Elections 2012

Transcript

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Tonight the presidential candidates meet for the final debate of this presidential election. President Obama and Republican Mitt Romney will be in Boca Raton, Florida. The event will focus on foreign policy, which was never expected to rival the economy as a major issue in this campaign. But foreign policy has played a bigger role than anticipated in recent weeks.

The Seattle Times Company began running its own political ads on Wednesday in support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna and same-sex marriage.

Industry observers are questioning this new move.

Alan Fisco, an executive with The Seattle Times, says print newspapers miss out on the millions of dollars in campaign spending that go to broadcast television.

You may have already received your state voter's pamphlet in the mail. How much do you trust the candidate's statements?

We talk to Shane Hamlin, elections co-director for the Office of the Secretary of State, about a controversial statement by a candidate for King County Superior Court.

Should marijuana be taxed and regulated in Washington state? Initiative 502 would allow for the sale and possession of marijuana for adults over 21. If voters approve I-502, Washington state would be out front in challenging federal marijuana policy. We discuss legalizing pot with Alison Holcomb of New Approach Washington, Douglas Hiatt of Sensible Washington, former DEA administrator Peter Bensinger and former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper.

Voters in Pierce and Thurston counties are about to cast their first general election ballots in Washington’s new 10th Congressional District. Government jobs are an important anchor there: the two biggest employers are the US military and the state of Washington. Combining these voter groups could make for an interesting challenge. The district’s biggest city is actually Lakewood, near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, with a population larger than Olympia’s.

Washington lawmakers have a mandate from the State Supreme Court to fully fund basic K-12 education.  State School Superintendent Randy Dorn says that will cost taxpayers an additional $4.1 billion per year.

Dorn’s running unopposed for a second term as Superintendent of Public Instruction.  He joins David Hyde to talk about school funding, the debate over charter schools and other issues in education.    
 

KCTS 9 is releasing a new Washington Poll today on the major races and issues on November’s ballot. David Hyde breaks down the numbers and what they mean with University of Washington political science professor, Matt Barreto.

Washington is one of four states that will vote on same-sex marriage in just a few weeks. History is on the line, as one of these states could be the first to approve gay marriage by a vote of the people. The campaigns on both sides are intensifying efforts to connect with voters but there’s a stark contrast in their strategies.

Here, gay marriage opponents have set up their campaign headquarters in a quiet strip mall just off I-5 in Lynnwood. Their office is tucked in next to a hair salon, a dry cleaners and a chain pizza restaurant.

The Seattle School Board said a unanimous "no" to charter schools last night. The board members approved a resolution against Initiative 1240, which would bring up to 40 charter schools to Washington over five years.