News from the 10th Legislative District Democrats
December 2021
Redistricting and Election Results
Note from the Chair - John Amell
The 2021 election is in our rear-view mirror for most of us. There is one race here in the 10th that is headed for a recount. Judy Williams is behind her opponent by 5 votes for Stanwood City Council Position 7. That machine recount will be Dec 7 (time TBD) at the Snohomish County Auditor's office in Everett. I plan on attending to observe. With a race this close, it proves that every vote counts. There were 8 ballots in that race that were not counted because they were submitted too late. That would have made a difference.
All in all, we had a very successful election. Nine of our twelve endorsed candidates in the 10th LD won their races. The three that didn't win were all in Snohomish County.
The right wing came after our school boards this year. Fortunately, we were able to fend them off, but we need to stay vigilant. They will be back in two years. They also came for our city councils. They were a bit more successful here with wins in Oak Harbor and Stanwood. Those elections were very close. We need to recruit candidates to run for these critical local races and be ready for 2023.
Many of us are still digging out from the storm that knocked out power for most of us. I hear more similar "atmospheric river" type storms are on the way. Batten down the hatches.
In other news, the long awaited new Legislative and Congressional District maps have hit a snag. The redistricting commission missed their deadline of 11:59 on Nov 15 and now the task of drawing district boundaries falls to the Washington Supreme Court. Their deadline is in April, but we are hopeful that they will approve maps well before that. The maps they produce will be final. We don't yet know what their process will be, but when I know, I will pass it along.
The 10th LD will hold their December all membership meeting on Dec 18th. We will have a special guest speaker. Mike Pellicciotti, our Washington State Treasurer, will tell us about his first year in office. We supported Mike in 2020 and helped him over the finish line. It is sure to be a lively presentation. Check the Calendar below.
Giving Tuesday is November 30. Please give to your favorite charities. I will be giving to Afghan refugees and Planned Parenthood.
Native American Heritage Month
I would like to share some thoughts on Land Acknowledgements. The 10th LD Democrats have been starting our meetings with the following:
The Democrats of the 10th Legislative District wish to acknowledge that we gather together to state our values on lands that have been stewarded through many centuries by the ancestors and descendants of Tribal Nations who have been here since time immemorial. We honor the communities native to this area, the Lower Skagit, Swinomish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish and Suquamish peoples and recognize that our country was built on Indigenous homelands. We pay our respects to the millions of Indigenous people throughout history who have protected our lands, waters, and animals.
I have heard that many say that land acknowledgements are hollow and don't do anything. Others say that it is step in the right direction and may make people more aware of the plight of the Native Peoples. Here are two articles from Sapiens, a cultural anthropological publication. Search Sapiens for Land Acknowledgements, or click on the links below.
Land Acknowledgments Are Not Enough
Why Land Acknowledgments Matter
What do you think? Let's discuss it.
Note from Vice Chair Alida Booth
Report from November 20 E-Board Meeting
Governor Inslee appointed Senator Steve Hobbs from the 44th LD to fill the vacancy made by Kim Wyman. She accepted a position on Homeland Security. The 44th LD Dems will meet on December 5 to fill his seat in the state senate. They anticipate the possibility that a current office holder will be chosen (such as Rep. Lovick) so they plan to vote on replacement choices for those positions.
We mourn the passing of Ann Belovich, a strong local Democrat. The family plans a memorial in June when her beloved roses will be in bloom. It is her wish that in lieu of flowers or donations that we all perform intentional acts of kindness.
Snohomish County Democrats will host a virtual gala on December 11 at 6PM. Guest speakers include Senator Patty Murray and Representative Debra Lekanoff from the 40th LD. There will be auction items, door prizes and live music. Information is available on their website. Tickets starting at $22. http://snocodems.org/
Is it too early to talk about the upcoming school levy in the Stanwood-Camano School District? More information can be found on the flyer available on the district website. https://www.stanwood.wednet.edu/
The Snohomish County Democrats’ office in the union hall in Everett was flooded during the recent storms.
Note from Vice Chair Bennett Massey-Helber
Report from November 20 E-Board Meeting
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The 10th LD Democrats, in conjunction with Skagit Democrats, held a series of two workshops on "Understanding Race and Equity" on Zoom. This workshop presentation introduced participants to the work of understanding how the concept of race creates inequity in everyday life. Participants hopefully walked away with an understanding on why it’s important to have tough and honest conversations on race in order to create a more just world. We explored such concepts as privilege, voice, silence and color blind racism. This workshop was intended for white people who wanted to have tough conversations on race in a safe space free from judgement and ostracization.
