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Register to Vote

Register to Vote

 

REGISTER TO VOTE

Register to vote, check or change your registration information at VoteWA.gov.

GET YOUR BALLOT

Every registered voter will be mailed a ballot approximately two and a half weeks before Election Day.  Call the Auditor’s Office at 360-778-5100 or contact auditor@co.whatcom.wa.us if you haven’t received one. You can also vote in person at the Auditor's office.

Endorsed Candidates
Our Certified and Endorsed Candidates
 
2023 Candidate Endorsements

Whatcom County Council Dist. 5 (Coastal): Jackie Dexter

Whatcom County Sheriff: Blaine Police Chief Donnell (Tank) Tanksley

Meridian School District Pos. 5: J. Riley Sweeney

Certified Democrats for the August 1 Primary:

County Executive: Satpal Sidhu, Barry Buchanan, Alicia Rule

County Council At-Large: Atul Deshmane, Jon Scanlon

Bellingham Mayor: Kim Lund, Kristina Michele Martens, Seth Fleetwood

Bellingham City Council Ward 1: Eamonn Collins, Hannah Stone

Bellingham City Council Ward 3: Liz Darrow, Dan Hammill

Bellingham City Council Ward 5: Lisa Anderson

Bellingham City Council At-Large: Jace Cotton, Paul Schissler, Russ Whidbee, Maya Morales

Blaine City Council: Richard May

Members will vote on further endorsements after the August 1 primary, including ballot measures. Offices up for election this year include County Executive, County Council At-Large, Assessor, Auditor, Bellingham Mayor, Bellingham City Council, other city mayors and councils, school boards.

2022 Candidate Endorsements

US Senate:  Patty Murray

US Congress: Rick Larsen

40th LD State Rep Pos 1: Debra Lekanoff  

40th LD State Rep Pos 2: Alex Ramel

42nd L.D. State Senator: Sharon Shewmake

42nd LD State Rep Pos 1: Alicia Rule

42nd LD State Rep Pos 2: Joe Timmons

Public Utility District No. 1 Commissioner District 3:  Jaime Arnett

Whatcom County Proposition No. 2022-045 - Healthy Children's Fund

2021 Candidate Endorsements

Whatcom County Council District At-Large: Barry Buchanan     ElectBarry.com

Whatcom County Council District 1: Eddy Ury – Eddy4What.com

Whatcom County Council District 2:  Todd Donovan       DonovanForWhatcom.org

Whatcom County Council District 3: Rebecca Lewis       LewisForWhatcom3.com

Port of Bellingham District 1:  Michael Shepard      Shepard4Port.com

Port of Bellingham District 2: Kelly Krieger    Kelly4Port.com

City of Bellingham Ward 2: Hollie Huthman  

City of Bellingham Ward 4: Edwin “Skip” Williams    PeopleToElectSkipWilliams.com 

City of Bellingham Ward 6: No candidate received 60% support and thus there is no endorsement. Please view here for more information.

City of Bellingham At-Large: Kristina Michele Martens     ElectKristina.com

Ferndale City Council Position 6: Kate Bishop    KateForFerndale.com

Bellingham School Board Position 4: Jenn Mason     VoteJennMason.com

Ballot Measures

Ballot Measures

Currently we are supporting two iniatives from Community First Whatcom.

Ballot Box Locations

Ballot Box Locations

Use a ballot box to ensure your ballot is counted.  Ballots are collected by the Auditor's staff daily, and there is no delay and no risk of the ballot not getting postmarked on Election Day.

Bellingham

Whatcom Courthouse South Parking Lot, 

201 Grand Ave.

Regal Barkley Village
3005 Cinema Pl.

Sehome Haggen
210 36th St., NE Corner of Parking Lot

Whatcom Community College
231 W Kellogg Rd.

WWU, Red Square
516 High St.

WWU, Student Engagement Hub (Nov. General Election Day Only)
516 High St.

WWU, outside Wade King Student Recreation Center
1880 Bill McDonald Pkwy.

Acme Elementary
5200 Turkington Rd.

Blaine Library
610 3rd St.

Birch Bay

(North Whatcom Fire & Rescue)

4581 Birch Bay-Lynden Rd.

Custer Elementary

7660 Custer School Rd.

Deming Library
5044 Mt. Baker Hwy.

Everson WECU
106 E Main St.

Ferndale City Hall
2095 Main St.

Lummi Nation Admin Building

2665 Kwina Rd.

Lynden Library
216 4th St.

Meridian (Laurel Grange)
6172 Guide Meridian

 

Kendall

(North Fork Community Library)
7506 Kendall Rd.

Point Roberts Marketplace

480 Tyee Dr.

(Located inside, contact the store for hours)

Sumas

534 Railroad Ave.

Sudden Valley

Security Turnaround, Gate One

Running for Office

Running for Office

 

The Whatcom Democrats’ Candidates Committee works year-round recruiting and talking to prospective candidates. If you are considering running for office, your first stop should be talking to us.  We can help you understand the process and requirements and help you decide if you are committed to do the work necessary to be elected, such as fundraising calls and door-belling.

When the committee explains the efforts needed, some prospective candidates decide they are not prepared to run at this time.  One of the biggest challenges for the committee is convincing people that getting elected is possible, that they can grow into the public role, and that the party will provide support. 

Official candidate filing is done during a one-week period in May of each year. Contact the County Auditor for specific information.

Party Endorsement

A special meeting of the membership of the Whatcom County Democratic Central Committee will be held prior to Primary Elections to give candidates an opportunity to present their case for endorsement.  Candidates who wish to be considered for Endorsement must request this at least 72 hours in advance of this meeting.  Members in good standing vote on endorsements.

Party Certification

Democratic candidates may be able to access party resources prior to endorsement if they request and receive Certification as a Democrat. Click on the Certification and Endorsement Process for details.

Certification & Endorsement Process

Difference Between Party Endorsement And Party Nomination

A political party endorsement is a statement of support of a candidate for public office. It is also an internal policy decision saying where the organization’s resources will be spent. It is no different than a PTA, voter’s league, or labor union picking which candidates they want to support and work for. This is why we require membership in the Whatcom Democrats in order to vote on our endorsement decisions.

A party endorsement has no direct effect on which candidates may run for office. Endorsement does not decide which candidates qualify for the general election ballot, the way a party nomination normally would.

State election law governs the rules of the Primary Election, and currently, in Washington State, primary elections are run like non-partisan primaries, advancing the top two vote-getters to the General Election ballot, regardless of party affiliation. Primaries (in WA State) for partisan offices do not constitute a party nomination process.

Only voters casting a ballot in a Primary Election have the power to eliminate, or advance, a candidate to the general election ballot.

Since we do not hold public nominating primary elections in Washington at this time, the Washington State Democratic Party has adopted its own process and rules to designate who is the nominee of the “Democratic Party” in partisan races in Washington. These rules have no direct impact on the endorsement policy of the Whatcom Democrats.

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