King County Republican Party Resolutions


Resolution to Support Six Initiatives for Washington State Sponsored by Let’s Go Washington

The King County Republicans support the passage of the following six initiatives that were made necessary in response to laws passed recently by the Legislature. They are sponsored by Let’s Go Washington and Certified by the Washington State Secretary of State: 

I-2113: Reasonable Police Pursuit; I-2117: Stop the Hidden Gas Tax; I-2124: Opt-Out of State-Run Long Term Care Coverage Act; I-2109: Repeal the Capital Gains Tax; I-2111: No State Income Tax; I-2081: Parental Notification 

WHEREAS, we are in full agreement with the hundreds of thousands of citizens in King County who are unified in restoring good policy as relates to these issues. 

WHEREAS, I-2113 Would restore reasonable restrictions to what they were before the legislature changed them in 2021 regarding when a police officer may engage in vehicle pursuits. These pursuits are based on a reasonable suspicion that a person has violated the law, pursuit is necessary to identify or apprehend the person, the person poses a threat to the safety of others, those safety risks are greater than those of the pursuit, and a supervisor authorizes the pursuit. 

WHEREAS, I-2117 would prohibit state agencies from imposing any type of carbon tax credit trading, including “cap and trade” or “cap and tax” programs, regardless of whether the resulting increased costs are imposed on fuel recipients or fuel suppliers. It would repeal sections of the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act as amended, including repealing the creation and modification of a “cap and invest” program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by specific entities. 

WHEREAS, I-2124 would amend state law establishing a state long term care insurance program to provide that employees and self-employed people must elect to keep coverage under RCW 50B.04, allow employees to opt-out of coverage under RCW 50B.04 at any time, and repeal a current law governing exemptions for employees who had purchased long term care insurance before November 1, 2021.

WHEREAS, I-2109 would repeal an income tax the legislature labeled as an excise tax imposed on the sale or exchange of certain long-term assets by individuals who have annual capital gains of over $250,000.

WHEREAS, I-2111 would prohibit the state, counties, cities, and other local jurisdictions from imposing or collecting income taxes, defined as having the same meaning as “gross income” in the Internal Revenue Code.

WHEREAS, I-2081 would allow parents and guardians of public-school children to review instructional materials and inspect student records, including health and disciplinary records, upon request. It would require public schools to provide parents and guardians with certain notifications, including about medical services given and when students are taken off campus, access to calendars and certain policies; and written notice and opportunities to opt students out of comprehensive sexual-health education and answering certain surveys or assignments, therefore be it;

RESOLVED, the King County GOP supports the passage of all six initiatives

Resolution to Restore Sound, Secure, and Succinct Voting Systems for the People of King County

WHEREAS the people of King County realize the importance of election integrity and the constitutional mandate that states oversee their own elections, the people have concerns of the following: 

1. While we appreciate the work of the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) and their efforts to strengthen the security of our system of voting. We strongly condemn current violations of the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) and other government laws, rules and efforts
designed to promote open and fair elections as highlighted by recent ActBlue and WinRed discoveries. 

2. We strongly support getting rid of hackable electronic voting technology as well as mail-in ballots and implore that they be replaced with single-day in-person voting, where legal photo identification is required and that ballots are hand counted at the precinct level, with results
reported on election night. 

WHEREAS these systems aimed at enhancing voter efficiency have demonstrated vulnerabilities compromising accuracy, have reduced voter confidence, and added expense to the process. 

WHEREAS fec.gov website reveals significant number of instances of political money laundering and mishandling in WA State with thousands of donations to ‘Act Blue” and “WinRed.” 

WHEREAS mail in ballot lacks security, transparency, ballot chain of custody, verifiable integrity. With no proof of citizenship required to vote per SB5208 only a partial social security is required for on-line registration. 

WHEREAS the Secretary of State has not had the ability to fulfill the duties of auditing voter rolls of non-citizens, creating a cloud around voter viability. 

WHEREAS the length of up to a month to verify an election and with no signature comparison accuracy is not a sound system say the people. 

