Is there anything less colorful in our political narrative than a primary campaign season without a shootout between inter-party gangs? Actually, here in SEAWA, that shootout would have taken place during an earlier caucus anyway. So no matter the national, by the time our August primary rolls around - and why we're having both escapes me at the moment - there's naught left to get excited about except the state legislature. And maybe a judgeship, Commissioner of Public Lands (huh?!) or a referendum or two.
Yawn.
Until I was railroaded (got a phone call from a fellow little old lady) into joining my local Democratic Party organization as a Precinct Committee Officer 8 years ago, I would have been hard pressed (have to have Googled it) to name my own state legislators. Today I not only know their names. I know them. Well, we recognize each other at meetings. Actually, I recognize them and they think I look vaguely familiar.
Given my own history, I know I don't have a snowball's chance in hell of exciting anyone else about a local primary in which people you've never heard of are competing to run for an office you didn't know existed.
Here's the deal.
You may not know who these people are, but the winners will be making decisions for you. People like me - who used to be people like you - have volunteered to listen to them make speeches. We have spent more time than the space of a commercial thinking about it. We narrowed the field.
So find a local rag you trust - these days in Seattle, that would be The Stranger. If a list of endorsements from your favorite political faction appears on your doorstep, pick it up. If you find a smidgeon of spare time - and who with a DVR has that anymore? At least with commercials, we had time to get a sandwich, read something, make a personal comment or two, I digress - as I was saying, if you find a smidgeon of time, scan that so very uninteresting looking Official Local Voter's Pamphlet that appeared recently in your mailbox and make your own list.
Take it to the polling place or sit down on the couch and, between playing catch-up on the DVR, fill out the mail-in-ballot with the handy voting suggestions provided. And mail it.
The general election will be a little more exciting, I promise. But a primary is when we decide who gets to the play-offs. So cheer someone on. With a vote!