The 33rd District Democrats convened on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 to select their preferred candidates to fill legislative vacancies following the retirement of State Sen. Karen Keiser, as well as two others.
The 33rd District Democrats serve as the local Democratic Party organization for Washington State’s 33rd Legislative District, which includes parts of Burien, SeaTac, Normandy Park, Des Moines, and Kent.
On Saturday, the group convened a special meeting to address the impending retirement of State Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), who has represented the district for 29 years. The meeting was held at the Seattle Machinists Hall, and brought together precinct committee officers (PCOs) to nominate and vote on candidates.
Finalists Selected
The top finalists selected during Saturday’s Special Caucus were:
For Senate:
- Tina Orwall (current rep. for 33rd District)
- Mia Gregerson (current rep. for 33rd District)
- Melissa Chaudhry (lost to Adam Smith for District 9 in Nov. election)
For House:
- Sam Méndez (Privacy Officer for the Washington State Health Care Authority)
- Edwin Obras (Strategic Advisor, Seattle Human Services)
- Krystal Marx (former Burien City Councilmember, Executive Director of Real Change)
King County Council Will Make Final Decision Tuesday, Dec. 10
The top three for each position advance to the King County Council, which will make its final decision this Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 after interviewing each candidate individually (directions on how to view the meeting live are here).
In a historic first, the 33rd Democrats employed a ranked-choice voting system for the selection, a process overwhelmingly supported by PCOs and praised for its smooth execution.
Former Burien City Councilmember Krystal Marx secured third place in the ranked-choice voting process, advancing as one of three finalists for consideration by the King County Council to fill legislative vacancies.
“I cannot express how badly I feel called to serve in this capacity,” Marx said in a Facebook post.
Méndez thanked Rep. Tina Orwall for her support and Riddhi Mehta-Neugebauer for nominating him, calling the process an “intense” but rewarding experience.
“It’s scary to stand in front of everyone and talk about your life, vision, and work, but all the candidates showed incredible bravery,” he said.
I certainly hope every member who participates in the final vote takes into account the past negitive actions of Krystal Marx, while on the Burien City Council she caused regular unproductive delays. She invited unruly activists to crowd the chambers and held rallies outside to promote her personal agenda, these actions showed how she prefers chaos, rather than collaboration for the public good.