WHEREAS the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) system has, as of Aug 15th, 2023, been removed in 9 states due to concerns about the system integrity and inappropriate sharing of voter data, therefore, be it 

RESOLVED that King County Republicans are in support of replacing universal mail-in voting with in-person voting, on election day, with photo ID, hand counted paper ballots at the precinct level with results reported that night, while still allowing for absentee ballots by request for special circumstances such as military and overseas voters, voters who are homebound, and those with disabilities; be it further 

RESOLVED, that King County Republicans believe all machines and computerized devices should be removed from the voting process, including those that are internet capable, that scan ballots and that tally or tabulate votes as well as any software used in the process that possesses the capability to manipulate vote tabulations or election results; be it further 

RESOLVED, that King County Republicans support public access to all election data and information, at no charge, as well as transparent audits of election results that include absentee signature verifications, voter addresses, and vote tallies; be it further 

RESOLVED, that King County Republicans support Washington State’s immediate withdrawal from the ERIC system; be it further 

RESOLVED, that the 48th LD Republicans support verifying legal voter addresses by using a verifiably credible method such as real-time ‘Fractal’ technology, used by a Wisconsin voter integrity team; be it further 

RESOLVED that The WA State Attorney General, every WA State District Attorney, and every Sheriff be tasked with investigating the ActBlue/WinRed crimes and prosecuting the theft found going back to 2004.

Resolution to Support Opportunity, Security, Fairness and Prosperity in King County’s Black Communities

The King County Republicans commit to initiatives aimed at enhancing economic empowerment and access to capital for Black Americans within King County, recognizing the historical barriers that have limited such opportunities. We support the acknowledgment of Black historic accomplishments, addressing disparities in the medical community, promoting financial literacy, reforming or repurposing failing schools with full school choice opportunities, coordinating with farmers’ markets to bring healthy foods to communities, and encouraging all grocery stores to accept WIC/SNAP. 

WHEREAS, the King County GOP has recognized the importance of tailoring national efforts to the specific needs and opportunities within our local community to ensure Black residents have the necessary resources for economic empowerment and access to capital; and 

WHEREAS, historical accomplishments of Black Americans must be formally acknowledged and educational initiatives put in place to ensure that contributions to our nation’s history are celebrated; and 

WHEREAS, disparities within the medical community must be addressed through advocacy, research, and policy reform to eliminate barriers to equitable healthcare access and outcomes; and 

WHEREAS, financial literacy is recognized as fundamental to breaking the cycle of poverty, with a shift needed from temporary solutions to creating long-term prosperity and independence; and 

WHEREAS, the presence of failing schools negatively impacts the potential for success in our communities, necessitating immediate intervention through closure, provision of tutors, or counselors; and 

WHEREAS, the coordination with farmers’ markets to bring healthy foods into communities and encouraging all grocery stores to accept WIC/SNAP are essential steps towards addressing food disparities and promoting wellness among Black families; therefore 

BE IT RESOLVED, the King County Republicans commit to these initiatives as part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure Black economic empowerment and access to capital; and be it further 

RESOLVED, the King County Republicans will facilitate government coordination with farmers’ markets and support policies that encourage all grocery stores within King County to accept WIC/SNAP benefits; and be it finally 

RESOLVED, the King County Republicans will advocate for and support policies that address healthcare disparities, promote financial literacy, and advance educational opportunities for Black Americans.

Resolution to Oppose the Reinstatement of Mandates Regarding Citizens’ Personal Decisions Regarding Health

WHEREAS, there are discussions among political entities about reinstating mask mandates and at least one educational institution has already done so; and

WHEREAS, the people of King County and Washington State have a Constitutional right to make their own healthcare decisions; and

WHEREAS, the mask, vaccine, and social restriction mandates in 2021 and 2022 have had a devastating, far-reaching and long-lasting impact on virtually every aspect of our lives and livelihood, including the health and wellbeing of children; now

THEREFORE, be it resolved, that KCGOP opposes any attempt by our Federal, State, and/or Local governments to reinstate mandates regarding citizens’ personal health decisions, including those pertaining to masking, vaccinating, and social restrictions

Passed by the King County Republican Party Executive Board, September 12th 2023

Resolution to Prohibit Internet or Cellular Phone Voting in Local, County, State or National Elections

WHEREAS, many good citizens do not trust either software APPs or the Internet, as such digital products are notoriously subject to hacking and manipulation; and

WHEREAS, it was demonstrated at the Democrat Iowa Caucus, in February 2020, that confusion results from any attempt to use such Internet voting systems; and

WHEREAS, King County recently conducted an election for the King County Conservation District using Internet voting, and will probably declare that experiment to have been a success, and will therefore recommend that such a system be employed on a state-wide basis for future elections, thus saving the state and counties a large amount of money for mailing and paper ballot handling; and

