Evan Smith: Still time to be a PCO candidate

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Every Shoreline and Lake Forest Park ballot has a place to vote for Democratic and Republican precinct committee officers.

But, many precincts have no Democrat, no Republican, or, like my precinct, no candidate in either party.

That means that you and your neighbors can elect a write-in candidate to represent you in 32nd Legislative District and King County party organizations.

You can just write a name in and get a few neighbors to write the name in. But, unless that person has registered as a write-in candidate for PCO, the votes won’t count unless they have the correct spelling and designate the political party.

Votes for registered write-in candidates, however, can get counted with minor misspellings and with the party not listed.

Candidates can still register as write-in candidates through Monday. Just call the King County elections office (296-VOTE) to find out how.

Then, get a half-dozen neighbors to write the name on their ballots and you’ve elected a PCO.

PCOs help set 32nd District party policy and elect representatives to County and State party conventions.

They get a voice in filling vacancies. For example, Democratic PCOs in Edmonds, Lynnwood and Woodway recently selected three candidates to fill a Snohomish County Council position that a Democratic councilman had vacated.

PCOs and the party organizations provide other public service. Last year, when two Snohomish County elections had hand recounts, Democratic and Republican organizations supplied the people that did the counting.