State of Washington & Skagit County Voters’ Pamphlet November 6, 2012 General Election Published by the Office of the Secretary of State Published& the Skagit by the County Office Auditor of the Secretary of State & County Name Here 2 A Message from Secretary of State Sam Reed As I prepare to leave public service after 12 years as your Secretary of State and 45 years in government, I extend my warmest thanks for the great opportunity to serve you and this tremendous state. It has been an honor. Together, over the past decade, we have reformed our election system and made it fair, accessible, accurate and secure. In the aftermath of the 2004 governor’s race, the closest in U.S. history, we established a statewide database of registered voters, online voter registration and candidate filing, and a thousand other upgrades to the integrity of the election system. We successfully defended the people’s right to an open Top 2 Primary system and have advocated for broader participation in our elections by people with disabilities, citizens whose understanding of English is limited, and those who serve in our military or live abroad. One of my favorite projects has been an annual tour of our college campuses to encourage our inspiring and talented young people. This work of reform and outreach never ends. Likewise, we are working together to champion civility in government and in our public dialogue, to promote civic engagement and civic education. This is the work of all of us. As I reminisce over the last 12 years, I am proud that we, together, saved the State Library, created the nation’s first Digital Archives, improved customer service at the Corporations and Charities Division, welcomed the Combined Fund Drive and Domestic Partnership Registry into our office, protected crime victims with our Address Confidentiality Program, created a Corporations for Communities Award program, championed heritage and oral history through a new Heritage Center, advocated for open and transparent government, and promoted international trade and friendship. This year we celebrate 100 years of legislation by petition, the centennial year of our initiative and referendum process. Our populist system is more robust than ever with six ballot measures and two advisory votes for your decision. Likewise, you have been asked to vote for President; U.S. Senate; and nine statewide elected officials, including open races for Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General and Auditor. Ten congressional seats, including the newly awarded 10th District; the Legislature; the courts; and many important local offices and issues will be determined by voters this year. In closing, my request is that you take seriously your privilege and responsibility to vote. It’s your voice. We face so many important choices that will affect our country, state and local communities for years to come. It has never been more important to vote and take part in forging our future together. Best wishes, Sam Reed Voter Information Hotline (800) 448-4881 Visit our online Voters’ Guide at www.vote.wa.gov. 3 November 6, 2012 General Election Table of Contents Voting in Washington State . 4 Accessibility & Language Assistance . 5 The Ballot Measure Process . 6 Measures Initiative Measure 1185. 7 Initiative Measure 1240 . 11 Referendum Measure 74 . 19 Initiative Measure 502 . 23 Engrossed Senate Joint Resolution 8221 . 32 Senate Joint Resolution 8223 . 35 Advisory Vote 1 . 37 Advisory Vote 2 . 41 Candidates U.S. President & Vice President . 46 U.S. Senator . 54 U.S. Representative . 56 State Executive Offices. 61 State Legislative Offices . 72 State Judicial Offices . 82 Skagit County Voters’ Pamphlet Informational icons in this pamphlet Local Candidates. 90 Local Measures . 94 General information More information Complete Text of Measures . 102 Urgent information Contact Your County . 143 More candidates in this race End of candidates in this race 4 Voting in Washington State Voter qualifications Visit a voting center To register to vote, you must be: Washington voters receive their ballots in the mail. • A citizen of the United States; Voting centers are open to serve you during regular business hours beginning 18 days before Election • A legal resident of Washington State; Day and until 8 p.m. on Election Day. • At least 18 years old by Election Day; Voter registration materials, ballots, provisional • Not under the authority of the ballots, sample ballots, instructions for how to vote, Department of Corrections; and and a ballot drop box are available. • Not disqualified due to a court order. Voting centers must be accessible for voters with disabilities and offer accessible voting options. Voter registration To locate a voting center near you, contact your You may register to vote at www.myvote.wa.gov. county elections department. The phone number In Washington State, you do not declare political and address of your county elections department is party affiliation when you register to vote. There are located