Open Thread

It's election day and we're selecting candidates to move on to the general election. Did you vote? Did you check out mayoral candidates stand on education (more than one had something about it at a website)? I have no real predictions for School Board just because of the squirrely nature of the SB elections. Based on reading multiple websites, I sense that Mary Bass' base is weakened and she may not make it out of the primary. However, she is also the incumbent AND is well-known in her district. I don't sense that Kay Smith-Blum has a big base in the primary and, despite throwing a lot of money out there, she may not make it. But voters may say, "Now for something completely different..." and go with her. Or with Andre Helmstetter or the soft-spoken Joanna Cullen. I do believe that if Mary doesn't make it, it will likely be Andre and Kay.

In District 7, very hard to predict. I don't live in that area but am told that there were a lot of Wilson Chin signs and that Betty Patu has a large base. Charlie is well-known but I'm not sure about the district itself. My guess is Betty Patu versus Charlie.

What's on your mind?

FYI, I noticed that at Roosevelt that our school calendar for the year is up complete with RHS early dismissals and district early dismissals. Check your school's website if this kind of info matters to you.

Comments

Robert said…
You said about Kay "despite throwing a lot of money out there, she may not make it" Where are you getting that information about expenditures?

You may have missed it but you had Kay's largest expense off by nearly a factor of six. As I said in that previous thread I got an email from Kay's campaign and they said that the billboards were much less than $6,500 that you blogged before (just under $1200/per) making them far less expensive than any mailer to the district as well as more environmentally sound.
Charlie Mas said…
First election results from 8:04pm on August 18:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Seattle School District No. 1
Director District No. 5

Joanna Cullen.......835 11.65%
Andre Helmstetter...788 10.99%
Mary E. Bass.......2763 38.54%
Kay Smith-Blum.....2721 37.95%
Write-in.............63 0.88%

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Seattle School District No. 1
Director District No. 7

Wilson Chin........2422 41.31%
Betty Patu ........2713 46.27%
Charlie Mas.........674 11.50%
Write-in.............54 0.92%
Robert said…
dammit charlie ... my fingers are still crossed!
Megan Mc said…
I bet a lot of people dropped their ballots off at the drop off centers today - I know I did - so I don't expect to see accurate projection numbers until tomorrow.
squeagle said…
There's nothing like knowing and caring about the schools to make you realize... a lot of voters understand as much about the school races as I do about the port races, which is to say, not much.

I picked my school board candidates with gusto. But I also took a wild guess and picked a couple of port candidates. A vote is a vote is a vote.
StepJ said…
I have some emotional and intellectual favorites in the race...Charlie, Andre, and Joanna - I hope the numbers change for you for the better.
I got my information directly from the Mini reports that all candidates have to report. From Kay's:

CLEAR CHANNEL (report)

2009/06/30

$6,545.00

BILLBOARD ADVERTISING


CLEAR CHANNEL (report)

2009/07/14

$6,545.00

BILLBOARD ADVERTISING

JOHN EVANS COMPANY (report)


2009/06/30

$920.00

PRINTING OF BILLBOARDS

So yes, she spent nearly $14,000 on billboards as is her right. I'm just reporting what is on her public disclosure report. So, either her campaign is mistaken, Clear Channel is mistaken OR her disclosure report is not properly filled out.

I am also pointing out in the years I've followed campaigns I have never seen a billboard for a School Board candidate in the primary (and placed not even in their district).
I got my information directly from the Mini reports that all candidates have to report. From Kay's:

CLEAR CHANNEL (report)

2009/06/30

$6,545.00

BILLBOARD ADVERTISING


CLEAR CHANNEL (report)

2009/07/14

$6,545.00

BILLBOARD ADVERTISING

JOHN EVANS COMPANY (report)


2009/06/30

$920.00

PRINTING OF BILLBOARDS

So yes, she spent nearly $14,000 on billboards as is her right. I'm just reporting what is on her public disclosure report. So, either her campaign is mistaken, Clear Channel is mistaken OR her disclosure report is not properly filled out.

