12. January 2023 · Comments Off on Benton County Elections Observer Training February 2023 details · Categories: Committee News, Elections, Recent Events

Good Morning,

Well…..we will have almost a county wide February Election coming up so I wanted to reach out to each of you coordinators (please let me know if you are no longer the coordinator for your party) and give you first few dates for training and our Official L&A test.

Mandatory Observer Training – January 12th 3:00pm (please keep in mind that any observers you have for your group must come to the training in order to be part of the program)

UPDATE! Official Logic and Accuracy Test – Wednesday January 26th at 11:00am.  Due to this election only being School District’s the State will not be involved.  It will just be our internal Logic and Accuracy test.

I am currently working on updating observer materials for 2023 and creating a guide for all observers.  I have attached the coordinator guidelines if you are still going to be the coordinator for your group.  If so, please complete and return back to me at your earliest convenience.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Link to Observer Guidelines

If you wish to volunteer to be an observer for the February Special Election, please contact our Communications Chair, Durga Victorine

Amanda Hatfield
Elections Manager
Benton County Auditor | Elections Division
2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd. | Richland, WA 99352
(509) 736-3085 ext. 5639
Email: amanda.hatfield@co.benton.wa.us
www.bentonauditor.com
10. January 2023 · Comments Off on Benton County Elections Observer Training February 2023 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Elections

Greetings,

The Benton County Canvassing Board will be meeting at various times during the February 14, 2023 Special Election cycle.  This is to advise you of the current ballot processing schedule and canvassing board meetings for this election. 

Commencing Monday, January 30, 2023 the following processes may occur daily, depending on the level of ballots returned on a day-to-day basis. 

  • Drop boxes emptied
  • Signature verification
  • Prepping ballots for scanning
  • Scanning of ballots
  • Ballot adjudication/resolution
  • February 23– Pre-Certification processes begin for the February Special Election @ 9 am
  • February 24 – Certification of the February Special Election @ 9am

The processing schedule may be modified from time to time depending on the number of ballots received on a daily basis.


All election processes will take place at our new location. The Benton County Voting Center is now located at 2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Richland. 

During the course of processing, no persons except those employed and authorized by the county auditor may touch any ballot, ballot container, or vote tallying system.  We also ask that no photos be taken without the approval of the Election Manager.

To determine which processes are being conducted on a given day, we advise that observers contact our office directly.

Please let me know if you should have any questions.

If you wish to volunteer to be an observer for the February Special Election, please contact our Communications Chair, Durga Victorine

Amanda Hatfield
Elections Manager
Benton County Auditor | Elections Division
2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd. | Richland, WA 99352
(509) 736-3085 ext. 5639
Email: amanda.hatfield@co.benton.wa.us
www.bentonauditor.com
10. November 2022 · Comments Off on Doug White Thank You – November 10, 2022 · Categories: Announcements, Elections

We are Winners!

From the launch on October 9th 2021 to sign waving in White Salmon on November 7th 2022. I (we) have been from one end of this district to the other like no other campaign. And as a result we have achieved great things while making many friends along the way.

For all you have done, thank you

The true heroes are those that give every day to strive for a better future for everyone. They do it without pay, privilege or acknowledgment. It is these selfless acts made on behalf of others, some of them hostile against them, because they believe that no person should be diminished. I am grateful.


09. November 2022 · Comments Off on Doug White Thank You – November 9, 2022 · Categories: Announcements, Elections

Our path got a little longer, but we are stronger for it!

It was a strong campaign that united many people up and down the district. It gave new ideas and fresh hope for many. But most importantly it energized the political spirit and people showed up to volunteer, support and vote. It sometimes seems that change happens in a day, but under further review it becomes clear that it is only through dedicated work over long periods does the opportunity for change emerge. We have set a pace for change and committed ourselves to it. Yesterday was not the day, but that day is close and we will be ready.

Thank you to everyone.