Many thanks go to Lynn Campbell, chair of Skagit Democrats and Allison Warner from the 10th LD who organized the training. Thanks also to Marco Morales, former vice-chair of Skagit Democrats, who led the workshop. Stay tuned for more events.
Election Results 2021
Only contested races are reported below. Our preferred candidates are in Bold
Island County (All of Island County is in the 10th LD)
Position Winner's Name
Langley City Council - 1 Harolynne Bobis
Langley City Council - 5 Gail Fleming
Oak Harbor City Council - 4 Dan Evans
Oak Harbor City Council - 5 Shane Hoffmire
Oak Harbor City Council - 7 Bryan Stucky
Public Hospital Dist. Pos.1 James D. Golder
Oak Harbor Schools Pos 4 John L Diamond
Oak Harbor Schools Pos 5 Eric Mann
Coupeville Schools Pos 2 Nancy Conard
Coupeville Schools Pos 5 Morgan White
South Whidbey Schools Pos 2 Andrea Downs
South Whidbey Schools Pos 4 Marnie Jackson
South Whidbey Schools Pos 5 Ann M. Johnson
South Whidbey Fire District Savannah Erickson
Stanwood-Camano School Dist. 1 Al Schreiber
Stanwood-Camano School Dist. 2 Charlotte Murry
Click Here for complete Island County Election results
Skagit County 10th LD
La Conner Council Pos 2 Ivan Carlson
La Conner Council Pos 3 Rick Dole
La Conner Council Pos 4 MaryLee Chamberlain
Mt. Vernon Council at large Richard Brocksmith
Mt. Vernon Ward 1 Pos 1 Juan Morales
Mt. Vernon Ward 1 Pos 2 Iris Carias
Mt. Vernon Ward 2 Pos 2 Gary Molenaar
Mt. Vernon Ward 3 Pos 2 Melissa Beaton
Click Here for complete Skagit County results
Snohomish County 10th LD
Snohomish Co. Council Pos 1 Nate Nehring (R)
Snohomish Co. Council Pos 5 Sam Low (R)
City of Stanwood Pos 1 Dani Gaumond
(Our endorsed candidate, Rob Johnson lost by 14 votes out of 1757)
City of Stanwood Pos 2 Marcus Metz
City of Stanwood Pos 3 Darren Robb
City of Stanwood Pos 7 Judy Williams vs Tim Schmitt (in recount)
Click Here for complete Snohomish County results
Look Ahead for 2022
Buckle up, this could get exciting. Filing week is May 16-20.
Rick Larsen is running for reelection for 2nd CD U. S. Representative
Dave Paul is running for reelection for 10th LD State Representative Position 2
Janet St Clair is running for reelection for Island County Commissioner District 3
Jason Call is running in a primary contest for 2nd CD U. S. Representative
Ashleigh Gregorius is running for 10th LD State Representative Position 1
Washington State Redistricting Process
It's now up to the court to decide.
Washington State’s once every decade process of redrawing congressional and legislative district boundaries is now in the hands of the Washington State Supreme Court. We have 49 legislative districts that each elect two state House members and one state senator and 10 congressional districts that each elect a U.S. representative. When the lines were drawn in 2011, a legislative district held about 137,200 people. This year they’ll contain about 157,251 people. Each congressional district will contain close to 770,528 people.
The four appointed commissioners – one each named by the leader of a legislative caucus – spent 10 months working on rearranging the state’s legislative and congressional districts to reflect changes in population based on the 2020 Census. Brady Walkinshaw and April Sims were appointed by the Democrats and Joe Fain and Paul Graves were appointed by the Republicans. Sarah Augustine was elected by the four commissioners as the non-voting chair. Past meetings are available for viewing, visit Redistricting Meetings
Even though they missed their deadline, the commission did publish maps. The Supreme Court is not obligated to adopt them, but they will use them as input into their process along with all of the testimony that was given to the commission over the past 10 months. The four commissioners had a huge task and a accelerated timeline.
2020 Census data was delivered in mid-August instead of April mostly due to COVID-19. That only gave them 3 months to redraw our congressional (CD) and legislative district (LD) maps. The commission and their staff worked hard to accomplish their work, but came up short.