I am also pointing out in the years I've followed campaigns I have never seen a billboard for a School Board candidate in the primary (and placed not even in their district).
gavroche said…
Robert said:
As I said in that previous thread I got an email from Kay's campaign and they said that the billboards were much less than $6,500 that you blogged before (just under $1200/per) making them far less expensive than any mailer to the district as well as more environmentally sound.

I still find it curious that Kay chose to spend her money on the impersonal and kind of grandiose advertising method of billboards.

Also, $1,200 apiece still isn't chump change. Especially when you consider she bought, what is it 3 or 4 (?) of them.

Maybe Clear Channel cut her a deal. I know of political campaigns in California where mega-corp Clear Channel gave free billboard space to its favored candidates.

At any rate, lying about her education is the more significantly troubling aspect of Smith-Blum's campaign. Especially when she claims to be "data-driven."

We'll see how this election shakes out. I would guess that Andre's and Joanna's supporters would not be likely to choose Kay if she and Mary are the final two.
Robert said…
melissa i am sure we will figure this out for the general if need be ... what was said was that 14000 was for billboards and kay had several ... smart move... we will see but i do like not filling the recycle with them!
Robert said…
oh and yeah gavroche 1200 is expensive but an average mailer is a ton more than that.
Charlie Mas said…
Yes, mailers are expensive, but they are also effective.

Wilson Chin, a total unknown in the district, sent out two mailers - mailers that didn't discuss any issues at all, let alone his positions on them - and was a top vote-getter.
Jet City mom said…
I hate mailers particularly when I get more than one for the same agenda/candidate in a week. I toss them without looking at them.

I also hate computer calls, but as we don't have voice mail, I do force myself to answer the phone occasionally. ( people that need to get in touch with me have my cell #)

I will say, what ever Smith-Blum paid for the billboards, I am sure she could afford it or she wouldn't have done so ( Haven't seen any however)

What did make me pay attention was a personalized note that was sent along with a election update. I don't know her personally, but our kids go to the same school.

While I had been approached to run for the school board, I hadn't thought about it and it would have been a last minute thing.

I doubt if I did run, that I would hire billboards, but if you are gonna do it, you might as well DO IT.

But I admit that mailers also get your name out there, and some vote for whose ever name they remember ( whether it is from a mailer/yard sign/billboard), as is their right.
ArchStanton said…
gavroche said: I would guess that Andre's and Joanna's supporters would not be likely to choose Kay if she and Mary are the final two.

I hope so. I supported Andre and although I have concerns about Mary, I will support her (Mary) over Kay.
While we're worrying about closures and layoffs, did anyone see this about the district's lax oversight that results in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of district property to be lost/go unreported/and not even claimed on insurance!
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2009-08-19/news/500k-in-stolen-school-supplies-and-no-report/
Ben said…
I voted for Andre and will have a difficult time supporting Mary.

I feel bad about Charlie's race, as I truly believe Charlie was an excellent candidate and would have been an excellent council member.
Ben said…
Or, you know, board member.
h2o girl said…
Ugh Charlie, I'm sorry. I wish you'd been on my ballot.
Unknown said…
I'm sad I didn't get to vote for school board in the primary too. I hope you don't feel overly discouraged.
Sahila said…
The alternative schools' audit is coming up in October...

There are those who are advocating for charters in this state/school district... others say we dont need charters because our alternative schools already provide the best of what charter schools offer - variety of educational approach, smaller classes - without the drawbacks - extra cost, no accountability, the ability to cream off and serve only a preferred student demographic...

here's a discussion:
http://joesschool.blogs.com/olsononline/2009/06/why-charter-schools-can-never-be-models-for-school-reform.html

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

Why the Majority of the Board Needs to be Filled with New Faces

First Candidates for Seattle School Board Elections 2023