Seattle School Board Elections Primary 2017

Ballot Update (Thursday at 4:30 pm)


It appears to me that the people who are in first place in each race are widening their lead.

In District IV, Camet's numbers are slightly down, Mack's continue to climb.  Lisa Melenyzer has also gained numbers.

In District V, DeWolf's numbers have climbed, Vasquez is slightly down from yesterday.

Same for District VII but Byers number is only down a tick.

There is a Friday drop at 4:30 pm and I think that may be the final tally that will count.

end of update


Ballot Total Update (Wednesday, 4:30 pm)

Eden Mack, 68.24%
Herbert J. Camet, Jr. 8.2%%

Zachary Pullin DeWolf, 43.32%
Omar Vasquez, 18.02%
Andre Helmstetter, 16.25%

Betty Patu, 65.58%
Chelsea Byers, 22.95%

No real shifts.  KC Elections has this at 22.22% of the ballots count and the next drop is tomorrow at 4:30 pm.

end of update

Looks like:

District IV:
Eden Mack 67.46%
Herbert J. Camet, Jr. 8.20%

This outcome seems odd to me as Megan Locatelli Hyska was the SEA choice (and clearly they didn't get the vote out here).  

District V
What I feared is what happened; Alec Cooper and Andre Helmstetter split the votes and Omar Vasquez, 18.18%, got in and now faces against Zachary Pullin DeWolf, 43.19%. 

What you can expect in the general election is a lot of outside money trying to get the ed reformer Vasquez on the board.   I don't think it will work again Pullin DeWolf.

District VII
Betty Patu, 65.52%, is far ahead of challenger, Chelsea Byers, 22.76%.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
Isn't it too early to call? They have a lot more ballots to count so the District V race is still going as far as I'm concerned.

-GoAlec
kcleland said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
kcleland said…
in VII Chelsea's got a lot going for her. She'll have to really work on name recognition, but her skills for School Board, and her intentions are outstanding. She'd make a big difference.
Well, I note that just 19% of the ballots had been counted. So yes, things could change in District V. Let's cross our fingers for that.

Intentions for the board? I'm not sure Byers has been all that clear about her intentions except for more STEM.
Anonymous said…
Andre HELMSTETTER is gaining ground!

HP
Anonymous said…
@HP-how do you know? Updates results with a next round of numbers won't be posted until 4:30.

Sources
One interesting note is that neither Herbert Camet nor Candace Vaivadas ran any visible campaign. He came out ahead of everyone else in District IV (save Mack) and she seems to be playing the spoiler in the 2nd District V race with 770 votes.
Anonymous said…
Hopefully, oh so hopefully, the progressive votes (which traditionally come in later and are not represented fully in the first day count) will put ANDRE HELMSTETTER in a secure position ahead of charter-school-board-member, TFA, Inc. teacher, questionably-funded Vasquez.

Helmstetter Supporter
Cap hill said…
What I understand to be true is that King County Elections forecasts a 38% participation rate and that 19% of eligible ballots have been returned...which suggests anyway that 50% of the total ballots have yet to be counted.

So we may or may not have a different result.

Just for grins, note that most academic research on ballot order give a 2-4% advantage to the person listed first versus last...and that this advantage tends to be larger in down ballot / crowded races. Omar was first on the ballot due to a random draw. No excuses, but interesting to note.

--Cap Hill
Anonymous said…
Just for grins, we are excited to see what the 114,839 ballots that are currently in the queue to be tallied up for school board candidates in Seattle reveal. And keeping fingers crossed for Helmstetter.

--NCap Hill
Another Name said…
I'm not interested in having a man without children in Seattle Public Schools represent me and my children.
Ebenezer said…
Unfortunately, there's not much change with today's vote total update.

Regarding Camet, Vasquez, and Byers, I wonder how many people voted for them because they were listed first on the ballot. I'd guess it's a small percentage, but Camet getting second is very strange. And with some races so close and turnout light, a small percentage swing can make the difference.
Ebenezer said…
@Cap Hill, sorry, I didn't read your comment closely enough before posting. I hadn't heard of the 2%-4% figure before, but it makes sense.
Well, Camet doesn't have kids, Vasquez doesn't have kids, DeWolf doesn't have kids and neither does Byers. So if that's your criteria, it's pretty easy for you to decide who to vote for.

Anonymous said…
Wow. I think that our schools are part of our community investment and so having children and their use of the schools is a non-starter.


GMG
Another Name said…
Having children in the schools is an enormous advantage. These are the people that have to navigate the system on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Gates does not have children the schools. How does that work out? Always a great idea to experiment on other people's children.
Anonymous said…
How about replacing the word "experiment" with the word "invest"?