We are Phone Banking every Tuesday and Thursday from now till the election. Canvassers are needed, please contact us to sign up in your county or area. We will provide all you need. Text banking is coming soon! Please check out the events page for Get Out the Vote event near you!


09. November 2022 · Comments Off on WSDCC Results November 9, 2022 · Categories: Announcements, Committee News, Elections

Hello Democrats!

To sum up tonight’s results, Democrats dominated all across the state – thanks to you! Because of your investment of resources, hard work and time we were able to spur terrific Democratic turnout and help put our candidates on the path to victory. While there are still many votes to be counted in the coming days, we feel very good about Democratic performance at this stage of the game and we owe our success to your hard work and investment!

Voter Turnout

Despite rain, sleet, and snow we had a terrific GOTV season and spoke with so many great Democrats statewide!

Overall, 1,724,719  ballots were cast as of this evening. That represents a current turnout rate of 46.5%, that we anticipate will trend to at least 61.2% in the coming days. 

Compared to 2018 (71.8%) and 2014 (54.1%) we are pleased with these statistics. With that being said, we will be working tirelessly in the coming days to make sure every vote is counted and nothing is left on the table! 

Turnout for the five most populous counties was as follows, with 635,388 outstanding ballots left to be counted statewide as of this evening.

King - 44.7%
Pierce – 43.7%
Snohomish – 48.3%
Spokane – 49.6%
Clark – 46.8%

GOTV Statistics

Thanks to the hard work of our organizers and volunteers we were able to rack up some seriously strong GOTV numbers. Here’s what we got done:

Door Knocks – Over 200K!

Calls – Over 820K!

Texts – Over 1.2M!

Volunteer Shifts – We’re still counting!

Results

U.S. Senate

Patty Murray had a decisive victory – carrying 57.01% of votes cast to MAGA Republican opponent Tiffany Smiley’s 42.8%. Murray’s success serves a strong reminder of what we can accomplish when we all work together and show voters that Democrats are the party that will work to improve the lives of every Washingtonian!  

U.S. House

CD 1: Suzan DelBene is coasting toward another term with a decisive 63.6% majority!

CD 2: Rick Larsen is also on track to secure a clean victory with 61.5% of the vote

*CD 3*: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has taken a solid lead with 52.6% of the vote compared to White Nationalist opponent Joe Kent’s 46.8%. This race is looking like a very solid pickup opportunity and we are watching closely. 

CD 4: Democrat Doug White is behind with just under 31% of total votes. 

CD 5: Our candidate Natasha Hill looks unlikely to catch up, carrying just under 41% of voters. 

CD 6: Derek Kilmer has a commanding lead with a 61.8% majority.

CD 7: Pramila Jayapal has a a more than fivefold advantage over her Republican opponent, with 84.3% and 15.3% respectively

*CD 8*: Incumbent Kim Schrier is on the path to victory with 52.7% of the vote compared to Matt Larkin’s 46.9%. We are feeling good about holding this seat but will continue monitoring closely in the coming days! 

CD 9: Adam Smith had a very strong showing – bringing in 71% of the vote compared to his Republican opponent’s 28.8%.

CD 10: Marilyn Strickland is looking strong with just under 57% of the vote!

Washington – State Executive

We feel confident we’ve elected our first Democratic Secretary of State in nearly 60 years! As of tonight’s last ballot drop Hobbs sits at almost exactly 50% of the vote compared to nonpartisan opponent Julie Anderson’s 46.9%. Write-in candidate and GOP misinformation monger Brad Klippert secured the remaining 3.1% of the vote. 

While we are still watching closely, we feel great about this race and are proud to be on track to elect a Secretary of State that will fight to expand the franchise and lift up the voice of every eligible Washington voter. 

Washington – State Legislature

First of all, we wanted to share a link to the WA Secretary of State’s website (go Hobbs!) where you can see the results of each individual legislative race:

https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20221108/legislative-all.html

But the good news is that we have retained all of our Democratic incumbents in the state House and Senate. We look to be welcoming a new Democratic State Senator in the 42nd district with Sharon Shewmake. 

