Edmonds Election 2011: Vote count for Friday — City Council races

CITY OF EDMONDS COUNCIL POS 4
51/51 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
Bob Wilcox 7,321 49.28%
Diane Buckshnis 7,474 50.31%
Write-In 62 0.42%
Total 14,857 100.00%

CITY OF EDMONDS COUNCIL POS 5
51/51 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
Joan Bloom 7,213 50.21%
DJ Wilson 7,097 49.40%
Write-In 55 0.38%
Total 14,365 100.00%

CITY OF EDMONDS COUNCIL POS 6
51/51 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
Frank Yamamoto 9,633 69.10%
Alvin Rutledge 4,260 30.56%
Write-In 47 0.34%
Total 13,940 100.00%

CITY OF EDMONDS COUNCIL POS 7
51/51 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
Darlene Stern 6,967 49.41%
Lora Petso 7,085 50.25%
Write-In 48 0.34%
Total 14,100 100.00%

  1. As we reflect on the current election it could be useful to discuss how we can make the elections better in the future. This year we had a number of good candidates willing to give of their time to help the city. Did the current election process produce the best 4 folks or are there other ways to improve the process. One idea to think about is a “top two” voting process. In this last election with 4 council seats up for grabs the process would work something like this. For the primary, all the candidates would run competing to be one of the top 8 in the primary votes. (If we had 3 seats open like our next election, then we would select the top 6 for the general) Then in the general election the top 4 would win a seat.

    Now for some other benefits:

    1. Potential Candidates would start from a position of “Here’s what I can do for Edmonds” and would not have to pick and incumbent to “target”.

    2. Incumbents who have served the public well would still have an advantage but they would have to spend more time demonstrating what they have done and would they would like to do in the future. Poor incumbents would have to convince the public that they could do better.

    3. More good candidates would come forward because of this better more positive process.

    4. The election dialog and candidate forums would change dramatically and would take on a more positive tone.

    5. In the end we would get to know what each candidate would do for Edmonds and that will provide for more informed public and better elections.

    We can only speculate how this election would have worked out with a “top two” process but anything that would make the election a more positive process and to select the best 4 to help run the city would be helpful.

  2. “More good candidates would come forward because of this better more positive process.” Then I reject your process.

    There are certainly folks who do not run because they might be called a name.
    There are certainly folks who do not run because there donors might shame them.
    There are certainly folks who do not run because their views will be challenged.
    And there are folks who claim that any challenge to anyone’s beliefs is negative.

    Such folks do not deserve to be on the Edmonds city council.

    Every candidate on the list above had a lot of guts to run for their position.
    I respect them all.

    I would rather have a process that forced some courage out of someone than one that rewarded weakness.

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