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Olympia Shatters Campaign Cash Record; $370k and Counting
16
Oct
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Olympia Shatters Campaign Cash Record; $370k and Counting

The 10 candidates vying for five Olympia City Council seats in this November’s general election have raised an eye-popping total of $329,670 they hope will carry them into office. Add in the bucks raised by the four who lost primary elections, and the grand total is just a bit more than $370,973 so far. The previous record was $176,659 in 2009 when four seats were up. The most expensive race to date and likely the most closely watched is between incumbent Jim Cooper and political newcomer Spence Weigand. Between the two of them, they’ve raised $117,819 and spent $81,652. Weigand…
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Ballots and Drive-Through Voter Assistance Available for August 3 Primary Election
02
Aug
By Guest Contributor
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2021 Elections, Columns, Features

Ballots and Drive-Through Voter Assistance Available for August 3 Primary Election

News Release   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 29, 2021  CONTACT:     Mary Hall  TCAuditor@co.thurston.wa.us  360.786.5408     711 Washington Relay  Ballots and Drive-Through Voter Assistance Available for August 3 Primary Election 14.83% of Thurston County ballots have been returned in the Aug 3, 2021 Primary Election   OLYMPIA – The Thurston County Auditor’s Office reminds voters the deadline to return ballots for the Primary Election is Tuesday, August 3.  If you’ve not received a ballot or you’ve misplaced your ballot, you can request a replacement.   ·       Email elections@co.thurston.wa.us  ·       Call the Auditor’s Elections Division at 360.786.5408   ·       Download a ballot at VoteWA.gov  ·       Visit the Voting Center at 2400 Evergreen Park Dr. SW, Olympia, WA 98502   Return envelopes must be postmarked by Tuesday, August 3, or deposited into one of 29 ballot drop boxes no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day. Drop box locations are listed at ThurstonVotes.org, in the voters’ pamphlet, and in the ballot packet. Voters who mail…
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2021 Olympia City Council Position 7 Candidates
22
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

2021 Olympia City Council Position 7 Candidates

Heard around Olympia: “I don’t know anything about these people.” What people? These people: The 14 who are running for five seats on the Olympia City Council. Of the five races, four have primary races involving three candidates. In each of the four, two will advance based on the August 3 primary election results. That’s a lot of candidates, and it is unusual for five seats to be up for grabs in a single year. The races are non-partisan and despite the fact that council candidates run for a position, all are elected “at-large,” meaning city residents may vote in…
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2021 Olympia City Council Position 2 Candidates
22
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

2021 Olympia City Council Position 2 Candidates

Heard around Olympia: “I don’t know anything about these people.” What people? These people: The 14 who are running for five seats on the Olympia City Council. Of the five races, four have primary races involving three candidates. In each of the four, two will advance based on the August 3 primary election results. That’s a lot of candidates, and it is unusual for five seats to be up for grabs in a single year. The races are non-partisan and despite the fact that council candidates run for a position, all are elected “at-large,” meaning city residents may vote in…
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2021 Olympia City Council Position 6 Candidates
20
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

2021 Olympia City Council Position 6 Candidates

Heard around Olympia: “I don’t know anything about these people.” What people? These people: The 14 who are running for five seats on the Olympia City Council. Of the five races, four have primary races involving three candidates. In each of the four, two will advance based on the August 3 primary election results. That’s a lot of candidates, and it is unusual for five seats to be up for grabs in a single year. The races are non-partisan and despite the fact that council candidates run for a position, all are elected “at-large,” meaning city residents may vote in…
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Olympia City Council Position 5 Candidates
19
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Olympia City Council Position 5 Candidates

Heard around Olympia: “I don’t know anything about these people.” What people? These people: The 14 who are running for five seats on the Olympia City Council. Of the five races, four have primary races involving three candidates. In each of the four, two will advance based on the August 3 primary election results. That’s a lot of candidates, and it is unusual for five seats to be up for grabs in a single year. The races are non-partisan and despite the fact that council candidates run for a position, all are elected “at-large,” meaning city residents may vote in…
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Olympia City Council Position 4 Candidates
19
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Olympia City Council Position 4 Candidates

Heard around Olympia: “I don’t know anything about these people.” What people? These people: The 14 who are running for five seats on the Olympia City Council. Of the five races, four have primary races involving three candidates. In each of the four, two will advance based on the August 3 primary election results. That’s a lot of candidates, and it is unusual for five seats to be up for grabs in a single year. The races are non-partisan and despite the fact that council candidates run for a position, all are elected “at-large,” meaning city residents may vote in…
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2021 Port of Olympia Commissioner District 3 Candidate Profiles
16
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

2021 Port of Olympia Commissioner District 3 Candidate Profiles

Editor's Note: Commissioner District 3 is the largest of the three commissioner districts, but that's due to the fact that Capitol Forest takes up about half of it. It's on the west end of Thurston County and includes the cities of Tumwater and Bucoda, a sliver of Tenino, the western half of Olympia, and a bit of the Chehalis Indian Reservation in the southwest corner. The Port of Olympia, a sprawling public enterprise that’s been besieged by controversy and is millions of dollars in debt, will have two new commissioners in 2022. The decision by Commissioner E.J. Zita (Port District…
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2021 Port of Olympia Commissioner District 2 Candidates
15
Jul
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

2021 Port of Olympia Commissioner District 2 Candidates

Editor's Note: District 2 is the easternmost commissioner district in Thurston County. Its eastern border follows the meandering Nisqually River. District 2 includes much of Lacey including the Jubilee and Hawk's Prairie areas and includes parts of the Nisqually Indian Reservation and Joint Base Lewis McChord and the cities of Rainier and Yelm. The Port of Olympia, a sprawling public enterprise that’s been besieged by controversy and is millions of dollars in debt, will have two new commissioners in 2022. The decision by Commissioner E.J. Zita (Port District 3) to not seek re-election had been expected. Commissioner Bill McGregor’s (Port…
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Oly Council Races Locked In & On-Track for Record $$$
31
May
By Mindy Chambers
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2021 Elections, City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Oly Council Races Locked In & On-Track for Record $$$

The field is set... And the campaign contributions are flowing. Fourteen people, including four incumbents, are diving into Olympia’s 2021 political arena, seeking election to a City Council that continues to wrestle with the incredibly thorny issues of police reform; public safety; incorporating equity and diversity and inclusion into how the city does its daily business; homelessness and housing; and pandemic-related difficulties experienced by small businesses and their employees, workers at a high risk due to COVID 19, landlords and renters, and others.  Council members are elected to four-year terms, unless they are filling the remainder of a term for…
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