In the case of Mr DeWolf, I can't think of a better person to want to get involved with instituting change and bring fresh eyes to the running of SPS. I know he will be engaged and a representative voice for families, as he has proven again and again in his time as Capitol Hill Community Council President.

His seeking to be on the school board before choosing to have kids is a tremendous statement about him caring about what happens in our community.


GMG
Wondering said…
Is DeWolfe involved with the Urbanist? Is this the same group that advocates to develop, which ultimately displaces low income families? I would like to know.
Wondering said…
What type of partnership would DeWolfe like to see with the Gates Foundation? I would like to know.
Anonymous said…
Really? It seems like you are more interested in character assasination? Feeling a little Trumpy today?

http://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2017/06/seattle-school-board-elections-2017_11.html

GMG
GMG, are you talking to me and if so, about whom?
Authentic Community said…
'While the YIMBYs didn’t make this change happen on their own, their support helped provide political cover for Murray and his neighborhood department director, Kathy Nyland (a former Georgetown neighborhood activist who is openly sympathetic to the YIMBY cause), for what turned out to be a controversial move. Many neighborhood activists liked the neighborhood councils as they were.

Saxman says he admires a lot of what DeWolf has done to bring new people into the council, but argues that “they’re falling short” when it comes to including more racial minorities, longtime residents and low-income people. “I don’t think they’re authentically community-based,” he says."

https://thecisforcrank.com/tag/urbanism-2/
C. Crank said…
Zachary DeWolfe is running for Seattle Public Schools board of directors. He also works for the city's housing department. Here is some interesting information:

'While the YIMBYs didn’t make this change happen on their own, their support helped provide political cover for Murray and his neighborhood department director, Kathy Nyland (a former Georgetown neighborhood activist who is openly sympathetic to the YIMBY cause), for what turned out to be a controversial move. Many neighborhood activists liked the neighborhood councils as they were.

Saxman says he admires a lot of what DeWolf has done to bring new people into the council, but argues that “they’re falling short” when it comes to including more racial minorities, longtime residents and low-income people. “I don’t think they’re authentically community-based,” he says."

https://thecisforcrank.com/tag/urbanism-2/

Given the above article, "Saxman says he admires a lot of what DeWolf has done to bring new people into the council, but argues that “they’re falling short” when it comes to including more racial minorities, longtime residents and low-income people. “I don’t think they’re authentically community-based,” he says."

Community members were vilified. They were depicted as white people. Here is what happened in DeWolfe's Central District:
Not everyone agrees with this sentiment, however. Dan Sanchez (a man of color), chair of the Central Area District Council, balks at the description of his council as exclusionary. The 2013 report shows African Americans and other people of color account for 35 percent of the Central Area Council’s membership.

“Most people are just insulted that the mayor accused us of being some exclusive white privileged organization … We have representatives from the African American museum, the Central Area Chamber of Commerce, just a year ago we admitted the Union Street Business Association, an African American business group,” says Sanchez. and "“We had no heads up at all … every community council is furious. Not the District Councils, but the member organizations,” Sanchez says."

http://crosscut.com/2016/07/seattle-neighborhood-district-council-mayor-ed-murray-upended-reactions/

Sure looks like DeWolfe was part of Murray's bludgeon. In the end, "short” when it comes to including more racial minorities, longtime residents and low-income people. “I don’t think they’re authentically community-based,” he says."

Good luck with another city bureaucrat.

C. Crank said…
Meanwhile, a couple weeks ago, there were four fires that involved homeless people. Tearing down of Community Councils were cited as one reason for the unrest in our communities. Thanks DeWolfe.
First, it'd be nice if you'd spell his name correctly, DeWolf. I'll bet Erica did.

I think that's a big leap you're taking there C. Crank (and I'll bet Erica wouldn't like that).

But then, if you are trying to make Vasquez look better, I guess this is what you would do.
It Matters said…
School board members are supposed to represent their communities. I want to know if DeWolf had a hand in shutting down the voices of the people. Councils were shut down without warning and without a replacement structure in place. I want to know if DeWolf gave the mayor political cover- for the district in which he seeks to represent. I want to know that the existing structure is comprised of a diverse group of individuals.

“No one knew it was happening."
Dan Sanchez sits on a bench in the Central District, and proudly talks about the district council he chairs."

Dan Sanchez, chair of the Central Area council, calls the mayor's plan ‘AstroTurf organizing’. That is, fake grass roots.

http://www.king5.com/news/politics/district-councils-raise-concern-over-mayors-executive-order/278279741

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