Not to mention we have five house races that could be pickups that are currently too close to call. 

We’ll send more information about all of these races later in the week after we can factor in additional ballot drops. 

We have a lot to celebrate tonight, but the fight isn’t over. Some races are still extremely close and more ballots will be counted over the course of this week. There are still ballots that will need to be cured because of signature mismatches or failing to sign to the ballot or another discrepancy. 

Our voter protection efforts focused on ballot curing started in late October. It is very specific, time-consuming, and nuanced work. While we have a lot more to do, we are managing it with this top-notch team so it will be efficient and flawless. If we have anything to ask of you, it is to amplify the message that this work will take some time, and we are on it!

In closing, I want to thank you for all you have done to help us build a more powerful and effective State Party over the last six years.

Thanks to your investment, we are now an even more powerful force for progressive change across Washington State and we will continue to lead the way nationwide. Take this as a promise that we are not going anywhere, and we are so grateful to have you stand by us.

Please be aware that we will be sending an update later this week and a more thorough, comprehensive analysis later in the month when all results are certified and we can build a more holistic picture of where races ended up and notable trends that will influence our organizing strategy going forward.

For now, I hope you will join me in holding on tight, waiting for final results and sending every single ounce of positive energy and hope you have toward more Democratic victories. Thank you again for standing with us – we have a lot to celebrate already, but we can’t let up now!

With so much gratitude,

Tina

01. November 2022 · Comments Off on Patty Murray Talking Points November 2022 · Categories: Announcements, Elections

Suggested Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Posts

Tiffany Smiley wants POLITICIANS to be able to make women’s reproductive health care decisions — she is so out of touch with our state’s values. Vote for Patty Murray. #WASen

Tiffany Smiley supported a national abortion ban before she launched her campaign — no matter what she says, we can’t trust her to protect a woman’s right to choose here in Washington. #WASen

Don’t forget! After the primary, Smiley scrubbed her website of her extreme positions in an attempt to mislead the voters of WA state who she knows don’t agree with her. #WASen https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-candidate-tiffany-smiley-website_n_6310e628e4b088f7423b9dde

“A rock-solid conservative vote.” That’s what Tiffany Smiley tells her donors she’ll be in the US Senate. You know what that means? A national abortion ban, tax cuts for the rich, ending Social Security and Medicare, and so much worse. The choice is clear: vote for Patty Murray.

→ and add this image!

Last week Tiffany Smiley said she wouldn’t cut Social Security & Medicare for people currently or soon-to-be on it. What about the rest of us?! Patty Murray has worked to protect these programs for EVERYONE— she’s the only choice in this election. #WASen

→ and add this image!

Don’t let Republicans lie their way into office. If Mitch McConnell wins a majority in the Senate, he’ll end Social Security and Medicare as we know it & Tiffany Smiley will help him do it. #WASen

MAGA Republican Tiffany Smiley wants to make the Trump tax cuts for billionaires and giant corporations PERMANENT. Patty Murray is working to lower costs for working families. It’s clear who’s fighting for us. #WASen

Democrats are building a clean energy economy, creating jobs and lowering costs — ALL while saving the planet. Vote for the party that believes in facts and science, not the party of climate deniers! Vote for @MurrayCampaign. #WASen

We need to do more on gun safety & Tiffany Smiley is not up for the job! @MurrayCampaign has a proven track record of working across the aisle to strengthen gun laws—and she knows there’s more work to be done, like universal background checks & an assault weapons ban. #WASen

Tiffany Smiley is an election denier through and through. Up until a few weeks ago she was refusing to say whether Biden was our legitimate President. We need a Senator like @MurrayCampaign who respects our democracy and understands FACTS. #WASen

https://www.thedailybeast.com/moderate-gop-senate-candidate-tiffany-smiley-wont-say-biden-was-legitimately-elected

Make no mistake, Tiffany Smiley and the MAGA Republican party have no plan to deal with inflation and lower costs for working families. #WASen

