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Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

More Afternoon Fizz: Election Results

Politics   March 17, 2010 at 1:32 pm Josh Feit

Yes, there was an election yesterday. It was for a seat on the five-member King Conservation District which oversees land use in rural King  County.

The candidate favored by lefty greens at the Sierra Club and King County Conservation Voters, Max Prinsen, won. By 282 votes.

That might sound like a squeaker, but just over 4,000 people voted.  He got 1,772 votes (41 percent) out 4200. The conservative in the race, Mara Heiman, got 1,488 votes (35 percent).  There were three other candidates.

Turnout was just over 50 percent higher than last year’s KCD election.




  • giffy

    Also known as the stupidest election around.

  • marymaryquitecontrary

    Why doesn't the King County Conservation District just dispense with the election altogether and just have KCCV & Sierra Club appoint people to fill vacancies? It would save $13,000 and be more honest.

  • Sparhawk2k

    Is there a point at which it becomes cheaper to get it onto a normal mail ballot?

    For example, if the numbers keep climbing in future years and they need to print more ballots, hire more people to run it, and open more locations to handle the demand?