in the back of this pamphlet. registration deadlines prior to each election. You must update your registration if you move or change your Restoring your right to vote after felony conviction name. You do not need to register before each election. If you were convicted in Washington State Superior Court, your right to vote is restored as long as you Replacement ballots are not either in prison or on community custody for Call your county elections department to request a that felony with the Washington State Department of replacement ballot. Corrections. If you were convicted in another state or in federal Contact your county elections department court, your right to vote is restored as long as you Contact your county elections department for are not currently incarcerated for that felony. You questions about your voter registration, or assistance must register to vote. with your ballot. The phone number and address of your county elections department is located in the View election results back of this pamphlet. View election results at www.vote.wa.gov after 8 p.m. on Election Day. Accessible and alternative language pamphlets Contact the Office of the Secretary of State for voters’ pamphlets in accessible formats or Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. The state Voter Information Hotline is (800) 448-4881. 5 Accessible pamphlets available Visit www.vote.wa.gov/accessibility for Audio Plain text Call (800) 448-4881 to request audio on a CD USB drive Language assistance available se habla español 中國口語 Việt Nam được nói The federal Voting Rights Act requires the Office of the Secretary of State and four counties in Washington to provide translated elections materials. Currently Adams, Franklin and Yakima counties provide elections materials in Spanish. King County provides elections materials in Chinese and Vietnamese. For more information visit Para más información visite www.vote.wa.gov 欲知詳情，請上網 (800) 448-4881 Để biết thêm thông tin ghé } 6 The Ballot Measure Process The Washington State Constitution gives voters two methods of legislative power — the initiative and the referendum. While differing in process, both initiatives and referenda leave ultimate legislative authority in the hands of the people. The Initiative The Referendum Any registered voter may propose an initiative to create Any registered voter may demand that a law proposed by a new state law or to amend or repeal an existing law. the Legislature be referred to voters prior to taking effect. Initiatives to the People are submitted for a vote Referendum Bills are proposed laws referred to of the people at the next state general election, if voters by the Legislature. certified to have sufficient signatures. Referendum Measures are laws recently passed Initiatives to the Legislature are submitted to the by the Legislature that voters have demanded, by Legislature at its regular session in January, if certified petition, be referred to voters prior to taking effect. to have sufficient signatures. A vote to approve will confirm the law. A yes vote will make an initiative law. A vote to reject will repeal the law. A no vote will prevent an initiative from becoming law. For an initiative to appear on the ballot, the sponsor For a referendum to appear on the ballot, the sponsor must circulate the complete text of the proposal among must circulate among voters the text of the legislative voters and obtain a number of voters’ signatures equal act, and obtain a number of voters’ signatures equal to to 8 percent of the total number of votes cast for the 4 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office office of Governor at the last regular gubernatorial of Governor at the last regular gubernatorial election. election. A referendum certified to the ballot must receive Initiative measures appearing on the ballot require a simple majority vote to become law (except for a simple majority vote to become law (except for gambling and lottery measures, which require 60 gambling or lottery measures, which require 60 percent percent approval). Emergency legislation is exempt approval). from the referendum process. Please note: The information here is not intended as a substitute for the statutes governing initiative and referendum processes, but rather should be read in conjunction with them. For more information go to www.vote.wa.gov and select “Initiatives & Referenda.” Initiative Measure 1185 7 procedures specified in statute. These requirements Initiative Measure do not apply to assessments made by agricultural commodity commissions or to the forest products commission. The Effect of the Proposed Measure, 1185 if Approved Proposed by initiative petition: This measure would restate the current statutory language regarding tax increases, revising it to state that any action or combination of actions by the Initiative Measure No. legislature that raises taxes may be taken only if approved by a two-thirds vote in both the house of 1185 concerns tax and representatives and the senate.