Wrapping up the final legal issue related to the recall of Councilmember Kshama Sawant, last Friday King County Superior court Judge Jim Rogers ruled on the deadline for when the recall campaign must submit the required signatures to get the recall on the election ballot, giving them until October 19 to gather just over 10,000 signatures.
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Judge certifies updated recall petition against Sawant
This afternoon, King County Superior court Jim Rogers briefly heard oral arguments and quickly issued a ruling certifying an updated ballot synopsis for the recall petition against Councilmember Sawant. That allows the recall campaign to immediately turn to signature-gathering, though Judge Rogers still must resolve one remaining issue related to how long the campaign has to turn in the required signatures.
Continue readingCompassion Seattle files new version of proposed charter amendment on homelessness
Yesterday afternoon the “Compassion Seattle” campaign filed an updated version of its proposed charter amendment ballot initiative, with two key changes to address critiques of the effort that have emerged since the initiative was first unveiled.
Continue readingCatching up with the Sawant recall
A lot has happened since April 1 when the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that the recall petition against Councilmember Kshama Sawant could move forward.
Continue readingProposed charter amendment writes plan for addressing homelessness
This afternoon a new campaign calling itself Compassion Seattle filed a charter amendment proposition that would codify a set of policies and strategies for the city to combat homelessness.
Continue readingUnderstanding the City Council Redistricting Process
As if election years weren’t fun enough, the time has come for the first Seattle City Council redistricting, when boundaries get adjusted to rebalance the populations of the seven Council districts.
Continue readingCatching up on court cases: January 8, 2021
It’s time for a quick catch-up on three court cases: the Sawant recall petition, the ACLU/Black Lives Matter crowd control weapons case, and the landlords’ challenge to the city and state eviction moratoria.
Continue readingDurkan won’t run for re-relection
In an email to her supporters, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced this morning that she will not run for re-election in 2021.
Continue readingThe Sawant recall: a tale of two campaigns
As the legal proceedings in the effort to recall District 3 City Council member Sawant begin to wind down, the election campaigns — both for and against recall — are spinning up. Over the last two months the “Recall Sawant” campaign and the “Kshama Solidarity” campaign have both formally organized, filed their paperwork, and begun furious fundraising. While there are many similarities between the two sides of the recall — including their use of mailchimp to send out regular missives demonizing their opponent while pleading for money (Recall Sawant, Kshama Solidarity) — their campaign finance filings reveal some stark differences …
Continue readingState Supreme Court sets schedule to decide Sawant recall petition appeal
Today the Washington State Supreme Court set the briefing schedule for Council member Sawant’s appeal of a lower court’s certification of a recall petition against her, with an expectation that it will decide the matter in early January.
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