WHEREAS, nothing done on the Internet can be considered to be private, whether encrypted or not, while a citizen’s right is to have privacy in whom or what they vote for, and is guaranteed in order to avoid retribution from political interests for the citizen’s vote; and

WHEREAS, certain citizens still do not have Internet access, particularly in the elderly communities, and thus would be deprived of their right to vote if internet voting were established as the only means of voting; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Republican Party shall use all available political influence to establish laws prohibiting the use of the Internet to conduct any local, state or national election; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that, except in an extreme emergency where no other method of voting is available, no cellular phone or Internet voting shall be permitted at any Republican caucus or convention.

Respectfully submitted by Cecil Joe Tomlinson, Republican PCO for the 47th LD, Berrydale Precinct  

Resolution to Support Voters’ Rights and Election Integrity

WHEREAS, every U. S. Citizen of Voting age (18 years and older), once legally registered by positive authorized Identification, has the civic duty to cast their votes; and

WHEREAS, modern technology appears to be an incentive toward an all on-line system, rendering it difficult, if not impossible, for all voters to cast their votes; and

WHEREAS, in the State of Washington, a person wishing to register to vote need only sign a statement confirming that they are a U. S. Citizen without presenting any government-issued proof of citizenship; and

WHEREAS, King County Elections verifies the integrity of each voter by a human being comparing the signature on each ballot envelope submitted to copies of voters’ signatures on file, thus leaving a lot of room for interpretation, human error, or oversight; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, voters should be guaranteed the option to vote by mail, or in person, at the King County Elections Office; and be it further

RESOLVED, anyone registering to vote must provide proof positive (e.g., U.S. Passport; birth certificate; naturalization papers) that they are indeed a U. S. citizen; and finally, be it

RESOLVED, the process of manually verifying each signature on ballot envelopes be revisited with the intention of updating the process to better ensure the integrity of each election, and close gaps where unscrupulous election workers may pass invalid ballots through to be counted.

Source:  Jeff Matson 

Resolution on Taxing and Tolling Automobiles 

WHEREAS, freedom of mobility is one of the greatest of our freedoms, and is basic and universally understood; and

WHEREAS, the automobile is one of the greatest freedom-giving inventions of mankind and gives us total flexibility of when and where we want to go; and

WHEREAS, fuel taxes collected at the pump for purposes of road maintenance are sometimes diverted to non-road maintenance projects, such as funding for mass transit; and

WHEREAS, as a result of diverting funds from road maintenance, infrastructure is falling apart (to wit: the West Seattle Bridge is only 36 years old and must be closed until 2022 for major repairs, causing untold traffic jams and loss of property value in West Seattle); and

WHEREAS, additional taxes on gross weight or mileage on non-electric vehicles are a form of double taxation, since drivers of these vehicles already pay fuel taxes; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that, the use of automobiles should not be taxed in any respect other than to enhance their use, such as fuel tax for road maintenance; and be it further

RESOLVED, tolls on roads and bridges should be collected only to pay off construction bonds.  Once the new road or bridge is paid, the tolls should be dropped.  Maintenance of the roads and bridges should be covered through fuel taxes; and be it further

RESOLVED, funds collected through fuel taxes and tolls should not be used to supplement general state revenue; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, funds collected for road maintenance should not be diverted elsewhere but should be used for the projects for which they were intended.

Source:  Jeff Matson  

Resolution against BDS and other anti-Israel activities

WHEREAS, the Jewish people have both a historic and modern legal right to live in peace and security in the land of Israel, now called the State of Israel; and

WHEREAS, anti-Zionism, which is a denial of this right, is a modern form of anti-Semitism simply by another name; and

WHEREAS, the State of Israel is a long-term ally and friend of the United States; and

WHEREAS the State of Israel is the only functional representative democracy in the Middle East; and

WHEREAS, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel has spread its ugly hatred throughout the Democrat party, many college campuses, and the Seattle city council where taxpayer funds have been used to fund anti-Israel events in city facilities; and

WHEREAS, anti-Zionism has led to increased instances of anti-Semitic activities against individual Jews, synagogues, and other Jewish institutions throughout the world, the United States, and the Seattle area in the last few years; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that all taxpayer funds be cut off to anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic, and BDS events and organizers in every city and county in Washington; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we commend President Trump for keeping his promises to move the U.S. Embassy back to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, where it belongs; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that all Republican elected officials in Washington be encouraged to publicly express their support for embattled local Jewish communities and the State of Israel.

