Sammamish redder than King County
December 13, 2012
New: Dec. 13, 11:15 a.m.
While often supporting Democrats, Sammamish once again leaned more Republican than the rest of King County during the November election, in many cases proving redder than the rest of King County and Washington State.
Despite a thorough drubbing in King County and a loss statewide, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna garnered solid support in Sammamish, taking 55 percent of the votes. That’s a marked difference from the rest of the county, which went for Jay Inslee by a 62.2 to 37.6 margin. Inslee won statewide, taking 51.5 percent of the vote.
Areas in orange opposed the community center, and areas in blue supported the community center. Map by Dona Mokin/Sammamish Review
Community center, other election results, finalized
December 2, 2012
New: Dec. 2, 2:16 p.m.
Sammamish’s proposed YMCA-run community and aquatic center widened its lead since election night, according to certified election results released by King County Nov. 27.
Sammamish Proposition 1, an advisory vote on a proposed $30 million, 60,000 square foot facility behind the library, passed by a 53.65 to 46.35 margin, with 1,729 votes separating supporters and opponents. Initial results showed the vote at a much closer 51 to 49 margin. Read more
Sammamish couple hails same-sex marriage milestone
November 14, 2012
Washington voters’ groundbreaking decision to approve same-sex marriage elicited a simple — but heartfelt — response from a Sammamish couple: thank you.
Referendum 74, buoyed by strong support in King County, authorized same-sex marriage in Washington. Dana and Sage Alixander, longtime partners married in California before Proposition 8 outlawed same-sex marriage, hailed the historic decision in Washington. Read more
Vacancy to come to Issaquah School Board
November 14, 2012
Republican Chad Magendanz triumphed in the race to represent the 5th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives, and in process, set up a vacancy on the Issaquah School Board.
Magendanz cruised to a comfortable lead against North Bend Democrat David Spring, ahead 56-44 as of Nov. 12.
Most of Sammamish had been in the 5th district until the redistricting took effect with this election. Read more
Incumbents win in legislative races
November 14, 2012
In the first race after redistricting earlier in the year, most Sammamish voters saw new names on their ballots.
The southern half of the city is now in the 41st District, while the northern half is in the 45th.
But the batch of new-to-Sammamish lawmakers all won re-election Nov. 6, with generally large margins of victory. Read more
Governor candidates talk local issues
November 1, 2012
Democrat Jay Inslee and Republican Rob McKenna clashed in a recent series of debates, but the candidates vying to serve as Washington’s next governor share similar positions on local issues, such as support for the state parks system.
The race at the state level is focused on the candidates’ policies on education and transportation — hot topics on the docket as Inslee and McKenna met in recent weeks. Read more
Commissioner of Public Lands will set policy for local forests
November 1, 2012
Tiger Mountain is a nearby destination for hikers, mountain bikers and loggers, and the official responsible for acting as a referee to balance the competing interests is the state commissioner of public lands.
Republican Clint Didier is challenging the incumbent, Democrat Peter Goldmark, to serve as the top natural resources official in Washington. Read more
41st District candidates focus on education, economy
October 17, 2012
The candidates in the 41st Legislative District race for a state House of Representatives seat cast the contest as a choice between experience in business or experience in government.
Voters elected the incumbent, Renton Democrat Marcie Maxwell, in 2008 and again in 2010. Republican Tim Eaves, a political newcomer and a longtime Issaquah resident, decided to challenge Maxwell days before the candidate-filing period closed in May. Read more
41st District Senate candidates appeal to moderate voters
October 17, 2012
Redistricting shifted the southern half of Sammamish into the 41st Legislative District, alongside Mercer Island, Newcastle and parts of Bellevue and Issaquah.
The contest to represent the affluent, suburban district in the state Senate is between Mercer Island residents Maureen Judge, a Democrat, and Steve Litzow, a Republican freshman senator. Read more
Roger Goodman, Joel Hussey square off in 45th
October 17, 2012
The Washington State Supreme Court threw down the gauntlet earlier this year with respect to the state’s role in funding K-12 education, leaving legislators with the unenviable task of coming up with billions of dollars more in the coming years, despite a slowly recovering economy and a tax-averse public. Read more
