2006 Candidate Questionnaire
SECTION I
BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION
1. Name as it will appear on the ballot
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First Name |
Middle Initial or Nick Name |
Last Name |
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Yvonne |
K. |
Ward |
2. Office sought (include office, jurisdiction, position/district number):
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State Senator, 31st legislative district |
3. Are you the incumbent? Yes No
4. How long have you resided in this district/city?
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12 years |
5. How long have you resided in King County?
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19 years |
6. Is the office sought partisan or nonpartisan? Partisan Nonpartisan
7. If partisan, please indicate party: Democrat
CAMPAIGN CONTACTS
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Campaign Name: |
Yvonne Ward for State Senate |
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Address: |
128 – 14th Street SE |
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City/State/Zip: |
Auburn, WA 98002 |
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Campaign Phone: |
253.887.8609 |
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Campaign Fax: |
253.887.8610 |
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Campaign E-mail: |
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Campaign Website: |
www.yvonneward.com |
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POLITICAL BACKGROUND
1. Beginning with the most recent position, please list public offices which you have held. Include positions on appointive Boards or Commissions.
Public Office |
Elective or Appointive? |
Dates Held |
Leadership Role (if any) |
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Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs |
Appointive
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June 2000-March 2006
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Chair (November 2004- 2006)
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Auburn Planning Commission |
Appointive
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Jan 2002 – March 2006
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Vice Chair
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Judge Pro Tem, Seattle District Court |
Appointive
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1996-1998
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2. If you ran for public office but were not elected, please list those races below:
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Office Title |
Year of Run |
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State Senator, 31st legislative district
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2002
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SECTION III
In this section, we are seeking responses that reflect the four ratings criteria: involvement, effectiveness, character, and knowledge. These are defined as follows:
- Involvement: What has the candidate done previously in family, neighborhood, community, volunteer work, employment or public life to suggest readiness to accomplish challenging objectives? How do these activities demonstrate readiness for the challenges unique to the office sought?
- Effectiveness: Has the candidate demonstrated promise of being productive in the office sought? Has the candidate shown the ability to work with other people?
- Character: Do the candidate's personal traits show the ability to take on the responsibilities of campaigning for and holding the public office she or he is seeking? Is the candidate a leader, participant or observer? Is the candidate trustworthy, reliable and candid?
- Knowledge: Has the candidate demonstrated the willingness and ability to learn and adapt? Does the candidate understand the duties and challenges of the office sought? Does the candidate have a firm grasp of the issues important to his or her constituency and their potential effects?
1. In a page or less, why are you running for this office? (Note: the interview committee will be given a copy of this statement before your interview; at the beginning of your interview you will have the opportunity to expand on this statement in any way you wish.)
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I believe that elected officials need to represent the values of our communities, rather than powerful corporate interests. Too often, political leaders hold partisan agendas above the needs of their constituents. Serious problems require realistic long-term solutions and we need effective leadership to work through the issues facing the citizens of the State of Washington. Whether it’s education, health care, veterans’ issues or traffic, the pressing issues facing our local communities need to be addressed.
I am running for office because I will be a passionate and dedicated advocate for citizens and the community. I have a demonstrated ability of bringing people together to solve problems and formulate forward-thinking solutions. I have lived in my community for 12 years and during this time I have worked closely with many groups and individuals in the area in my capacity as a civil rights attorney, advocating for those without a voice. I have also developed extensive leadership skills that I will bring to the legislature to ensure the protection of the rights and values of working families throughout the state.
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2. Describe your most important personal characteristics or traits as they relate to the office you seek.
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Diligent: I am fully committed to any task, job or project I undertake. I understand that once elected, I will be a representative of the people at all times. As a result, my commitment to this position will be resolute. I will be a dedicated representative of the people at all times.
