Update, 9:05pm: The Klahanie annexation decision was ratified on a 6-0 vote, with Whitten absent. The Initiative/Referendum advisory vote was ratified on a 5-1 vote with Odell opposed and Whitten absent.

Original Post:

Feb. 3, 2015: This is an election year for Sammamish. There are three key election dates: April 28, Aug. 4 and Nov. 3.

April 28

At the City Council meeting tonight, officials are expected to ratify action agreed to at the Retreat last month setting April 28 as the special election for:

• The Klahanie PAA annexation vote. Voters in the Klahanie Potential Annexation Area will be asked a Yes or No question: Do they want to annex to Sammamish. This includes “Klahanie” and several adjacent subdivisions, with a total population of just over 10,000. Annexation will bring Sammamish’s population to around 60,000 residents. This will thrust Sammamish ahead of Redmond. Assuming the Klahanie residents vote to approve annexation (which I consider to be very likely), this will be effective in August. I’ll have a posting in the near future about some of the issues and ramifications of a successful vote and annexation. Only Klahanie PAA residents can vote in this election. Sammamish voters will not.
• The City Council agreed at the Retreat to place on the April 28 an Advisory vote by Sammamish citizens whether to approve the right to Initiative and Referendum. Ratification of this consensus is also expected tonight. Although the outcome is not legally binding, the Council is expected to abide by the results, Yes or No. Only Sammamish voters will cast ballots for this Advisory election–Klahanie voters will not. I’ll have an analysis of this issue closer to the April 28 election.

This is an election year for City Council. There are three seats up for election: Tom Vance, who in addition to serving as a council member is currently serving as Mayor; Nancy Whitten; and Ramiro Valderrama.

The filing date for candidates begins on May 11. If only two candidates file for each position, there will be no Primary. If three or more seek each position, there will be a Primary. It’s also possible that candidates might be unopposed. None of the incumbents has declared if he or she will seek reelection.

Click on image to enlarge into a crisp view. C. Sammamish Comment.

Vance was elected in 2011, his second attempt to serve on the City Council. He ran in 2009 and was defeated by John Curley, who pledged to serve only one term. Valderrama was elected in 2011 after an ugly election campaign against him by supporters of his opponent, Jim Wasnick. In an email to me, Wasnick recently praised Valderrama’s service, notably for bringing to the forefront King County’s tactics and development of the East Lake Sammamish Trail. Whitten was elected in 2003 and has served continuously since.

To recap, here are the important dates for the City Council election this year:

• May 11: Candidate filing begins.
• Aug. 4: The Primary, if one is needed.
• Nov. 3: General election.