Respectfully submitted on March 25, 2020 by Beth Broadway, 37th LD GOP Chair 

Resolution to Improve Immigration Compliance

WHEREAS, certain cities, counties, and states that have designated themselves as a “sanctuary” are not cooperating with Federal Authorities and Federal Law in the apprehension, detention, and prosecution of illegal immigrants; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that we oppose the designation of any city, county, or state as a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants; and be it further

RESOLVED, that, we fully support the operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that all cities, counties, and states give their full cooperation to local jurisdictions to fully comply with federal law and give their full cooperation to ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the apprehension, detention, and prosecution of illegal immigrants.

Jeff Matson Providence Point Precincts ISS 41-2409, 3554, and 3786 

Resolution to Oppose Carbon Taxation

WHEREAS, many advocates of radical carbon emission reduction also support an extreme left-wing agenda, using climate change policy as a means to achieve political goals unobtainable through honest political action, and

WHEREAS, achieving carbon emission goals for Washington state, as required by RCW 70.235.020, can only be achieved by sending businesses and jobs out of our state, while reducing our standard of living, our comfort, and our freedom of mobility, and

WHEREAS, wind and solar installations are proposed as “clean energy” solutions to carbon emissions, but are themselves environmentally damaging, and such remedies can never replace carbon fuels due to their intermittency, low energy output, initial cost, and recycling cost, and

WHEREAS, the apparent goal of carbon taxation is not actually to reduce carbon fuel use, but rather to tax carbon fuel use, as evidenced by opposition to such viable and scalable forms of zero-carbon energy as hydroelectric and nuclear power, now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Republican Party of King County opposes all forms of carbon taxation, and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that we support greater efforts to develop use of hydroelectric and nuclear power.

Respectfully submitted by Cecil Joe Tomlinson, Republican PCO for the 47th LD, Berrydale Precinct   

 

Resolution In Support of the Newly Created United States Space Force

WHEREAS, on Friday, December 20, 2019, President Trump signed Senate Bill 1790, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which, in part, directed the establishment of the United States Space Force (USSF) as the sixth branch of the armed forces; and

WHEREAS, the present and future aggressive military use of space by the adversaries of the United States is not in doubt; and

WHEREAS, historically, generals and admirals have always prepared for the next war by employing the equipment used and tactics learned in the previous war; e.g., we entered WWI with a horse cavalry which was quickly made obsolete by machine guns and tanks; we entered WWII with battleships that were made obsolete by aircraft carriers that became the dominant naval surface weapons of WWII; our Navy admirals are today preparing, again, for the last war by asking for large aircraft carriers, each costing billions of dollars to build and thousands of personnel to man, which could, tragically, be made obsolete by an enemy space force that is able to locate and target our carriers from space with long range missiles launched from the ground or the sea; and

WHEREAS, Russia has already launched satellites in the same orbit as one of our “spy” satellites, to shadow, track and record its communications; and

WHEREAS, to stay ahead in the space race we need the equivalent of a navy in space, with the capability to neutralize enemy satellites that threaten our armed forces, our power grid, our communications, and our economy, when that becomes necessary; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Republican Party of King County congratulates President Trump and the Congress of the United States on having the wisdom and foresight to establish the United States Space Force; and finally, be it

RESOLVED, that the USSF should be given a mission of defending our national interests in space and should be given complete autonomy from the other defense forces, so that USSF assets are not diverted to support other force strategies, a lesson that was learned the hard way in WWII, which caused the USAF to become a separate force from the Army after the war.

Respectfully submitted by Cecil Joe Tomlinson, Republican PCO for the 47th LD, Berrydale Precinct.  

Resolution in Support of Referendum 90 

WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has passed ESSB 5395, which mandates “Comprehensive Sexual Health Education” for grades K-12; and

WHEREAS, parents and their local school boards deserve a voice in controversial curriculum decisions; and

WHEREAS, many school districts cannot afford an expensive, unfunded mandate; and

WHEREAS, Referendum 90, written by Parents for Safe Schools, permits voters to reject ESSB 5395; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Republican Party of King County fully endorses Referendum 90 and enthusiastically encourages a vote thereon to REJECT ESSB 5395.

