Front-runners in election director's nonpartisan race have political backing

Next Tuesday's special election for King County elections director is, ostensibly, a nonpartisan affair.

The charter amendment voters approved in November — making the job an elected position — specified that ballots would make no mention of candidates' party preferences.

But the six-way race may be boiling down to a contest between two front-runners with strong backing from the parties with which they've associated their entire political careers.

Incumbent Sherril Huff, appointed by Democratic King County Executive Ron Sims in 2007 to serve as elections director, is receiving strong support from Sims and Democratic organizations. Sims appeared with Huff when she announced her candidacy.

Former King County Councilmember David Irons has won the county Republican Party's endorsement and has countywide name recognition from his 2005 run for county executive. Among those backing Irons on automated phone calls is the state's highest-ranking Republican, Attorney General Rob McKenna.

Thanks to his personal contributions to his campaign, Irons also has reported receiving five times as much money as Huff.

Another well-known Republican on the ballot, 18-year state Sen. Pam Roach of Auburn, is best known in the southeastern part of the county, where her legislative district straddles the King-Pierce County line.

The presence of two prominent Republicans on the ballot, while Democrats coalesce around Huff, is widely seen as working to Huff's advantage. "I think Roach is playing the spoiler," said Huff campaign consultant Christian Sinderman.

Roach's effort has been handicapped by the annual fundraising blackout that bars state legislators from raising money during or close to the legislative session. The blackout went into effect the day after the candidate filing period ended.

Roach raised $3,200 before the blackout but is benefiting from a $3,040 independent expenditure by the newly created Citizens for a Better Washington for automated phone calls supporting her.

Huff has reported total contributions of $19,821 and Irons $112,371 — $103,460 of it his money — to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Three other candidates, former King County Elections Superintendent Julie Kempf, high-school teacher Christopher Clifford and retired banking manager Bill Anderson, are running without party backing and no money for advertising.

The first King County-wide election held almost entirely by mail, the contest also is unusual in that there is no primary.

Although it is mathematically possible for someone to win the $146,000-a-year job with no more than 17 percent of the vote, many observers think the lion's share of votes will go to Irons and Huff — and possibly to Roach.

Huff and Irons have handled contributions from political parties differently. Both campaigns have received money from local party organizations. Irons returned the $1,500 he got from the Fifth District Republican Political Committee, while Huff kept $1,000 from the 47th District Democrats.

By choosing to make a previously appointed position an elected, nonpartisan post, Irons said, voters showed they "are not happy with party politics. ... That's why I decided if we're going to do this race, we're going to do it at the highest level and step away from all party politics."

Despite the symbolism of Irons' gesture, Sinderman said Huff's decision to keep her donation doesn't mean she is more partisan: "I think a more accurate way of looking at it is she's the experienced, nonpartisan candidate." Although she has Democratic Party support, Sinderman said, "Primarily she's running on her credentials and her record of reform as the current office holder."

Many voters have received "robocalls" calls from Sims on behalf of Huff and from County Councilmember Kathy Lambert, a Republican, backing Irons in the past several days.

GOP leaders suggest Sims and state Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz pressured several candidates with backgrounds as Democrats to back out of the race during a meeting at Democratic headquarters after Huff's last-minute decision to run.

"I'm not exactly sure what powers of persuasion Ron Sims and Dwight Pelz may have used in order to convince all of those candidates to not file during the filing period, but they were effective," said Toby Nixon, who ran the campaign to make elections director an elected post.

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