Credible: The most effective leaders in the Legislature are those who have the confidence and trust of their colleagues in addition to the respect of the citizens that they represent. No legislator can effect change on their own – the legislative process is at its core a collaborative effort among many individuals. Those who refuse to work with others, choosing headlines over accomplishments, do a disservice to those who elected them into office.
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3. Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud. These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking. These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life.
I am also proud of my other legal work and community service activities in which I have been involved. However, the above projects are relevant to the type of leadership we need in Olympia. They show dedicated to communities and people, rather than high-powered special interests. The examples show perseverance to pursue justice, to fight for what is right and to not back down in the face of adversity. My work shows that I will be a strong advocate in whatever role I assume in the Legislature.
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4. Please list or describe your current and past activities in the community in which you have acquired skills that relate to the office you seek. Include your role in the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved. Involvement consists of many areas such as family, neighborhood, community, employment, or public life.
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Please see attached resume
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- Please describe the duties of the office you seek. Which are the most important duties and why?
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I have respect for the office, the institution, and the voices of others who have been elected to the Legislature. Most importantly, I have respect for the people that I will be representing.
The duty of the person holding this office is to be an advocate for his or her community, including those who feel disengaged from government or have traditionally felt unrepresented or disenfranchised. I will be a voice for them in the Legislature when debating issues or resolving situations with local agencies. As a civil rights attorney, I have been a strong advocate for people from all walks of life. In many ways, my role in the Legislature will be an extension of the work in which I am already very much engaged.
Ultimately, my respect for this office and for those who elect me will allow me to work effectively within the system and make a positive difference in the lives of my constituents. |
EDUCATION BACKGROUND SUMMARY
FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT
The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report is distributed to voters in print and/or on our website. It includes a summary of the candidate’s education. Please summarize your education in 120 characters (letters, punctuation, and space all combined). The League will delete material that exceeds the space limit by beginning with the last entry. Suggested order is (degree) (subject) (school) (year, if desired).
Note: If this question is left blank the League will not include education information in your candidate profile.
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BA in Political Science, Western Washington University, 1986 Juris Doctor, University of Washington School of Law, 1990 |
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY
FOR PUBLICATION IN CANDIDATE EVALUATION REPORT
The Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Report also includes a summary of each candidate’s civic involvement. Please summarize your civic involvement in the space below. We will make every attempt to include the information in the Candidate Evaluation Report as submitted. Due to space restrictions in the Report, your response is limited to 500 characters (letters, punctuation, and spaces all combined). It is important that you list your involvement beginning with the most important and ending with the least important. If you exceed the length of response permitted, or if the League should find it necessary to shorten responses for publication purposes, deletions will be made beginning with the last item listed.
Note: This information will appear verbatim on the League’s Candidate Evaluation Report. If this question is left blank, the Municipal League will not include information on your civic involvement in the Report.
Check here if you would like the Municipal League to copy the first 500 characters from Question 4 to paste into this section.
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Yvonne has been fighting for our communities – and winning – for years. As a civil rights attorney in Auburn, Yvonne has stood up for abused children and victims of domestic violence. When the State wanted to place dangerous sex predators in a residential neighborhood full of children, Yvonne led the fight to keep criminals away from local communities. As a State Senator, Yvonne will be a tireless advocate for seniors, veterans and working families.
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Finished!
If at all possible, send your response to the Municipal League electronically as an attachment, or insert it into an e-mail message (cec@munileague.org). Mail and fax numbers are listed below. If the League has not contacted you to schedule an interview, please call the League office at your earliest convenience.
Don’t forget to send the following to the Municipal League: a resume, a photo, campaign literature, and, if you are an incumbent, constituent newsletter and other materials. Please use the check-off list on the cover sheet of this packet to indicate which items you have sent.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND GOOD LUCK IN YOUR CAMPAIGN!
THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE OF KING COUNTY
Candidate Evaluation Coordinator: Jennifer DiGiacomo
Seattle, WA 98104-1614 Fax: 425-671-0506 Website: www.munileague.org