September 2003 Volume 93, Issue 1

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"Will the Municipal League endorse our City Council candidate?" "How can we get the League’s endorsement?"

Campaign managers and candidates frequently ask these kinds of questions.

Here’s our answer: Sorry, no, we don’t endorse candidates for political office. Then we explain that, instead, we rate candidates. It’s a distinction that’s worth explaining. Regardless of their position on issues, the League rates candidates on their capacity to govern, not their political views.

Candidate responses to our questions guide the League’s ratings — from "Outstanding" to "Not Qualified." You might be surprised to learn that every candidate in a race can earn the "Outstanding" rating from the Municipal League. King County citizens would be fortunate if every candidate running for office earned an outstanding rating from the Municipal League. Often, many candidates in the same race earn "Outstanding" or "Very Good" ratings. The Municipal League sees this positively, as a sign of a healthy political process.

To create the ratings, volunteers carefully research the public record and listen to each candidate during face-to-face interviews. The League looks for strength and promise in four areas: involvement, effectiveness, character and knowledge. To be rated "outstanding," the candidate should demonstrate that they:

• Possess the required skills related to the office
• Are a path-finding leader who moves people and processes toward workable solutions
• Garner recognition and respect appropriate to the responsibilities of campaigning and political office
• Bring attention, knowledge and creativity to address complex public issues and the office sought

If the candidate cannot demonstrate the necessary skills and knowledge to serve their community well, the League bestows a "Not Qualified" rating.

Another volunteer group examines the fine points of upcoming ballot initiatives. Often the Ballot Issues committee suggests that the League should not take a ballot position. But when the issue affects the quality of government in King County, the committee researches the initiative and interviews people who support and oppose the proposal. In that case, the Municipal League takes a position. It takes a two-thirds majority of the board to do this, and the League announces its conclusion, sometimes joining forces with others to inform voters.

These two League activities are completely independent of each other. For example, history shows that the League has given an "outstanding" rating to candidates who strongly support an initiative the League urged voters to oppose. The candidate rating process aims to bring effective leaders into government. The Ballot Issues committee focuses on advising voters to make the best choice about a specific ballot initiative.

The Municipal League wishes to thank all the volunteers and supporters who work so hard to empower citizens to make informed election choices.

In the past two elections, late mailings of absentee ballots revealed serious problems within King County’s elections office. The King County Council recently convened a nine-person Citizens’ Oversight Committee to address these problems. The County invited both the Municipal League and the League of Women Voters to provide a representative to serve on the committee.

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