roamed The Junction and sends these pix:
That’s Cupcake Royale in The Junction, giving away free “babycakes” in honor of Election Day. Next, voting at the Senior Center, where Christopher reports workers told him the “polling place has been very busy today. Much more volume than usual. That was reflected by the crowd when I was there around 8:30.”
More to come – we’ll be heading out to more spots including Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor), where the traditional Election Day Fall Bazaar promises baked goods, crafts, and a “soup lunch.”
Foreground at right, that’s Fauntleroy resident Chris Porter, who was an Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention (here’s his first-person report published on WSB afterward) – we found him with other signwavers on the Fauntleroy overpass about half an hour ago. All Democrats, except for two Lakeside School students who came with a get-out-the-vote sign; we talked to them on video – (added later) here’s the clip (tough to do a coherent interview over a near-freeway):
And here’s a video clip of Chris and company – most notable for the sound of traffic, and honking, going by:
By the way, the view looking east from the overpass:
And on the way to the overpass (added later), just one lone signwaver at 35th/Fauntleroy – but our video view, as we pass, shows a couple other campaign sights:
A bit to the southeast, Neil sends this photo, with a note that there was no wait to vote at Delridge Community Center around 9:30:
And if anyone wants to harken back to the last time a Democratic candidate won a first term … we found this bumper sticker on a car in front of Salon 08 on the north edge of The Junction:
We’re just steps away from Salon 08 at the moment, posting from Hotwire Coffee, WSB’s inaugural advertiser as of one year ago tomorrow — proprietor Lora Lewis is here serving up the “Election Specials” we mentioned last night – have overheard three “Obama for Change” orders in 15 minutes, in fact.
That’s the result of our short chat with Mayor Nickels and wife Sharon Nickels just outside Admiral Church, where they arrived to vote at 7:30 – we asked him (a) his thoughts on the end of the in-person voting era in King County, and (b) if he had any predictions. If you somehow hadn’t heard this before, he reconfirmed he’ll be on the ballot in a year. Meantime, we’ve also heard from The Junction, where someone texted us that 20 people were in line at Tibbetts United Methodist Church by 7 am, and here’s what we got at our polling place, Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood — we talked briefly with Charles Exe, who was first in line to vote:
Peace Lutheran had two chairs at the head of the line – Charles got one, and Sandy Essene, second in line, got the other:
Another West Seattle-related tidbit — as the TV and Web political pundits prattle on through the day, there’s online speculation that an Obama Administration might consider former Senator Tom Daschle as White House Chief of Staff; Sen. Daschle was here just last month at the big breakfast event for Delridge-based Southwest Youth and Family Services, which is run by 
his brother Steve Daschle. ADDED 8:39 AM: Distant shot at left of the helicopter you may have seen buzzing The Junction and Admiral. We saw it while at Admiral Church in the 7 am hour – definitely a news chopper, though I couldn’t tell whether it was 4 or 7 – likely covering voting, since nothing else newsworthy was up at that time. Thanks again to Cami for that shot and for this one of voters at Schmitz Park Elementary around 7:30 am:
We’re heading back out to see what else is up in the early going. Meantime, in addition to comments on our home-page reports like this one, there’s also Election ’08 chat going on in the ever-hoppin’ WSB Forums (with newly added features – chosen your avatar yet?).
