Exit133

October 23, 2009 · Derek · archive: txp/article

Who's Your Number 2 for Pierce County Auditor?

So far in this election cycle we haven’t written much about the Pierce County Auditor race. Sure, there’s the Julie Anderson vs Jan Shabro race. But, don’t forget about Will Baker. And, as a post on the TNT Opinion blog points out, because of Ranked Choice Voting Will Baker could be our next auditor (turn up your sound before hitting that link).

From the editors at The News Tribune:

Shabro and Anderson are sharing the county’s ranked-choice ballot with Will Baker, a self-aggrandizing clown with a history of arrests and disorderly conduct convictions.

The nightmare scenario (alluded to in today’s editorial) is that Baker will wind up a hair ahead of one of the other two in a three-way race, then win in the next round when second-ranked candidates are counted. It’s conceivable that some of Anderson’s supporters will make Baker their second preference and that some of Shabro’s supporters will do the same rather than cast their second-choice vote for their candidate’s major opponent.

Now that would be an interesting twist on this year’s election.

Link to The News Tribune

Filed under: elections, pierce-county

13 comments

  • Justin Camarata October 23, 2009

    THANK YOU. No one else seems to know (or care) that under RCV, Will Baker actually has a shot at winning the Auditor seat.

    I voted for my first choice and wrote someone else in for the other two. If the International Man of Diplomacy gets elected, it won’t be because of how I voted.

  • jamie from thriceallamerican October 23, 2009

    Dale Washam was voted Assessor-Treasurer not “because of RCV” but because people voted for him. So if you don’t want Will Baker to be elected for Auditor, then don’t vote for him…not for first choice, second choice, or third choice, no matter how amusing you find his voters guide statements over the years.

    RCV is not that confusing, no matter what anyone says…we’re smart here, right? Just think of choice #2 as your vote if your first choice was eliminated in a primary election, and so on down the ballot, and bam, we’ve saved all sorts of money by only having to have one ballot instead of both a primary and general ballot.

    I’m really sick and tired of people blaming things on RCV. Let’s take it seriously, give it a chance, and then make judgments rather than just making it our scapegoat ‘cause it’s different.

  • DavidS October 23, 2009

    If Baker wins it’s not “because of RCV.” It’s because of partisanship run amok. If the D’s & R’s hate the other’s candidate so much that they are willing to put a criminal in office rather than the opposing party, then so be it. But we will get the government we deserve.

  • RR Anderson October 23, 2009

    1. Will Baker
    2. Julie Anderson
    3. The Traveller

  • jamie from thriceallamerican October 23, 2009

    RR certainly just dropped us a whole load of his #2 there…

  • JJ October 26, 2009

    1.The Traveller (Robert Jesse Hill)
    2.RR Anderson
    3.A Computer.

  • RR Anderson October 27, 2009

    1. Steve Rodriguez
    2. The Honorable State Master Hill
    3. DB Cooper

  • tom waits October 27, 2009

    there is no way will baker would end up with any rank on my ballot even if he were the only candidate.

    RCV is not that hard to understand. i actually like it. but for others, it is a convenient scapegoat.

    dale washam is also a loon and i didn’t vote for him, either.

  • Jim C October 27, 2009

    Heh. Unfortunately self-aggrandizing, criminal clowns are the only kind that ever get into politics; I would much prefer a happy one with floppy shoes and a bicycle horn. BTW, I voted for my girlfriend’s dad. He’s a good guy and former TFD.

  • Papasan October 28, 2009

    I’ve figured a way around RCV. It’s the right-in. vote.
    1. Whomever you REALLY want to get the job.
    2. WRITE-IN VOTE
    3. WRITE-IN VOTE

    I usually write in “None of the above” in both spots. It’s a write in, they HAVE to count it.It won’t go for #2 and it DAMN SURE won’t go for Will Baker.
    Where there’s a will, there’s a way around a STUPID SYSTEM.

  • The_Traveller-in-Tacoma October 28, 2009

    Listen, this is Mr. Hill speaking, and Will Baker is going to get what any average Libertarian Party member should get right now…and that’s 6% (six percent in ALPHA).

    Julie has this bascially sewn up
    http://ElectJulieAnderson.org/inthenews.html
    (and it’s helped by Shabro’s bungling of the administration of ballot-postage) and that’s why I’ve spent the energy I have on her campaign. Because it still matters, in the process, How one gets elected. And she will implement, with my help & oversight, a better RCV election…whenever the next one is.

    The question is not “What percentage of Baker’s 2nd-choices go to Anderson?” but “JUST HOW MUCH OVER 60% go to Anderson?” Will, generally, is fighting corruption, even if it’s a minor, petty issue of a few less words in the pamphlet. And Julie has laid out a strong Good-Government (a/k/a/ Lawful Government) strategy/platform. I, Generally, fight the bigger corruption battles…such as…Sheriff’s department sheriffs—or Prosecuting Attorneys….

  • Pegsterdtown October 28, 2009

    The Travellar is back!!!!!!

  • RR Anderson October 28, 2009

    Driscoll reports contacting him at the volcano offices.