Candidate for short term in Congress seeks signatures to get on ballot

By Evan Smith

A former Lynnwood Councilwoman plans to file for an unusual office in an unusual way.

The office is the last month of Jay Inslee’s term in Congress from the old 1st District.

Former Councilwoman Lisa Utter plans to file for the position next week by submitting signatures collected from voters rather than by paying a filing fee.

The position has been vacant since Inslee resigned to run for governor.

The special election is needed because only voters in the old district can vote to fill the position. Voters in the newly drawn districts will vote for full-term positions in their new districts.

Voters in Shoreline and the north part of Lake Forest Park will get ballots for the short term in the old 1st District and for the new 7th District.

Other parts of the old 1st District are in the new 1st, 2nd and 6th districts.

If elected to the short term, Utter would serve from the Dec. 6 certification of the November election until the term ends Jan. 3.

She served on the Lynnwood Council from 1998 to 2009, when she gave up her position for an unsuccessful campaign for mayor.

Utter, who will run as a Democrat, is trying to collect the 1,740 signatures needed to place her name on the ballot, in lieu of paying the $1,740 filing fee. The filing deadline is Friday, May 18.

Utter has a website where voters can get petitions.

She said Thursday that she has already collected many of the signatures and that she hoped for good weekend weather to get the rest.

Utter said that she was running because no other candidates have expressed an interest.

“We need someone credible to represent the 1st District, especially now, because important budget votes will be taken in December,” she said in a press release. “We must protect funding for basic human services and other vital programs. The budget agreement that was negotiated last year causes me deep concern."

The position will appear on the August primary ballot, with the top two vote getters advancing to the November general election.

The old 1st District includes Shoreline, the north part of Lake Forest Park, other parts of North King County, South Snohomish County and part of Kitsap County.

Utter has served on the boards of the Puget Sound Regional Council, Sound Transit and Community Transit.

She also has served on Snohomish County boards that distribute and monitor federal grants for economic development, community services and emergency food and shelter.