That’s the lineup under the overhang outside Admiral Congregational Church, minutes before voting began at 7 am. In the foreground with a coffee cup, longtime Admiral community activist Dennis Ross, who said he’s going to miss the in-person voting experience (as are we) in future elections. We’re here because in a little while, it’ll be the traditional official Election Day photo-op of the mayor, who votes here (Channel 7 is doing its election-morning live shots from here as a result) . More pix of that, plus the pre-voting scene at the WSB team’s home precinct on the other end of West Seattle, in a bit. We know there were lines elsewhere – driving northbound on California, we saw one (lots of umbrellas in view; the rain hasn’t let up yet) outside the Senior Center in The Junction. (Remember, your pix are welcome throughout the day and evening, editor@westseattleblog.com, as we’ll be chronicling Election Day — and Night — as it happens.) ADDED 7:19 AM: Alki News Beacon editor Cami MacNamara sends this shot of the line that had already formed inside the Alki Community Center lobby by quarter till 7:
First: As Election Day begins, remember how Election Season began:
Scenes from the precinct caucuses, almost nine months ago, February 9 – this was the Democratic crowd at Arbor Heights Elementary (photographed that day by Tim):
And this WSB shot captured the lined-up Republican caucus crowd that day at Southwest Community Center:
Now – we will set out shortly to see if lines are greeting poll workers for their last major election (as devoted in-person voters, we will have to bring Kleenex when we go cast our votes). King County Votes is collecting photos and stories about in-person voting, too, so we will probably share ours.
Here are some info-links that may help as we begin Election Day:
If you vote in person: 7 am-8 pm. Where, you ask? Doublecheck here.
If you vote by mail but haven’t sent your ballot in yet, get it postmarked by 8 pm or drop it off at the nearest polling place (list here).
Still dithering over some hot races/issues? Background links on the WSB Election page, where we’ll also have results links tonight as spillover from the home page.
Not sure what to do with the “downticket” races like judges? The 34th District Democrats (WSB sponsor) have a full list of endorsements here; countywide Republicans, here; nonpartisan Muni League‘s list, here.
Election Night parties? Discussed in this WSB Forums thread.
Coverage here? All day and all night. And we’d love to have you be part of it. Send us pix, video links, leave comments, call with tips, whatever, so we can chronicle as much of West Seattle Election Day ’08 (and night) as possible.
Earlier, we showed you a nonpartisan exhortation to vote, and a Republican signwaving stronghold. Now, a couple signs from the D side — the one atop this post is from Jason in Fauntleroy; the next one is from Highland Park‘s Dina Johnson, who says this banner will be in her yard on Election Day next to a “big flag”:
Another sign of the times is the drink-special roster at Hotwire Coffee (which by the way became WSB’s first-ever sponsor as of exactly one year ago this Wednesday):
(Click to see the full-size flyer)
Hotwire is one of many places we expect to visit as we roam West Seattle tomorrow chronicling Election Day (and Night) ’08 — we’ll have one more round of voting-info links up in the early morning, then our coverage starts with the opening of polling places at 7 am — we’ll be at a couple places when the doors open, but we also would love to get pix from you, cameraphone or whatever, of your polling place or anything else election-related — editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
Coming back from downtown, we were a few cars back at the Fauntleroy/35th stoplight when those sign-wavers outside the strip mall caught our eye – and we managed to fish out the video camera in time to snag that short clip. What you don’t see are the Obama signwavers just offscreen to the left; light turned green, and the steer-with-left-hand, shoot-with-right-hand maneuver doesn’t work so well in the rain. Remember – send us your Election Day pix/clips, all day and night tomorrow – Election Eve stuff welcome tonight too, we’ll post more later. (Election side note – we have mentioned a couple of these here already, but the fabulous Monica @ the P-I’s Big Blog has compiled the “7 Election Day Freebies” list.) ADDED 6:40 PM: Went back to 35th/Fauntleroy so we could get out of the car for a better shot (and audio, given all the hooting and hollering of the Obama signwavers) of the scene. Discovered the biggest Republican sign had been swapped out while we were away – the one with the hammer and sickle wasn’t there when we passed by earlier:
If you’re wondering about the Beren sign – he’s the Republican challenging Seattle’s incumbent Congressman Jim McDermott. More Election Eve coverage to come!
That sign in a Gatewood apartment window says it all. Still need info – where to go, what to do, who’s on the ballot? County Elections’ online HQ here; WSB Elections page here. If you take pix or video of voting/election-related happenings tomorrow, or have something else to say, please send it – all day and all night, we will be chronicling Election Day ’08 in West Seattle, with words and pictures (and results after 8 pm), as it happens.