Complete statement from the chair of the commission, Sarah Augustine
November 16, 2021
Last night, after substantial work marked by mutual respect and dedication to the important task, the four voting commissioners on the State Redistricting Commission were unable to adopt a districting plan by the midnight deadline. But the Commission would be remiss if we did not take time to acknowledge the historic involvement of the people of Washington in this once-in-a-decade process.
The Commission would like to sincerely thank all the residents of Washington who took time to educate themselves and engage with the Commission over the last 10 months.
Under the leadership of the most diverse Commission ever appointed, staff executed a public outreach campaign to solicit the people for their input into the mapping process and its outcomes. Between public commentary at 17 public outreach meetings and 22 business meetings, more than 400 state residents delivered live public testimony about maps or about the Commission’s processes.
Commissioners received more than 2,750 comments on their draft maps or on the old maps, and more than 3,000 sent an email, commented through the website form, mailed a letter, or left a voicemail. Finally, utilizing a mapping tool made available to the public on the Commission’s website, 1,300 maps were created, of which 12 were formally submitted as third-party maps.
This level of public involvement was historic, and the Commission thanks all those who took the time and energy to engage with redistricting process. The public’s contribution to this process brought great value and insight to this work.
Pursuant to RCW 44.05.100, the Washington Supreme Court now has jurisdiction to adopt a districting plan. The commissioners have every faith that the Court will draw maps that are fair and worthy of the people of Washington. Finally, the Commission hopes the Washington Supreme Court will be able to take advantage of the public input accumulated over the last 10 months.
Maps published by the commission
Congressional District Map
Legislative District Map
Remember, the court can draw new lines or accept these.
Zooming in on the 10th LD
The following comments refer to this draft map of the 10th LD.
As a whole this appears to be no better than the 2011 map. We lose parts of Snohomish County east of Stanwood to the 39th LD, but gain parts of Arlington. We gain Lakewood from the 38th LD. While we lose some red areas, we also gain some as well. Overall a wash.
We add to our district around downtown Mount Vernon and also on Fidalgo Island south of Anacortes. Both are good things. We also lose the area north of Hwy 20.
2011 10th LD Map
Areas in the above map that we lose are in blue, gains are in white. I don't want to dive any deeper into these maps until the supreme court approves their maps. I'll just say that I do not like these maps and hope the court makes some changes to our boundaries. We will just have to wait and see, stay the course, and trust the court.
Interactive maps can be found here, Redistricting Commission Maps
Excerpts from WA Dems chair Tina Podlodowski's note
In addition to the Commission website, you can see their proposed maps in Dave’s Redistricting software:
Congressional District Maps: Click to View
Legislative District Maps: Click to View
Since the Commission did not pass their maps in time, despite the hard work and dedication of our Democratic Commissioners and their staff, the jurisdiction for drawing the new district boundaries goes to the Washington Supreme Court. There is a lot we don’t know about how the Court will conduct the process. Again, the maps and process are in the hands of the Washington Supreme Court and out of the control of the caucus appointees now.
There has been additional speculation that the maps may not reflect the required minority/majority districts required under the Voting Rights Act. I suspect this will be a focus moving forward. You can read one analysis of that issue here:
https://latino.ucla.edu/research/washington-state-redistricting/
As of this writing, the Court has asked for a sworn declaration from the non-voting Commission Chair detailing the actions and votes of both November 15th (deadline day) and November 16th (the day after). I suspect the answers will determine much of the process the Court takes - but again, that’s only speculation. Here is that order:
We understand that the Court is putting together a website for sharing information and communicating what steps they might be taking - more on that when the site is live.
This is what we know from the court.
And here is a view of redistricting from the other side of the aisle
Message from 2nd CD Congressman Rick Larsen
On Friday morning, I voted to pass the Build Back Better Act to create millions of jobs, tackle the climate crisis, and drive long-term economic growth as we bring the pandemic to a close.
Here is what it means for you, your family, and families across Washington when it comes to housing and child care:
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Every 3- and 4-year-old in America -- including 181,000 in Washington state -- will have access to free, high-quality preschool.
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In addition, no working family will pay more than 7% of their income for child care, ensuring that every family can afford child care.
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We are extending the $250-300 per child refundable tax credit that has lifted half of all children nationwide out of poverty. In Northwest Washington, over 75,000 families received an average of $438 each last month.