Respectfully submitted by Steven Carl Rodli, 47th LD Delegate KEN 47-0601   

 

Resolution on Responsible Federal Spending

WHEREAS, The most important constitutional responsibility of the United States Congress is to pass a responsible budget; and

WHEREAS, Congress has failed to pass its required appropriations bills on time every year since 1997, resorting instead to massive “omnibus” bills; and

WHEREAS, These omnibus bills, lacking the scrutiny of the formal budgeting process, have resulted in high levels of irresponsible spending, fueling federal deficits of increasing size, and

WHEREAS, These deficits are increasing the debt to dangerous levels, threatening the economic stability of both the United States and the entire world; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Congress must restore regular order in its budgeting process, passing each spending bill through both houses on-time, allowing for proper scrutiny; and be it further

RESOLVED, That Congress should implement zero-baseline budgeting for all discretionary spending, rather than allowing wasteful spending in previous years to “justify” profligate spending in the future; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that Congress should implement a mechanism similar to the Switzerland’s “debt brake”, in which automatic, across-the-board spending cuts limit the growth in federal spending to 2% annually unless a super-majority of Congress determines a national emergency should suspend such limits.

Resolution on Medicare and Social Security Reform

WHEREAS, The cost of the Social Security and Medicare programs exceed the taxes intended to fund those programs; and

WHEREAS, The gap between the taxes funding Social Security and Medicare and the costs of those programs is currently 2.1% of the GDP of the entire nation, and the changing demographics of our country expose the fact that these programs, in their current state, don’t work over the long-term, such that the Congressional Budget Office projects the funding gap to grow to 6% of GDP over the next 30 years; and

WHEREAS, We currently spend less than 6% of GDP on all discretionary spending, defense and non-defense spending combined; and

WHEREAS, The accelerating growth rate of the programs cannot continue indefinitely and will eventually lead to a debt crisis in which nearly all government programs will likely be cut; and

WHEREAS, This fiscal crisis and the ensuing budget cuts will be especially hard on retirees and those nearing retirement; and

WHEREAS, These programs are now funded in large part by borrowing, which is a burden on future tax-payers – our children; and

WHEREAS, These future tax-payers have no vote in these decisions, but are nevertheless unjustly impacted by our nation’s failure to resolve this problem; and

WHEREAS, Failing to take action will result in a grave moral wrong to two groups: those at retirement age during the fiscal day of reckoning; and our children, who will have to rebuild the economy from the devastation we have wrought; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that Medicare and Social Security be restructured as soon as possible to provide future retirees the clear knowledge required to make financial planning decisions; and be it further

RESOLVED, that this restructuring include but not be limited to the recommendations of the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles Commission:  – gradually raising the age of eligibility  – using the lower “Chained Consumer Price Index” to reduce the inflation adjustment – changing the Social Security benefit formula to reduce payments to high earners and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that these changes be phased in gradually so that no one in or near retirement is affected.

Resolution on Reducing the Cost of Higher Education

WHEREAS, tuition at the University of Washington increased 219% between 1997-1998 and 2016-2017 (20 years), and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased only 50% for the same period, netting an increase in tuition that is four times that of the increase in the cost of living; and

WHEREAS, nearly 60% of college students borrow to pay school costs, thereby tripling average student loan debt since 1990; and

WHEREAS, over 90% of student loans are federally guaranteed, constituting a massive indirect subsidy to institutions of higher education, thus allowing schools to extract ever-increasing amounts of money from students and taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, a Federal Reserve Bank of New York study has shown this increase in student borrowing increases tuition costs $0.60 for each $1.00 of additional credit; and

WHEREAS, the taxpayer has an interest in controlling the costs of education, even at private institutions, due to the indirect student loan subsidy; and

WHEREAS, colleges and universities are spending increasing amounts on administration versus education; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, the increase in tuition and fees at public universities should be limited to the increase in the Consumer Price Index; and be it further

RESOLVED, the growth in administrative costs at public universities should be no greater than the growth in education costs; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Washington State legislature mandate reductions in the percentage of non-teaching staff at public colleges and universities; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that students seek loans from the private marketplace and that the Federal government no longer guarantee student loans (nor strip students of bankruptcy protection), thereby forcing universities to control tuition increases and ensuring banks and universities have a stake in each student’s financial success.