ART TO RAISE $ FOR OBAMA CAMPAIGN: When the West Seattle Farmers’ Market opens at 10 am tomorrow, Fairmount resident Nancy Driver will be there to sell what you see above – and is expecting it to go fast. She explains in e-mail, “I and a couple of friends from the clay studio I work in very belatedly decided to make some ceramic items to raise money for the Obama/Biden campaign. We have some very cool and very colorful, original artwork, Obama fridge magnets, coasters and hot plates for sale. The prices will be: fridge magnets – two sizes for $5 and $6.50; 3-7/16″ coasters – $10; 6″ hot plates – $15. All of the money will go to the Obama campaign – we should end up with around $400.” Nancy says she’ll be “hanging out behind Key Bank” but as soon as the items – fewer than 50 left – are gone, she’s gone, so if you’re interested, be there at 10.
LOOKING FOR VOTES, ONE DOORBELL, ONE PHONE AT A TIME: You may have gotten a visit or a call already this weekend – both sides are canvassing West Seattle. The 34th District Republicans fanned out from Westwood Village this morning, and it was a big day of work for volunteers from the 34th District Democrats (advertising their sample ballot via WSB), who will be on the streets again tomorrow after a citywide rally on Beacon Hill with state, local, and national Democratic Party leaders.
ELECTION DAY BAZAAR, BAKE SALE: This may be the last major election with in-person voting in King County, which originally had hoped to go all-mail by now. Toward that end, local groups are going to strike while the iron — or the ballot — is hot, with bake sales and bazaars on Election Day. Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) is having its traditional Fall Bazaar, 8 am-7 pm, selling baked goods and crafts, and offering a “hearty soup lunch” 11:30 am-1:30 pm. And outside Alki Community Center, you will find neighboring Alki Elementary School‘s PTA selling baked goods on Election Day.
BALLOT DROPBOX A SMASH HIT: Saw a TV mention tonight that the ballot drop-off box at Delridge Neighborhood Service Center, one of only two in the city, was overflowing for a while earlier today, but has since been emptied. For in-person voters, the county Elections Department is trying to get the word out that you shouldn’t be worried about long lines on Election Day – according to this update, it’s staffing polling places for the possibility of “100 percent turnout” but notes that two-thirds of all county voters cast ballots by mail (p.s. as of 8 pm Saturday, HALF those ballots have been returned, per twitter.com/kcvotes). If you haven’t made up your mind on everything yet, remember we have links to pro/con/neutral info on all major races and ballot measures on the WSB Election page, which also has continuously updated election headlines from citywide news sources and major state political blogs.
Co-publisher Patrick is just back from Gov. Gregoire‘s whirlwind tour of The Junction. (With her in that photo, State Sen. Joe McDermott at left, State Rep. Sharon Nelson in back, and Skip Dreps, local veterans’ advocate and 34th District Democrats member.) After her group Q/A event at West 5, we got a quick one-on-one exclusive as she headed across the Walk-All-Ways intersection and asked her whether there’s REALLY going to be an Alaskan Way Viaduct (Central Waterfront) decision by the end of the year. She said, “Yes,” repeatedly, then offered some elaboration when we asked if there’s any direction in which she’s leaning – read on for for that video clip, and more on this afternoon’s West Seattle campaign stop:Read More
Just got word tonight from West Seattle’s State Sen. Joe McDermott: Governor Gregoire, with less than a week to go in a tough re-election fight, is visiting West Seattle tomorrow; at left is a photo Sen. McDermott took of the governor with former Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks during Gore’s recent visit. After a walking tour of The Junction tomorrow afternoon, she plans to meet with business owners and take questions at West 5; that’s expected to start around 2:15 tomorrow afternoon, and you’re welcome to stop by. (Disclosure: The Gregoire campaign is a WSB political advertiser.) 9:17 PM UPDATE: E-mail just in from the 34th District Democrats (also a WSB political advertiser) says U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee will be accompanying the governor during her West Seattle visit tomorrow.
