Pierce County Executive race heats up - more voter choice

Pierce County Councilmember Terry Lee is planning on running for County Executive in 2008 according to a recent article in the Tacoma News Tribune. Lee joins fellow County Councilmembers Calvin Goings and Shawn Bunney. Independent Tacoma City Councilman Mike Lonergan is also contemplating joining the race.

In addition, it is speculated that Pierce County Auditor Pat McCarthy and State Senator Jim Kastama might run as Democrats and Tacoma attorney John Mills might run as a Libertarian.

Having five or six candidates on the general election ballot for County Executive would provide the first big test for partisan IRV in the country. Since it would be unlikely that any one candidate would receive over 50% of the first choice votes, candidates will need to conduct more positive campaigns rather than tearing down their opponent. We hope that the campaign becomes more of a discussion of the issues and candidates' credentials than the normal mudslinging match.

Let's hear it for more voter choice! Let's hear it for positive campaigns!