I Voted

To all the political campaign staffers, pundits, etal, I mailed my completed ballot today. My vote is said and done so I can stop listening to the political and campaign rhetoric.

And pretty much as you might guess if you read this blog, I voted almost straight democratic. The only others were nonpartisan positions like State Supreme Court justices.

That said, there were a number of voter initiative, referendums and other issues on the ballot, so I'll summarize just to put it on the record.

Initiative 1185, which would continue a 2/3rds vote of the state legislature for new taxes and tax increases, I voted NO.

Initiative 1240, which would approve state funds to 40 charter schools under school districts, I voted NO.

I'm opposed to anything other than public schools funded with public monies, tax credits or vouchers, which means no home schooling, no public or private charter schools, nothing with public funds or taxes, either paid or a deduction.

If you want to school your children outside of public schools, use you own money, not mine.

I'm not against special schools for a range of students within school districts, but only when it's staffed by union teachers, overseen by the school district and board, and accountable to the state government for student and teacher performance.

The initiative on the ballot would defer existing school funds to those new schools, and when the state's school system is underfunded and understaffed, adding special schools isn't the answer. Fix public schools first. Invest in all our children than just a few.

Referendum 74, concerning approving the state law on marriage equality, I voted YES.

Referendum 502, to legalize marijuana, I voted NO. It's the wrong bill for a good cause. Find a better law.

All the rest are just humdrum legislative issues. As for race for governor of Washington, I voted for Jay Inslee. I like Rob McKenna who did a good job as the Attorney General for Washington but I disagree with his decision and action to fight the Affordable Care Act over the objections of the Governor.

He wasted a lot of taxpayer time and money fightig a bill everyone likes now. All for political points.

Outside of that both candidates are almost identical on the key economic and government issues, only differing on social issues where Inslee is a social moderate who supports people and McKenna is a social conservative who supports conservatives on social issues, and the reason I voted for Inslee.

Anyway, that's it. I voted. How about you?