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The Build Back Better plan includes funds to build over 1 million units of affordable housing nationwide, as well as billions of dollars in lifeline rent assistance. This is a provision that I personally championed, and I am proud to make it happen.
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For the first time in history, all workers will have access to four weeks of paid family and medical leave.
Here is what it means for you, your family, and families across Washington when it comes to health care:
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Medicare will finally be able to negotiate lower drug prices.
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Under Medicare Part D, seniors will no longer pay more than $2000/year for prescription drugs.
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We are lowering the cost of health care premiums and extending access to affordable hearing care through Medicare.
Here is what it means for you, your family, and families across Washington when it comes to tackling climate change:
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We are investing over $550 billion to lower energy costs, reduce pollution, and create millions of jobs in the clean energy economy.
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We are making it more affordable for middle-class families to install rooftop solar or buy electric vehicles.
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We are hiring 300,000 people to serve in a national Climate Conservation Corps that will help communities become resilient in the face of climate change and restore and protect our public lands.
Between the bipartisan infrastructure plan and the Build Back Better plan, we are making strong progress toward rebuilding our economy, putting people back to work, and making it possible for working families to thrive.
Rick
Message from State Representative, Dave Paul
Dear Friends,
Sincerely,
Dave
Note from Island County Commissioner, Janet St Clair
Big news for local government was the recent passage of the Infrastructure Bill. Many may wonder why this is so important to counties. For me, I felt as excited as Steve Martin in The Jerk as he cried out, “The new phone book is here!” Finally seeing something in print that you have longed to see. This is the playbook for American infrastructure for future decades. For my work in Island County it means continued investments in broadband infrastructure ensuring we can move fiber to homes and businesses that have been disenfranchised by the lack of internet access. As I sit on the Board of Island Transit, this bill means we can continue to invest in zero emission busses, moving our fleet from diesel to zero emission vehicles. For our work in transportation, it assures continued investments in local roads and bridges as over 40% of the nation’s roads and bridges are maintained by counties. As we see rising sea levels and increased flooding from warmer, wetter winters, I am hoping that we will be able to work with our federal partners like US Army Corps of Engineers to fix our aging outfalls and address flood mitigation. Living on islands, I am hopeful there will be funding to support our water associations and districts to improve and upgrade aging infrastructure and protect water quality. It’s the day-to-day business of local government to support your quality of life and the safety of residents. So am I excited? Yes! The new playbook is here!
For more information, click here: Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Passage A Major Victory for America’s Counties (naco.org) Next up: Waiting with baited breath for the passage of the “Build Back Better Bill”.
Working for you,
Janet St Clair, Island County Commissioner
Afghan Refugee Aid
As colder weather approaches, there is a dire need for warm winter clothing for more than 4,000 Afghan refugee children at New Jersey's Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. They escaped Afghanistan on U.S. cargo planes in August with only the clothes on their backs – and they need everyone’s help. They supported the U.S. military during the war and risked everything for our service members – it's now time for us to step up for them, especially on Giving Tuesday.
Please help:
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Donate money online (https://gofund.me/fba4cd13) which will be used to deliver coats, jackets, and shoes directly to these children; or
Donate winter clothing and shoes. These can be dropped off at:
- the Skagit County Democrats Office at: 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon - Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 12:00pm - 4:00pm and Wednesday 10:00am to 4:00pm.
- the Whidbey Veterans Resource Center (in Langley) on Monday/Tuesday;
- Stanwood-Camano Resource Center - 9612 271st St NW, Stanwood
- Camano Lutheran Church - 850 Heichel Rd, Camano,
Your coats, jackets and shoes will be picked up by volunteer Clyde Shavers who is leading this effort.
Washington State Democrats
Advocacy Committee Legislative Priorities Survey
It’s that time of year again! With the Washington State Legislature’s 2022 session quickly approaching, the state party Advocacy Committee is getting ready to advocate for the issues that YOU care about. Please take three minutes to fill out this survey to let the committee know what legislative priorities are important to you as they finalize our 2022 Legislative Priorities (and if you’re interested in the 2021 Priorities, they’re on our website here)!
Calendar
Dec 2 - 4:30 Island County District 3 Virtual Town Hall "Let's Talk About Fish",
Hosted by Commissioner Janet St Clair - Click Here to Join
Dec 7 - 5:15pm - 6:00pm - Zoom Fundraiser for Attorney General Bob Ferguson
(Last one before the freeze on fundraising) Save your spot by purchasing a
ticket ONLINE HERE.