The Inflation Reduction Act is lowering the cost of energy, health care, and prescription drugs, all thanks to Patty Murray & Democrats. Senate Republicans’ only plan is to undo all that and raise costs on working people. The choice is clear. #WASen

Tiffany Smiley would be the rubber stamp Mitch McConnell needs to cut teacher jobs, end student disability programs, and eliminate Pell Grants — all key components of their MAGA agenda. She won’t put our kids first in the US Senate. #WASen

Patty Murray and Democrats capped the cost of insulin at $35/month for people on Medicare. Senate Republicans & Tiffany Smiley want to reverse that. #WASen

Patty Murray andDemocrats took on Big Pharma and won, giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Senate Republicans & Tiffany Smiley want to reverse that. #WASen

There’s less than a week until Election Day! Now’s the time to talk to your neighbors and make sure they turn in their ballots by November 8. Join me in volunteering these final days to reelect Patty Murray and elect Democrats up and down the ticket! https://www.wa-democrats.org/organizingevents/ 

01. November 2022 · Comments Off on Patty Murray Update November 1, 2022 · Categories: Announcements, Elections

Hi all,

We are officially one week out from Election Day! As you have heard from the campaign all along, Sen. Murray never takes a race for granted, especially in a year like this with renewed Republican enthusiasm and so much at stake in this election. Polls continue to show that this is a single digit race, and we need our friends and supporters out there knocking doors and talking to voters to ensure that Democrats turnout this week.

Sen. Murray will be making GOTV Tour stops this weekend all across Western Washington, and we’d love to see you there to close out this busy cycle. You can sign up to join us Friday in Bremerton and Lakewood, Saturday in Vancouver, Longview, and Olympia, Sunday in Kent, Kirkland, and Everett, and Monday in Bothell, Issaquah, and Seattle

If you can’t make any of these stops, you can sign up for a canvass launch in your area or for virtual phone and text banks HERE. We know that turnout will be important in this race and for many races down the ticket—your help in driving folks to sign up for GOTV shifts in this final stretch will make a big difference. We need all hands on deck for these last 7 days to ensure that folks don’t sit out this election.

And if you’d like to help on social media, HERE is some draft social for this final stretch. We’re asking people in this final week to share on social why they are personally supporting Sen. Murray, and encourage folks to also hold Smiley accountable for her positions by replying to her posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Thank you again for your support and please let me know if you have any questions!

Best,

Kate–

Kate Baumgartner
Political Director
People for Patty Murray
kate@pattymurray.com
30. October 2022 · Comments Off on Patty Murray Talking Points 2022 · Categories: Announcements, Elections

Ballots are out and online voter registration is still available up until Monday. The time to vote is now — every day is Election Day between now and November 8th. Don’t wait, vote! Make sure to tag @MurrayCampaign and use the hashtag #WASen to be included in the conversation! 

WE NEED YOUR HELP

  1. Sign up to volunteer with the WA Democratic Party here. They are hosting door knocking events, phone banks, and text banks all over the state every day until the election.
  2. Make a donation to our campaign here. 

ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

  1. Visit PattyMurray.com to see Patty’s accomplishments for Washington state.
  2. @MurrayCampaign: Official campaign account
  3. @WashDems: Washington State Democratic Party

KEY MESSAGES ON PATTY MURRAY

  1. Patty has been fighting for Washington state her entire career. She first got into politics when a male legislator told her she couldn’t make a difference because she was “just a mom in tennis shoes.” She is a tireless fighter for WA state’s working families every day in the other Washington.
  2. Patty has been called the single most effective Democratic combatant against GOP attempts to restrict abortion. Patty will always defend a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.
  3. Patty is pro-worker and fights every day for an economy that works for everyone. She passed the American Rescue Plan to recover all the jobs lost during the pandemic, and helped negotiate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and CHIPS and Science Act to upgrade our infrastructure, make universal high-speed internet a reality, and bring back American manufacturing.
  4. Patty helped lead the fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs and extend the ACA tax credits to lower health care premiums. Even under the Trump administration she wrote and got signed into law the No Surprises Act to ban surprise medical bills.

