Elections 2012

Although the governor’s race is receiving the most press coverage this year, it’s not the only battle for control of state government.  Republicans think they have a chance to win control of the state Senate for the first time in a decade. Democrats also hope to increase their majority. 

Chris Grygiel, the Washington state news editor for the Associated Press, joins us with an inside look at how the parties are stacking up.

This November, voters once again have the chance to weigh in on whether to set up charter schools in Washington state. Forty-one states currently allow charter schools; Initiative 1240 is the fourth attempt since 1996 to pass a charter school law here. Supporters of charter schools say they will allow for more diversity and flexibility in education. Opponents argue charters lack a record of success and will mean a loss of revenue for public education.

The fifth and final debate between Washington’s candidates for governor was punctuated by personal attacks. Democrat Jay Inslee and Republican Rob McKenna met in Seattle Tuesday night. The format encouraged them to engage each other.

One of the most personal exchanges came when the candidates had a chance to pose a question of each other. Republican McKenna asked Inslee to explain why the Democratic candidate has yet to pick up a single daily newspaper endorsement.

Inslee responded that he doesn’t work for the newspapers.

If Republican congressional candidate John Koster has a signature campaign issue, it’s the country’s ballooning national debt.

The website for his 1st Congressional District campaign features a national debt clock ticking away. The total now stands at more than $16 trillion.

“I think one of the greatest things that we could do for our constituents and our future generations is not hamstring them with huge debt and huge deficits that they will have to pay off,” he said.

In his two decades in politics, Koster has been a staunch advocate of limited government.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The airwaves in Washington are chock-a-block with campaign ads. But one group’s missing from the fray despite its reputation for not pulling any punches. We’re talking about Washington home builders.

In June of 2008, a political action committee funded by the Building Industry Association of Washington hit the airwaves with this attack ad.

BIAW Ad: “Governor Gregoire signed the largest gas tax increase in state history.”

The “It’s Time for a Change” PAC would go on to spend more than $7 million in 2008. Even so, Gregoire won a second term.

Some senior citizens in Washington recently got a flyer in the mail from same-sex marriage supporters. It says approval of Referendum 74 will preserve domestic partnerships for seniors. Gay marriage opponents call the ad a misleading scare tactic.

The campaign backing same-sex marriage paid for the mailer. It’s targeting seniors because Referendum 74 touches on domestic partnerships between straight couples who are are 62 or older and living together.

The New York Times says Washington state’s online voter registration system is not secure. Ross Reynolds talks with Washington's assistant secretary of state, Steve Excell. 

Washington state’s online voter registration system is vulnerable to hackers, according to The New York Times.  

The newspaper said it took less than three minutes to get the information it needed to access the registrations of some unnamed executives.