The three Democrats who represent the 49th Legislative District in Olympia, Sen. Craig Pridemore and Reps. Jim Moeller and Sharon M.Wylie, reported on their work -- and some frustrations --during the 2012 Legislature at a Town Hall for all constituents on March 10.
Wylie joined the delegation by appointment last April and won election in November, beating a Republican challenger by more than 10 percentage points thanks to a lot of hard work by Sharon and enthusiastic volunteers. The campaign was managed by Nick Ande, who also serves as vice chair of the Clark County Democratic Central Committee.
Wylie is a former two-term Oregon legislator who has lately worked as a lobbyist, mostly for public agencies and non-profit organizations. She is married to Vancouver City Attorney Ted Gathe. They reside in a restored Victorian cottage on Kauffman Avenue in downtown Vancouver's Precinct 110, also known as the Hough Neighborhood.
To hold the seat, Wylie has to run again in 2012 along with all the rest of the House members and half of the state senators.
That round of legislative contests will not include Pridemore, who has announced his candidacy for state auditor. Moeller and Wylie are seeking re-election. Annette Cleveland is running a strong campaign to succeed Pridemore. A lot of information about her is available elsewhere on this web site.
The Fighting Blue Forty-ninth is the Democratic redoubt that anchors the southwest corner of Washington. We are bounded on the south and west by the Columbia River, on the east by Interstate 205 and on the north by a ragged line from the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge to 99th Street then back north to the confluence of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205. The shape of the district has not changed much in the new maps drawn by the state Redistricting Commission and endorsed by the Legislature. To add the 3,000 voters needed to balance the size of the other districts in the county, the 49th picks up all or parts of four precincts north of 99th Street and west of Hazel Dell Avenue including the neighorhood around Columbia River High School. Three new precincts were created in neighborhods where population growth was particularly rapid over the past decade.
The district of Clark County governed by the Board of Clark County Commissioners generally coterminous with the 49th is represented by Democrat Steve Stuart, also re-elected on Nov. 2 in part owing to a hefty margin in the 49th.
We also are part of the 3rd Congressional District that sent U.S. Rep. Brian Baird to Congress for six successive terms. Unfortunately, the 49th did not vote for Denny Heck by a big enough margin to save his campaign from Republican majorities through the rest of the 3rd District on Nov. 2.
Clark County has lately shown inclinations to move toward the right. We in the 49th need to push back. In particular we are looking for solid Democrats to represent their neighborhoods as Precinct Committee Officers. To find out which precincts are available, call the legislative district chair at 360-771-0124 or attend a meeting of the 49th Legislative District Democratic Central Committee. The committee meets on the second Saturday of each month starting at 10 a.m. The regular meeting place is the Teamsters and Labor Union Hall at 2212 Andresen Road.
More than 70 people participated in the Democrat Precinct Caucuses for 2012, and 64 were elected delegates to the Clark County Democratic Convention and the 49th District Democratic Caucus on April 28 at Hudson's Bay High School. The delegates in turn elected 14 women and 13 men to represent the district at the 3rd Congressional District Caucus on May 20 at Alki Middle School and the Washington State Democratic Convention in Seattle June 1-3.
Nearly 70 percent of the 64 precincts already have candidates filing for election at the August Primary. (Only in cases where two or more candidtes file in a precinct will the offices appear on the ballots mailed to registered voters.) Neighborhoods where we are still seeking good candidates include the new precinct west of Hazel Dell Avenue to Columbia River High School, Fruit Valley, Sherewood Heights, Green Meadows west, Truman Elementary, Northeast Minnehaha and the view homes along the Columbia River from Lieser Road east to the I-205 Bridge.
The 49th Legislative District Democratic Central Committee comprises elected Democratic officials and precinct committee officers and voters who have each paid $10 annual dues to the committee. Anyone interested in Democratic ideals is welcome to attend and participate but not to vote on resolutions or other actions.
Officers:
Chair: David Michael Heywood
Vice Chair: Catherine Rich
Secretary: Sandra Hoyt
Treasurer: Marian Joyce Bryce
State Committeewoman: Donna Quesnell
State Committeeman: Nicholas J. Ferderer
For additional information, please contact: David Michael Heywood by email at mikewrit@hotmail.com, by phone at 360-693-8809 or cell 360-771-0124