KEY MESSAGES ON TIFFANY SMILEY

  1. Tiffany Smiley is Mitch McConnell’s hand picked candidate who is running to flip the Senate and help enact the extreme GOP agenda that is wrong for our state. A vote for Tiffany Smiley is a vote for Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. 
  2. Abortion is on the ballot this November. Tiffany Smiley calls herself “100% pro-life,” celebrated the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, praised the cruel Texas abortion ban, and supported a federal abortion ban before she launched her campaign. 
  3. Tiffany Smiley has said she supports Rick Scott’s disastrous agenda which would end Medicare and Social Security as we know it, letting Mitch McConnell and Republicans decide the future of these programs. Rick Scott’s agenda would also sunset the Affordable Care Act after five years.

GRAPHICS

Click HERE to see and download the graphics for the town hall. There are some suggested graphics to use with the posts below but feel free to pick and add any to whatever you post!

SAMPLE TWEETS – PRE-TOWN HALL

Excited to watch the #WASen town hall tonight — @MurrayCampaign has my vote! Watch the livestream on @KIRO7Seattle: https://www.kiro7.com/ 

[Click to Tweet→] – and add this image!

Excited to watch @MurrayCampaign standing up for Washington state values tonight. Tiffany Smiley is too extreme for our state! Watch the town hall on @KIRO7Seattle: https://www.kiro7.com/ #WASen

[Click to Tweet→] – and add this image!

Before @MurrayCampaign takes the stage tonight, I’m signing up to phone bank with the @WashDems — talking to voters is so important this election. Join me! https://www.wa-democrats.org/organizingevents/

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – ABORTION

Tiffany Smiley wants POLITICIANS to be able to make women’s reproductive health care decisions — she is so out of touch with our state’s values. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Tiffany Smiley supported a national abortion ban before she launched her campaign — no matter what she says, we can’t trust her to protect a woman’s right to choose here in Washington. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Tiffany Smiley is anti-abortion. Tiffany Smiley wants to force women to give birth. Tiffany Smiley wants politicians to make other women’s health care decisions for them. Tiffany Smiley is wrong for Washington—vote for @MurrayCampaign. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – CLIMATE CHANGE

RT to remind everyone that Tiffany Smiley said she would have voted against the biggest climate action bill in American history. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→] – and add this image!

Democrats are building a clean energy economy, creating jobs and lowering costs — ALL while saving the planet. Vote for the party that believes in facts and science, not the party of climate deniers! Vote for @MurrayCampaign. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Tiffany Smiley is a climate denier but wants to represent the Evergreen state in the Senate?! She should not be deciding policy for millions of us  if she can’t even accept basic science.. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – CRIME/PUBLIC SAFETY/GUNS/DRUGS

.@MurrayCampaign helped pass billions of dollars to fund police departments in a bill that not a single Senate Republican voted for — and Tiffany Smiley wouldn’t have either. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

While Tiffany Smiley politicizes the drug overdose epidemic, @MurrayCampaign is focused on getting things done and providing resources to all in WA who struggle with addiction — and she’s working with Republicans to get it done. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

We need to do more on gun safety & Tiffany Smiley is not up for the job! @MurrayCampaign has a proven track record of working across the aisle to strengthen gun laws—and she knows there’s more work to be done, like universal background checks & an assault weapons ban. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – DEMOCRACY/ELECTIONS/JANUARY 6TH

Tiffany Smiley is an election denier through and through. Up until a few weeks ago she was refusing to say whether Biden was our legitimate President. We need a Senator like @MurrayCampaign who respects our democracy and understands FACTS. #WASen

https://www.thedailybeast.com/moderate-gop-senate-candidate-tiffany-smiley-wont-say-biden-was-legitimately-elected

[Click to Tweet→]

