The race for the state Senate seat in the 1st Legislative District reflects a statewide battle.
Incumbent state Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe has financial backing from the Washington Education Association, some WEA-related political action committees and other teachers’ and principals’ organizations.
McAuliffe, chairwoman of the Senate committee on education, was a major backer of the law that defined basic education a few years ago.
Republican challenger Dawn McCravey and her supporters have criticized McAuliffe for blocking efforts to make teacher performance a major factor in keeping teachers at times of layoffs and for opposing charter schools.
McCravey has reported raising $206,502 and spending $128,819 to McAuliffe’s $180,392 raised and $147,983 spent.
But the big money has come in independent expenditures — $93,272 supporting McAuliffe and $281,549 opposing her, and $26,000 opposing McCravey.
Much of the independent expenditures supporting McAuliffe come from the WEA and related organizations.
Of the independent money opposing McAuliffe, $65,518 comes from the “Stand for Children Washington PAC.” Many of the large contributors to “Stand for Children” also have made major contributions to support the charter schools initiative.
Much of the money donated directly to the candidates comes from Democratic and Republican organizations.
That’s because Republicans view the seat as one that can help them gain the three seats they need to gain control of the Senate, and Democrats view it as one they need to defend,
The 1st Legislative District includes most of Mountlake Terrace, all of Brier and Bothell, part of Kirkland, unincorporated areas of King County between Bothell and Kirkland, and unincorporated areas of Snohomish County north and east of Bothell.
Ballot drop boxes open in Edmonds, Lynnwood
Voters can leave ballots at 24-hour drop boxes in Edmonds, Lynnwood and nine other locations around Snohomish County.
The Edmonds drop box is outside the Edmonds Library. The Lynnwood drop box is outside the Lynnwood City Hall.
The boxes will be open until 8 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 6.
The drop boxes have been open for a few weeks to accommodate military members who got ballots early.
Other locations are in Arlington, Everett, Marysville, Monroe, Mukilteo, Snohomish and Stanwood and at McCollum Park south of Everett.
New Washington voters can register through Oct. 29
New Washington voters can register to vote in the Nov. 6 general election through Monday, but they must register in person at the Snohomish County auditor’s office in Everett.
The deadline for current Washington voters to change their voting addresses or for anyone to register on line or by mail was Nov. 8.
Voters who register during the three weeks between the two deadlines can either vote on the spot at the auditor’s office or get a ballot in the mail.
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.
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