Resolution to Limit the Power of the Governor of Washington State to Act in Pandemic Emergencies

WHEREAS, the Washington State Constitution gives “emergency powers” only to the legislature, and only for the purpose of ensuring governmental continuity; and

WHEREAS, the legislature has adopted and amended RCW 43.06.220 to provide the governor with far more sweeping powers, with little legislative oversight; and

WHEREAS, Governor Inslee, in response to the pandemic, has chosen to lay harsh restrictions on the people of Washington, damaging the economy of our state and the welfare of our people; and

WHEREAS, some of Governor Inslee’s orders have been unfair, including the designation of all government construction essential while also deeming most private construction work nonessential; and

WHEREAS, Governor Inslee’s actions clearly violate subsection (2) (g) (iii) of RCW 43.06.220, which prohibits the governor from overturning the protections given by the First Amendment of the US Constitution, particularly, the right to peaceably assemble; and

WHEREAS, Governor Inslee has taken these actions with no legislative oversight, a situation ripe for current and future abuse; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that those emergency actions of Governor Inslee, restricting public assembly for a redress of grievances, be acknowledged as violations of both state law and the US Constitution and immediately rescinded; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Washington State Legislature immediately reconvene to assess the governor’s actions and rescind any unlawful or unfair provisions; and finally, be it further

RESOLVED, that the state legislature must amend RCW 43.06.220 to clearly define a governor’s emergency powers and to mandate legislative review after 30 days for any emergency actions taken by a governor.

Resolution to Oppose Climate Extremism

WHEREAS, weather events that appear to be abnormal (warmer or colder, dryer or wetter, or windier than average) are presented by the media as resulting from man-made climate change;

WHEREAS, for many years dire predictions of climate disaster have failed to come true; and

WHEREAS, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is necessary for life on the planet earth; and

WHEREAS, the fear of extreme weather conditions and disasters to which our young school children are exposed causes psychological stress; and

WHEREAS, there is no scientific “consensus” on climate change, and furthermore science is not settled by consensus; therefore, let it be

RESOLVED, that the teaching of political doctrines promoting fear of climate change must be balanced with less hysterical climate science and include reviews of historical patterns of extreme weather conditions and their actual impact on society; and let it be further

RESOLVED, that we oppose all forms of censoring of opinions regarding climate science, and that we wish to promote more balanced presentations in the media; and finally, let it be further

RESOLVED, that hiring practices in public institutions must not discriminate against persons whose opinions differ from those who support climate change theory and fear of extreme weather.

Respectfully submitted by: Jeff Matson, PCO, Precinct 41-3786 Cecil Joe Tomlinson, PCO, Precinct 47-Berrydale  

Resolution Supporting the Second Amendment

WHEREAS, the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution secures an individual right to bear arms for self-defense; and

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court in McDonald v. City of Chicago in 2010 upheld that the Second Amendment applies everywhere, to the states as well as federal jurisdictions like Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 held that the right to bear arms is considered a fundamental right; and

WHEREAS, the gun control lobbies are proposing new Washington State legislation that would undermine the rights of law-abiding citizens; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the King County Grand Old Party (KCGOP), on behalf of its members:

  1. opposes House Bill 2947 to ban the manufacture, possession, sale, transfer, etc. of magazines that hold more than fifteen rounds of ammunition;
  2. opposes House Bill 2240 and Senate Bill 6027 to ban the manufacture, possession, sale, transfer, etc. of magazines that hold more than fifteen and ten rounds of ammunition respectively. So called “high capacity” magazines are in fact standard equipment for commonly owned firearms;
  3. opposes House Bill 1315 and Senate Bill 5174 to require onerous government red tape and further training to obtain a Concealed Pistol License;
  4. and opposes House Bill 2519 to ban online sales of ammunition, and potentially require background checks for all ammunition purchases.

Respectfully submitted by, Joe Merritt, 5th Legislative District. 

