Irons, Kempf endorsed for King County director of elections

Two former King County officials — ex-County Councilmember David Irons and former Elections Superintendent Julie Anne Kempf — received a dual blessing Monday as candidates for King County director of elections.

Citizens for Accountable Elections, the political committee that pushed to make the post an elected position, named Irons and Kempf as the best qualified of eight potential candidates who had sought the group's endorsement.

In choosing them, the group passed over other well-known political figures, including state Sen. Pam Roach, Seattle Port Commissioner Lloyd Hara and former King County Elections Manager Ellen Hansen.

Voters last month approved a charter amendment that changes the job of county elections director from a position appointed by the county executive to one elected by voters. Candidates must file between Dec. 10 and 12 to run in a special Feb. 3 election that will be conducted without a primary. The nonpartisan job will pay $146,000.

Irons, a former cable-TV executive and Metropolitan King County councilmember, ran unsuccessfully in 2005 as the Republican candidate for county executive against incumbent Ron Sims.

Since then, he has managed a company that provides telecommunications support to gatherings at convention centers and hotels.

Kempf was elections superintendent in 2002 when thousands of absentee ballots were mailed late, and she was fired for allegedly lying about the reasons for the late mailing — a charge she has consistently denied.

Citizens for Accountable Elections Chair Toby Nixon said Irons is qualified to run elections because of his management experience, his knowledge of county politics and his proposed 2005 charter amendment which, had it been adopted, would have made the job of elections director an elected post sooner.

Nixon said Kempf, who has a Democratic background, knows the nuts and bolts of running elections and, as a member of the Accountable Elections steering committee, campaigned for passage of the charter amendment that made the job an elected position.

Among other possible candidates interviewed by Accountable Elections supporters were businessman and one-time Republican legislative candidate David Doud; Joe Fain, chief of staff to County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer; and Valley Medical Center district commissioner and former Maple Valley City Manager Anthony Hemstad.

Chris Clifford, a high-school teacher who is attempting to recall Seattle Port Commissioner Pat Davis, and Jason Osgood, a critic of computerized-vote-counting, have announced their candidacy but did not participate in the endorsement process.

Ross Baker, who is leaving his job as the County Council's chief of staff this week, filed as a candidate last week with the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com