Perhaps you’re among the thousands who’ve seen their “Bassets for Obama” video — now, meet Buddy, Barkley, and Stevo up close and personal, with one day to go in The Big Vote:Read More
Passing by Peace Lutheran Church at 39th/Thistle this morning, we spotted these workers delivering voting apparatus to our official in-person polling place, with one week to go till Election Day (Tuesday 11/4). If you’re not sure where to vote – if you’re not doing it by mail – you can find out online. If you are voting by mail, you also have the option to drop off your ballot any time, day or night, at the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center (one of only two such official dropoff spots in the city), till 8 pm Election Night. If you’re looking for background information on ballot measures and candidates, we have lots of links on the WSB Election page (and we also are sponsored this month by the 34th District Democrats, whose ad in the sidebar links to their “sample ballot” with the candidates and measures they’ve endorsed, all the way down to the judicial races). And as for Election Night parties – so far we have two on the list: Skylark (WSB sponsor) on Delridge, and Big Al Brewing in White Center – this WSB Forums thread has been discussing other locations around the city – if you know of any other West Seattle/White Center events, partisan or nonpartisan, post ’em here or e-mail us – thanks!
Just posted by the P-I. Not a big surprise since he opposed putting it on the ballot at all, but given his role in recent West Seattle park dedications, like Orchard Street Ravine, still notable he’s publicly declared he’s voting no on the parks levy (text). We have reported previously on West Seattle projects included in the measure (and on its path to the ballot); the easiest-to-navigate list is the map on this page of the pro-levy site. (You can also find a text list, broken out by region, here.)
While Election Day is technically still 13 days away, 
so many people vote by mail that it’s become more like Election Weeks. The presidential and governor’s races are getting lots of play, but you’ll be making other meaningful decisions too – particularly when it comes to several state and local ballot measures. One of the state initiatives, I-1000, “Death With Dignity,” will be explored at a forum tomorrow night at West Seattle High School, sponsored by the WS Ministerial Association, with speakers expected from both sides, 7:30 pm. Meantime, the most-debated local measure on the ballot — Sound Transit Proposition 1, raising the sales tax half a cent — got a thorough airing at this week’s Sustainable West Seattle meeting. If you’re guessing it was a warm, friendly pro-Prop 1 crowd since sustainability and transit seem to go together — not entirely:Read More
When King County Elections HQ closes today at 6 pm, that’s it, absolute end of your chance to register to vote, if you’re not already registered in this state. You have to go there to do it in person; Elections HQ is in Renton – here’s a map. If you are registered and you’ve received a vote-by-mail ballot, two notes: 1. Info on key state/local races and candidates is all in one place on our Election page; 2. If you feel a little hinky about putting your ballot in the mail, you can drop it off in person any time, around the clock, between now and 8 pm Nov. 4, at the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center, 5405 Delridge; here’s a map.
Two quick previews: The Design Team (with school and community reps) helping shape the future of the Denny Middle School site (once the new Denny is built on the Chief Sealth HS campus nearby) meets at 3 pm today, Denny library (map). All welcome; here’s our report on the last meeting. Then tonight at 7, Sustainable West Seattle meets at the Camp Long Lodge – with the agenda including a look at both sides of Sound Transit Proposition 1. ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: We are also reminded that the Departure Advisory Committee for the Denny/Sealth project, which is reviewing the district’s request for less parking and more building height than zoning would allow, meets at the Denny library at 7 tonight.
From Jerry at JetCityOrange, who is hanging ten on the digital edge: Barcodes for Obama. (That link includes a video demonstration.) P.S. Whoever you’re for, Monday’s the drop-dead voter-registration deadline. 