Restoring Voter Confidence in Washington State Elections – In Specific Regard to Electronic Elections Systems

Whereas, Washington State voters have a right to reasonable assurance of election integrity; and

Whereas, elections officials in Washington State have a legal duty and an ethical obligation to provide publicly- verifiable information to Washington State voters so that they are able to pursue and attain reasonable assurance of election integrity; and

Whereas, the use of electronic voting/tallying systems and mandatory vote-by-mail elections is relatively new, and Washington State has essentially pioneered these systems and their processes in the United States; and

Whereas, the ability to tailor and tamper with election tabulation data appears to be built into the software and firmware of each electronic tabulation system (e.g. the “weighted race feature” and manual adjudication), as well as into the operational interface used by elections officials; and

Whereas, numerous instances of election-tabulation irregularities related specifically to the use of electronic tabulation systems (which are similar in form and function to the systems used in Washington State), have been reported across the country, including irregularities that appear to be related to functions of the system’s software/firmware itself as well as irregularities that are alleged to be unintentional errors made by elections officials while they are using the machines; and

Whereas, Washington State voters are not currently permitted to examine or audit the software, firmware, or data logs of these electronic tabulation systems; and

Whereas, appeals to Washington State courts for the ability to run independent audits have been refused out of hand; and

Whereas, independent audits are being rejected by Washington State officials under the guise of being necessary to protect proprietary information, despite the industry standard for such audits commonly including a requirement for the auditor(s) to sign a non-disclosure agreement to protect proprietary information; and

Whereas, these circumstances and reports have significantly and negatively impacted voter confidence in the integrity of Washington State’s elections.

Now therefore, be it resolved, that the King County Republican Party (KCGOP), calls for an immediate and independent audit of Washington State’s elections systems’ software and firmware in order to obtain, and provide to the public, verifiable evidence that Washington State’s electronic voting and tabulation systems, and the processes they employ, are secure and have integrity; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP calls for the use of regular, independent audits of our elections systems that include full analyses of each electronic voting system’s software and firmware to help verify no inappropriate code or manipulative algorithms are imbedded in the infrastructure; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP calls for a full analysis of each electronic voting system’s data-logs to identify and guard against any inappropriate or unlawful use of the system; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP will support all policies, and legislation that help facilitate government transparency and accountability concerning Washington State elections systems, and that strive to protect the ability of Washington State voters to seek out assurance of election integrity by making such evidence publicly available; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP will oppose any policies, and legislation that seek to impair or hinder government accountability and transparency and the ability of Washington State voters to seek out assurance of election integrity by limiting or prohibiting public access to relevant information and evidence; and

Be it finally resolved, that KCGOP will collaborate with state and county officials, as well as Republican leadership in Washington State, to help provide Washington State voters with assurance of election security and integrity, by holding to the above resolutions and by advocating for transparency by way of making all information concerning Washington State’s elections processes available to the public for the purpose of their assurance through its verification.

Respectfully submitted by the King County Republican Party Election Integrity Committee

Restoring Voter Confidence in Washington State Elections – In Specific Regard to Mail-In Voting

Whereas, Washington State voters have a right to reasonable assurance of election integrity; and

Whereas, elections officials in Washington State have a legal duty and an ethical obligation to provide publicly-verifiable information to Washington State voters so that they are able to pursue and attain reasonable assurance of election integrity; and

Whereas, the use of mail-in balloting is relatively untested, immature in its checks and balances, and lacks the verifiable chain of custody that is well-established in our country’s in-person, on-election-day voting systems; and

Whereas, Washington State currently conducts elections using a process that essentially excludes and prohibits all forms of voting other than through the use of a mailed out ballot; and

Whereas, National Change of Address records appear to indicate significant failures of county auditors in Washington State to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of address for Washington State residents; and

Whereas, no county official overseeing our election can verify that each mailed out ballot reaches its intended recipient; and

Whereas, no county official overseeing our elections can verify that each returned ballot was filled out by its designated recipient; and

Whereas, the current use of ballot security sleeves, as opposed to the sealed security envelopes used in the past, do not prevent elections officials from being able to see and/or tamper with ballots during ballot processing; and

Whereas, there are credible reports  of partisan operatives in other states taking mail-in ballots of registered voters, and steaming open the envelopes in order to replace a voter’s legitimate ballot with a fraudulent ballot before resealing the fraudulent ballot in the original, legally signed envelope; and

Whereas, these circumstances and reports have significantly and negatively impacted voter confidence in the integrity of Washington State’s elections.

