Local News

OLYMPIA — Washington has the second best election system in the United States, according to a 17-indicator index released Tuesday.

The Pew Charitable Trusts study is based on data from the 2010 election. It will be updated with 2012 statistics later this year, officials said.

North Dakota placed first in the index. Mississippi finished last. Oregon, which along with Washington uses all-mail voting, tied for third.

When the numbers were run for the 2008 election, however, Washington finished eighth.

The index touts itself as the “first-ever comprehensive assessment of election administration.” It is based on indicators ranging from voter registration and turnout rates to voting wait time, voting-information look-up tools and absentee-ballot return rate.

“It’s great news that Washington is one of the very top states when it comes to the accessibility and integrity of elections and voter registration,” Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman wrote in a news release about the index. “I appreciate the hard work put into the index and how it provides an objective set of measurements to look at how we and other states are conducting elections.”

The index does not include anything about how long it takes to report results. Washington is last on that measure, and some lawmakers are trying to get the state to do something about it.

From The Olympian:

The Thurston County commission unanimously chose state Rep. Gary Alexander on Tuesday to replace newly elected Secretary of State Kim Wyman as county auditor.

The Olympia Republican will serve as auditor until the November election. Then, he will have to run to retain the seat. He said if he is elected in November, he will consider resigning from the state Legislature.

Alexander began working in the Auditor’s Office during Sam Reed’s final six months of service 12½ years ago.

Alexander was selected over Olympia real estate agent Carol Person, the Thurston County Republicans’ top choice. The commission chose from a field of Republicans because Wyman is a Republican.

The third candidate, Yelm Mayor Ron Harding, pulled out of the running Monday, citing the desire to focus on “several high impact issues still unresolved” in Yelm, according to a letter addressed to the commissioners

I feel that even though becoming the next auditor would be a great honor, leaving my responsibilities as mayor at such a critical time would not be honorable,” Harding said in the letter, citing the city’s various road projects, water rights and the city’s park master plan.

Commissioners said they chose Alexander for his experience working in the Auditor’s Office and time as a legislator.

“Our job is to find a person we feel has the best qualifications and can hit the ground running,” said Commissioner Cathy Wolfe.

Alexander is looking to a four- or five-year plan as auditor, hoping to continue to move the Auditor’s Office to paperless filing and streamline the county’s election process.

Kathleen Drew, a Democrat who appeared poised to advance to the general election for secretary of state, said primary night was a good night for women.

Drew was ahead of fellow Democrats Greg Nickels and Jim Kastama in early returns. Republican Kim Wyman was in first (although Drew noted that the Democrats combined to get more votes than Wyman).

“There’s been a very strong vote in favor of Democrats tonight and I think also in favor of women on the ballot,” said Drew, who arrived at Jay Inslee’s campaign headquarters, where Democrats are celebrating, at about 10:30 p.m.

At 11 p.m., the party at the headquarters showed no signs of stopping.