ADDED EARLY MONDAY MORNING: Another unique campaign-related video from a West Seattleite came in a few hours after we started this post with the barcodes — this time, Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area volunteer steward Stevo sent the link for “Bassets for Obama.” A must-see, even if you are voting for somebody else. At right, you see the stars of his video – Buddy and Barkley — who have their own trailer to travel with Stevo via motorcycle!
As mentioned earlier, one of the doorbelling campaigns under way today in West Seattle, as by-mail voting gets into full swing, is for Sound Transit Proposition 1 (aka “Mass Transit Now!”). This one may be a tough decision for West Seattleites, as it’s mostly about projects in other parts of the region (with some money for studying West Seattle). We have the full text, plus the pro and con websites, linked from the WSB Election page, but if you would rather talk about it in person – here’s the perfect chance: Monday night’s Sustainable West Seattle meeting, 7 pm at Camp Long; Andy Silber from SWS’ transportation team says speakers will be there “representing both the pro and con positions.” Meantime, we recently asked pro-Prop 1 spokesperson Alex Fryer what supporters would say to West Seattleites who are asking “why should I support it – what’s in it for me?” The answer, ahead (and then we’d love to hear what YOU think):Read More
Just back from The Hall at Fauntleroy, where U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell headlined a pep rally before hundreds of Democrats hit the streets of West Seattle, White Center, and beyond in a weekend blitz of Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) doorbelling. (That first clip shows the end of the rally, with Sen. Murray offering a few last words, then inviting two local D’s — State Sen. Joe McDermott and County Councilmember Dow Constantine – up to the stage; McDermott is on the ballot but, like the two other 34th District state legislators, running unopposed.) Local Republicans were fanning out from Westwood Village at about the same time, and supporters of Sound Transit Proposition 1 are also on the street (came home to find one of their doorhangers). This weekend is considered crucial because many people who vote by mail have just received their ballots and will be voting long before the official Election Day on Nov. 4. ADDED SATURDAY AFTERNOON: More from this morning’s rally — and why it wasn’t just about the presidential race:Read More
We’ve mentioned various Democratic events – we hear often from the 34th District Democrats (who also are sponsoring WSB this month to get the word out about their “sample ballot” endorsements list) – and always tack on the note that we’d be happy to report local Republican events too if and when somebody sends word. “Somebody” finally did – Matthew Lundh, a West Seattleite who is also communications director for the statewide Republican Party organization. He reports these two 34th District Republican events coming up: “On Saturday, we will be doorbelling in West Seattle. We will be meeting at the Westwood Village Starbucks at 9:30 am and doorbelling until 1:00 pm. Every Tuesday, until the election, we will be phonebanking from the Prudential Realty office at 127 SW 156th St in Burien from 6:30-8:30 pm.” (Saturday, as reported here yesterday, Democrats plan to doorbell in the area too, with high-level help.) For more election-related info, including pro/con/neutral info on the local and state ballot measures, check the WSB Election page any time.
Early door-to-door alert: You might find a senator on your doorstep this Saturday. With ballots arriving in mailboxes this week, a major get-out-the-vote Democratic door-knocking effort starts with a rally at The Hall at Fauntleroy at 9:45 am Saturday, and our state’s U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are scheduled to join them. More info here (it’s also on the 34th District Democrats‘ website; disclosure, they’re a WSB sponsor this month to get out the word about their “sample ballot” with 34th DD endorsements). By the way, if you are not currently registered to vote in WA, you can still register if you do it in person at county elections HQ in Renton – here’s a map – and this page has info on extended hours on deadline day next Monday. ONE MORE NOTE: Statewide Initiative 1000, “Death With Dignity,” will be the topic of a West Seattle forum Thursday 10/23; local churches opposed to I-1000 are sponsoring it but have invited advocates from both sides and are inviting you too — 7:30 pm 10/23 at West Seattle High School. More info on I-1000 and other races/ballot measures on the WSB Election page.
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