Now therefore, be it resolved, that the King County Republican Party (KCGOP) calls for the immediate cessation of using unsolicited, mailed out ballots and self-printed ballots; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP calls for Washington State elections to be conducted using primarily in-person voting (with verification of valid voter ID required), and for mail-in voting to only be allowed for a legally registered voter after that individual has had a direct request for a mailed out ballot granted by the appropriate elections official (i.e., “absentee ballot”); and

Be it further resolved, that so long as unsolicited, mail-in voting continues to be permitted in Washington State, KCGOP calls for all state and county address databases to be audited and purged immediately prior to each and every Washington State election in order to help ensure each election ballot is only mailed to the verified, correct, and current address of its designated recipient; and

Be it finally resolved, that KCGOP will collaborate with state and county officials, as well as GOP leadership in Washington State, to help provide Washington State voters with assurance of election security and integrity, by holding to the above resolutions and by advocating for transparency by way of making all information concerning Washington State’s elections processes available to the public for the purpose of their assurance through its verification.

Respectfully submitted by the King County Republican Party Election Integrity Committee

Restoring Voter Confidence in Washington State Elections – In Specific Regard to Voter Registration and Non-Citizens

Whereas, Washington State voters have a right to reasonable assurance of election integrity; and

Whereas, elections officials in Washington State have a legal duty and an ethical obligation to provide publicly-verifiable information to Washington State voters so that they are able to pursue and attain reasonable assurance of election integrity; and

Whereas, Washington State is home to many legal immigrants, and has now also been declared a “sanctuary state for illegal aliens; and

Whereas, despite Washington State law allowing drivers’ licenses to be issued to non-citizens for more than two decades now, the Office of the Secretary of State has never run an audit of the state voter registration database to identify and remove non-citizens who are inappropriately or unlawfully registered; and

Whereas, Washington State’s Department of Licensing (DOL) now has the authority and capability to automatically register to vote any person applying for a Washington State drivers’ license or Identicard through their agency, and does so without requiring any verification that an applicant is a citizen of the United States; and

Whereas, Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) now has the authority and capability to automatically register to vote any person applying to receive services through their agency, and does so without requiring any verification that an applicant is a citizen of the United States; and

Whereas, any Washington State driver’s license, and Identicard are now considered legal identification in Washington State for the use in registering to vote; and

Whereas, thousands of non-citizens (namely, legal immigrants working diligently toward their citizenship), are now confirmed to have been registered to vote without their knowledge or consent and many have unexpectedly receive ballots for recent Washington State elections; and

Whereas, some non-citizens (namely, legal immigrants), have had Washington State ballots cast fraudulently in their names without their knowledge or consent; and

Whereas, data and statistics from the Federal E-Verify database, the USCIS S.A.V.E. database, and the US Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship & Immigration Data Repository, while not perfect or comprehensive, are accessible to state agencies/officials (or available upon request), and can be used to assess Washington State’s voter roll integrity and to query the voter database to identify non-citizens who have been improperly and unlawfully registered to vote; and

Whereas, in accordance with RCW 29A.08.125  and 52 US Code §21083 , the Washington State’s Office of Secretary of State has both the duty to maintain a voter registration database that is designed to screen for non-citizens, and the authority to use available federal or state agency databases to do so, yet has never run an audit of Washington State’s voter registration database to remove non-citizens; and

Whereas, these circumstances and reports have not only significantly and negatively impacted voter confidence in the integrity of Washington State’s elections, but also have the ability to put the citizenship eligibility of many legal immigrants in jeopardy when someone else fraudulently casts a ballot in their name.

Now therefore, be it resolved, that the King County Republican Party (KCGOP) calls for the immediate cessation of automatic and same-day voter registration, and for the Department of Licensing and the Department of Social and Health Services to be prohibited from registering voters or having access to voter registration data; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP, in accordance with the provisions and stipulations in RCW 29A.08.125 and 52 US Code §21083, calls for Washington State’s Office of the Secretary of State to use any available state, or federal database to assist with running a comprehensive audit to query Washington State’s voter registration database for the names of non-citizens for the purpose of their immediate removal; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP will strongly support all Washington State policies, and legislation that strive to protect non-citizens from intentionally or accidentally registering to vote, and from being registered to vote without their knowledge and consent; and

Be it further resolved, that KCGOP will support Washington State policies, and legislation that seek to require and provide any reasonably necessary financial assistance for citizen-verified identification for voter registration; and

Be it finally resolved, that KCGOP will collaborate with state and county officials, as well as with Republican leadership in Washington State, to help provide Washington State voters with assurance of election security and integrity, by holding to the above resolutions and by advocating for transparency by way of making all information concerning Washington State’s election processes available to the public for the purpose of their assurance through its verification.

Respectfully submitted by the King County Republican Party Election Integrity Committee