Commentary: Write-in vote for Congress would be a waste

By Evan Smith

The Seattle Times editorial board has endorsed Democrat Steve Hobbs for a full term in Congress from the new 1st District. That makes sense. Moderate Democrat Hobbs may be a good fit for the swing district that combines the conservative rural areas of Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and north King counties, with the liberal high-tech areas of Kirkland and Redmond.

The Times also recommended Hobbs as a write-in candidate for the short term in the old 1st District, the district that includes Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, other parts of north King and south Snohomish counties, and Bainbridge Island in Kitsap County.

That makes no sense.

When a write-in candidate qualified for the November ballot in a legislative district two years ago, there was only one candidate on the ballot; so the write-in candidate needed only to get 1 percent of the vote to qualify.

Here, there are 11 names on the ballot; meaning that a write-in candidate would have to finish ahead of 10 candidates in the primary to qualify for the general election.

Write-in candidates who have successfully qualified for past general elections all have registered as write-in candidates, a step that means that votes for the candidate count even with minor misspellings or if the candidates’ party preference is incorrect or missing. Hobbs has not registered or even indicated an interest in the position.

Voters can choose among the 11 candidates on the ballot. A write-in vote for Hobbs or anyone else would be a waste.