Rich Medved and Lloyd Hara won't face voters until November, but they're revving up their campaigns for King County assessor by posting Web sites, and soliciting endorsements and contributions.

Hara, a Seattle Port commissioner, has raised $19,450, and lists scores of endorsements, many from well known city and state officials, labor unions and Democratic Party district organizations.

Medved, who was former Assessor Scott Noble's chief deputy and became interim assessor when his boss resigned last week, has raised $5,400 and has the support of 10 current and former assessors from around the state, plus a number of other state and local officials.

One endorsement that may or may not work to his political advantage comes from Noble, who hired Medved but resigned before he was sentenced for felony vehicular assault in connection with a drunken, wrong-way collision on Interstate 5.

Before his resignation, Noble sent an e-mail to the nine Metropolitan King County Council members urging them to support Medved -- "the qualified candidate" -- over Hara.

Noble blamed Hara for raising the Port's property taxes by 20 percent over two years. "I cannot support anyone with this kind of property tax record."

Medved isn't shying away from Noble's support.

"Scott was one of the most outstanding assessors in the United States," Medved said today. "To have the endorsement by someone of that caliber, that's a positive. He made a huge mistake, but that's not related to his work in the office."