Dec 8 - 7:00 pm - The Dave Paul campaign team will be hosting a fundraiser via Zoom.
RSVP to Marie Shimada by emailing [email protected] for the Zoom link.
Dec 9 - 5:00 - 7:00 pm - Washington State Democrats 2022 Kickoff
4:30pm: Sponsor Reception 5:15pm: Main Event RSVP Online Here
Zoom Details Provided Following RSVP Contact [email protected]
for more information on sponsorship opportunities
Dec 11 10:00 am - Skagit Democrats Central Committee Meeting on Zoom Link
Dec 18 10:30 am - 10th LD Democrats Quarterly General Membership meeting on Zoom
- Guest Speaker - State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti
- Likely electeds speaking - Rick Larsen, Dave Paul, Janet St Clair
- Vote to be held on Snake River Dam Removal Resolution - Link
- Discussion of 2022 endorsement procedures (in Standing Rules document)
- Latest on Redistricting
- Here is a registration link - Register for 10th LD Meeting
New Opportunities for Precinct Committee Officers
Island County split most of their 48 precincts earlier this year in two resulting in 87 precincts going forward. Whidbey Island has 66 precincts and Camano Island has 21. No changes were made to Commissioner District boundaries. Given that we have 39 new precincts, we need 39 new PCOs. Below is a link to precinct information in Island County. There were no changes in Snohomish County precincts within the 10th LD or in Skagit County.
Island County Precinct Information
Being a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) is one of the most important roles in our party. As a PCO, you are on the front lines of winning elections up and down the ballot – from the School Board to the Senate. Here’s what PCOs do:
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PCOs are the main point of information and contact for voters in your neighborhood and within the Democratic Party.
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PCOs are also a central part of their local Democratic organization. They elect Party leadership, help fill vacancies in elected office, and lead their precinct caucus every two years.
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Becoming a PCO is one of the most important roles you can play in helping Democrats win up and down the ballot in your area.
For more information, check out our PCO Handbook in English and our PCO Handbook in Spanish.
PCOs are elected in even numbered years. If there’s no Democratic PCO in your precinct, your local Democratic party can appoint you.
Email [email protected] for more information on becoming a PCO.
Membership in the 10th LD Democrats Organization
The 10th LD has regular general membership meetings every quarter. During those meetings elected and appointed PCOs and members in good standing have the opportunity to participate and be heard. All members get to vote on things like candidate endorsements, resolutions, and other business of the organization. Their decisions shall guide the Executive Board in the conduct of the affairs of the District.
So, you might ask, how does one become a member in good standing? Well, the answer is simple. Our by-laws say that membership is open to all persons who are registered voters, residing within the 10th Legislative District (there is a map on the website) and who publicly identify as Democrats. Upon payment of dues and after a 14-day waiting period, any eligible voter professing to be a Democrat, becomes a member in good standing and will be granted voting rights at the next general meeting. Annual dues are $20 per person or $30 per family, and can be paid by clicking on the “Donate" button on this newsletter or on the website (link below).
Your dues for 2022 are due Dec 1. There is a grace period, so if you are currently a member, your membership will not expire until March 1.
If you pay on-line, anyone who donates at least $20 will be recognized as having paid dues. You can also mail a check to 10th LD Democrats 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, or pay at a meeting when we can actually meet in person again. Do pay attention to the 14-day waiting period for voting privileges. Our by-laws also say that no individual who suffers economic hardship shall be denied membership. Just ask. Most of us have been there at some point in our lives.
The dues that you pay support the organization in several ways. It allows us to financially support endorsed candidates. It pays for venues for fundraisers and forums where we get to hear from our candidates. It also pays for outreach like ads in newspapers informing the public of upcoming meetings.
Thank you all for your support.
Links to other local Democratic organizations:
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Washington State Democrats
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Snohomish County Democrats
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Skagit County Democrats
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Island County Democrats
Please donate to the 10th LD Democrats
Your donations help to support our candidates, educate our voters, and engage our communities. It's super easy to give. Dues are $20 to become a member or $30 per couple/family. All members can vote at general meetings with a few exceptions.
Thanks for your support,
John Amell
Chair - 10th LD Democrats Website link: https://www.10thlddemocrats.org/