June 14, 2023, Membership Meeting Minutes
34th Democrats Membership Meeting – Held via closed Zoom
6:36 PM – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy
Chairs Opening Remarks
- Chair Murphy stressed the need to endorse solid Democrats as we move through our endorsement process. He also reminded us of the July Fundraiser.
Opening Ceremonies
- A motion to approve the agenda was made by Ann Martin. The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
- A motion to approve the minutes from the April meeting was also made by Ann Martin which were approved by unanimous consent.
- Chair Murphy gave the financial report for May.
- 1st Vice Chair Rachel Glass gave the Land Acknowledgement. She also suggested that we could further show support for Indigenous peoples by giving a donation to the American Indian College Fund: https://collegefund.org/
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsement Process
- Chair Murphy introduced the requirements necessary to be considered for endorsement. and laid out courtesy expectations for member participation.
- Candidates must identify as Democrats and have filled out a King County Democrats questionnaire to be considered for endorsement.
- The Chair directed members to our Code of Conduct.
- The Chair presented a review of the rules as set by our organizational Bylaws.
- Leah Griffin and Chris Porter served as Zoom Co-Hosts during the meeting.
- Votes were submitted via Zoom Poll Pop-Ups, or via phone text.
Block Endorsement
- A block of candidates was presented. This required only a 50% threshold to approve.
- King Co. Superior Court Judge Pos. 30 – Coreen Wilson.
- King Co. Superior Court Judge Pos. 39 – Joe Campagna.
- King Co. Assessor – John Wilson.
- Ann Martin made a motion to endorse the block; Chris Porter seconded.
- Ann Spoke in favor of her motion.
- The block was endorsed by 98.9%.
Port of Seattle Position 2
- Carla Rogers moved to endorse Sam Cho; Rachel Glass seconded.
- Carla spoke in favor of her motion.
- Cho is endorsed by a vote of 95.7%
Port of Seattle Position 5
- Ted Barker moved to endorse Fred Felleman; Bunny Hatcher seconded.
- Ted Spoke in favor of his motion.
- Fred spoke on his own behalf.
- Felleman was endorsed by 87.6%
King County Council District 8
- Chris Lampkin moved to endorse Teresa Mosqueda; Art Chippendale seconded.
- Art spoke in favor of Mosqueda.
- Alexia Inigues made a motion to endorse Sofia Aragon; Andre Dickerson seconded.
- Alexia spoke in favor of Aragon.
- 1st Ballot results: Neither candidate reached the 60% threshold. Aragon – 37.6%, Mosqueda – 59.4%, No Endorsement – 3%.
- Deb Barker moved for a dual endorsement; Art Chippendale seconded.
- Art spoke in favor of a dual endorsement.
- Chris Lampkin spoke against.
- In his time to rebut the speech of opposition, Art repealed his second in support of a dual endorsement.
- Chris Porter spoke against.
- Eileen Cody provided a second to the motion of a dual endorsement.
- Deb Barker spoke in favor of a dual endorsement.
- Chris Lampkin spoke again against the motion.
- 2nd ballot results: Yes – 45.2%, No – 54.7%. The dual endorsement failed. However, the race can be revisited after the August 1st Primary.
Seattle City Council District 1
- Eileen Cody moved to endorse Rob Saka; Chris Porter seconded.
- Eileen spoke in favor of her motion and ceded time to Saka.
- Saka spoke for himself.
- Deb Barker moved to endorse Phil Tavel; Jordan Crawley seconded.
- Deb spoke in favor of Tavel.
- Tavel also spoke on his own behalf.
- Nick Bonazza moved to endorse Preston Anderson; Steve Butts seconded.
- Nick spoke in support of his motion.
- Anderson spoke for himself.
- Carla moved to endorse Maren Costa; Teresa Mosqueda seconded.
- Carla spoke in favor of Costa.
- Costa spoke in favor of herself.
- 1st ballot results: Anderson – 11.1%, Tavel – 11.9%, Costa – 24.6%, Saka – 50%. Maren Costa and Rob Saka went to a second ballot as no candidate received 60%.
- 2nd ballot results: Rob Saka was endorsed with 63.7% of the vote, with Costa receiving 39.3%.
Seattle School Director for District 6
- Rachel Glass moved to endorse Gina Topp; Chris Porter seconded the motion.
- Rachel spoke in favor of her motion.
- Topp spoke for herself.
- Gina Topp is endorsed with 98% of the vote.
Burien City Council
Burien City Council Position 2
- No motions were made to endorse in the race for Position 2.
Burien City Council Position 4
- Carla Rogers moved to endorse Patricia Hudson; Julie Whitaker seconded.
- Carla spoke in favor of her motion.
- Hudson spoke on her own behalf.
- Terrance Jorgensen moved to endorse Daniel Reed Martin; Pamela Jorgensen seconded.
- Martin spoke for himself.
- Phil Tavel moved to endorse Kevin Schilling; Sofia Aragon seconded.
- Schilling spoke for himself.
- 1st Ballot: Schilling – 44.9%, Hudson – 39.3%, Martin – 6.7%.
- 2nd Ballot: Schilling – 54.4%, Hudson- 45.8%.
- Steve Butts moved for a dual endorsement; Ted Barker seconded.
- Steve Butts spoke in favor of his motion.
- Chris Porter spoke for a no endorsement.
- Ted Barker spoke in favor.
- Carla Rogers spoke for no endorsement.
- 3rd Ballot results: Dual Endorsement – 45.6%, No Endorsement – 54.4%. There was no endorsement for Burien Position 4.
Burien City Council Position 6
- Carla Rogers moved to endorse Krystal Marx. Sarah Moore seconded.
- Carla spoke in favor of Marx.
- Marx spoke on their own behalf.
- Krystal Marx was endorsed by a vote of 85.4%.
King County Prop 1
- King County Executive Dow Constantine moved to change the agenda to allow for a vote to endorse King County Prop 1, The Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy; Deb Barker seconded. 80% approval was required.
- Dow spoke in favor of changing the agenda.
- Votes in favor were 89% and the agenda was altered.
- Executive Constantine moved to endorse the levy; Chris Porter seconded.
- The Dow spoke in favor of an endorsement.
- The levy was endorsed by 91%.
Special Recognition
Chair Murphy thanked those who had helped behind the scenes during the meeting: Hannah Cameron, Carla Rogers, Jordan Crawley, Ann Martin, Chris Porter, and Leah Griffin.
Good of the Order
- Chris Porter rose to speak in favor of the effort to increase the Burien Minimum Wage.
- Steve Butts announced that the 34th would be participating with the 33rd Democrats at the Burien Strawberry Festival on June 17th and 18th.
- Deb Barker promoted the Morgan Junction Festival Sunday June 18th, at which the 34th Democrats are participating.
- Kelsey Vanhee promoted concerts by the Seattle Trans and Non- binary Coral Ensemble (Stance) to be on June 16th and 17th.
- Carla Rogers announced that the Pop-Up Social for June would be on the 23rd at Bridges in the Morgan Junction.
- Hugo Gracia brought news that Sili Savusa, director of the White Center CDA, is stepping down. He thanked her for her service to the community.