Primary vote is Tuesday

Valley voters can weigh in on local races including Washington legislature and King County Superior Court judge spots, as well as an initiative making some county offices nonpartisan, in next Tuesday’s Aug. 19 primary election.

A few key rules of the primary season game have changed: voters may vote for any candidate regardless of their party affiliation. The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes in the August primary will advance to the general election.

For District 5 state house, Republican incumbent Jay Rodne faces Jon Viebrock for position 1, while Republican incumbent Glenn Anderson faces challenger David Spring for position 2. In the District 5 senate race, Republican incumbent Cheryl Pflug faces challenger Phyllis Huster.

Sixteen candidates are running for six King County Superior Court judge positions.

Also on the ballot is a decision to forward Initiative 26, which would make the offices of King County Executive, assessor and county council member nonpartisan, allow candidates for these offices the option of having their political party preferences appear on the ballot, and establish the nonpartisan selection of districting committee members, to the November ballot.

The primary election gives voters the option to vote yes or no to add Initiative 26 to the general election ballot. The primary ballot also gives voters the option to mark their preference between the proposed initiative and the council proposed initiative to appear on the general election ballot.

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