What “serious questions” does Tiffany Smiley have about the 2020 election? She’s pandering to the extreme MAGA Republicans who support her campaign and is lifting up Trump’s dangerous Big Lie that led to the insurrection. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – ECONOMY/INFLATION

Make no mistake, Tiffany Smiley and the MAGA Republican party have no plan to deal with inflation and lower costs for working families. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

The Inflation Reduction Act is lowering the cost of energy, health care, and prescription drugs. Senate Republicans’ only plan is to undo all that and raise costs on working people. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Better access to child care strengthens our economy — we need a national plan now and we need @MurrayCampaign in the Senate to get it done. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – EDUCATION

Tiffany Smiley would be the rubber stamp Mitch McConnell needs to cut teacher jobs, end student disability programs, and eliminate Pell Grants — all key components of their MAGA agenda. She won’t put our kids first in the US Senate. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Tiffany Smiley would have voted against the American Rescue Plan—the bill that got students back to in-person learning safely. She’s also  backed by the anti-public school DeVos family and would gut our public education system. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Tiffany Smiley says she wants to “ban” young people in Washington state from receiving debt forgiveness but supports extending tax giveaways to billionaires and big corporations? Huh? #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – FOREIGN POLICY

Tiffany Smiley is backed by Trump’s former Secretary of State — a man who embraced dictators and sold America out. Anyone who shares his foreign policy views has no business representing us in the Senate. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

The stories coming out of #Ukraine are horrifying. We must support Ukraine against Putin and his unjust war. In times like this we need steady leadership from people who understand these issues. We need @MurrayCampaign. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – HEALTH CARE/PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Democrats capped the cost of insulin at $35/month for people on Medicare. Senate Republicans & Tiffany Smiley want to reverse that. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Democrats took on Big Pharma and won, giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Senate Republicans & Tiffany Smiley want to reverse that. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

Democrats just lowered the cost of health care for hundreds of thousands of working families in WA. Not a single Republican voted for it — and Tiffany Smiley would’ve been right there with them. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – IMMIGRATION

We need to protect DREAMers, we need a pathway to citizenship, and we need to sort out our broken immigration system. What we DON’T need is another MAGA GOP rubber stamp like Tiffany Smiley. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – MITCH MCCONNELL/MAGA REPUBLICANS

Don’t forget! After the primary, Smiley scrubbed her website of her extreme positions in an attempt to mislead the voters of WA state who she knows don’t agree with her. #WASen https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-candidate-tiffany-smiley-website_n_6310e628e4b088f7423b9dde

[Click to Tweet→]

“A rock-solid conservative vote.” That’s what Tiffany Smiley tells her donors she’ll be in the US Senate. You know what that means? A national abortion ban, tax cuts for the rich, ending Social Security and Medicare, and so much worse. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→] – and add this image!

SAMPLE TWEETS – POLITICAL DIVISION

Wow Tiffany Smiley sure is lowering the political temperature here by yelling nonsense at the moderators, her opponent, and the voters of WA state. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – SENIORS/SOCIAL SECURITY

Last week Tiffany Smiley said she wouldn’t cut Social Security & Medicare for people currently or soon-to-be on it. What about the rest of us?! #WASen

[Click to Tweet→] – and add this image!

Don’t let Republicans lie their way into office. If Mitch McConnell wins  a majority in the Senate, he’ll end Social Security and Medicare as we know it & Tiffany Smiley will help him do it. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

SAMPLE TWEETS – TAXES/IRS AGENTS

MAGA Republican Tiffany Smiley wants to make the Trump tax cuts for billionaires and giant corporations PERMANENT. She doesn’t work for the working people of WA state. #WASen

[Click to Tweet→]

FACT CHECK: Tiffany Smiley’s claim about 87,000 IRS agents is a LIE. She can’t win on her platform so of course she has to spread misinformation and try to mislead voters. I’m not falling for it. #WASen https://www.king5.com/article/news/verify/smiley-ad-stadium-irs-agents-targeting-families-verify/281-dc0187a6-9272-4d76-9524-1eca36b251c9 

[Click to Tweet→]