Elections 2012

Young adults aged 18 to 29 currently account for 21 percent of the eligible voting population. In the last four presidential elections, voter turnout among this population has slowly but steadily risen to almost 51 percent in 2008. Here in Washington state, there are 982,000 eligible youth voters for the 2012 election.

Ross Reynolds talks with Tufts researcher Abby Kiesa about what is getting out the youth vote in this year's election.

Procrastinators. That’s how a lot people described themselves while waiting in line Monday for voter registration. It was the final deadline for Washington residents to register for the Nov. 6 election. Hopeful voters had to fill out the paperwork in person since the deadline had already passed to register by mail or online.

With just over a week to go, news outlets are inundated with polling results gaging voter sentiment in the presidential election — up to 20 state and national polls are coming out every day, often with different results. Which ones can you trust? How are they conducted? Washington Post polling director Jon Cohen helps us separate the signal from the noise.

The stakes in this race are high for both political parties. There are three open Congressional seats in the state this year, and Republicans say the 1st District is their best chance to win one.

Candidates John Koster (R) and Suzan DelBene (D) sit down with KUOW's Ross Reynolds for a debate. The candidates address the economy, women's reproductive issues and each other's campaigns thus far.

Former state Senator Kathleen Drew wants to become the first Democrat in nearly 50 years to hold the office of Washington's Secretary of State. She faces Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman in November. Both candidates join us in the studio.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Democratic Party says it will not return $60,000 in contributions from a controversial spiritual leader from Yelm, Washington. This, despite the release of a video that shows JZ Knight delivering a profanity-laced attack on the Catholic Church and others.

In the video, Knight paces a stage in front of a large boisterous audience. In events like these she claims to be channeling an ancient male spirit named Ramtha. Knight as Ramtha uses the f-word repeatedly and rails against Catholics and the Catholic Church.

Democrat Jay Inslee sits down with Ross Reynolds for his final KUOW interview before the election.

Republican challenger, Rob McKenna, was last on The Conversation September 28. Listen to parts one and two of his interview.

We’ve been focused on local elections and the presidential race; today we'll look at the national picture and how the balance of power in Congress may shift. How many seats do Republicans need to take the Senate? Can Democrats win back the House? Jill Jackson of CBS News joins us with a look at the races to watch.

Republican Bill Driscoll and Democrat Derek Kilmer are running to replace US Representative Norm Dicks in Washington state’s 6th Congressional District.  The district encompasses the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, much of Tacoma and Bainbridge Island.

Since 1977 most of the 6th District has been Norm Dicks country. In fact, many of the voters in this election grew up with the formidable Democrat as their representative. Now that he’s retiring, Dicks has endorsed Gig Harbor Democratic State Senator Derek Kilmer as his successor.