2009 King County Executive election

2009 King County Executive election

←  2005 November 3, 2009 2013  →

Nominee Dow Constantine Susan Hutchison Popular vote 325,777 224,467 Percentage 59.04% 40.68%

County Executive before election Kurt Triplett (interim) Nonpartisan Elected County Executive Dow Constantine Nonpartisan

The 2009 King County Executive election took place on November 3, 2009, following a primary on August 18, 2009. County Executive Ron Sims resigned on May 8, 2009, to become the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and designated his chief of staff, Kurt Triplett, as his temporary successor. ^[1] He was subsequently selected by the County Council to serve as interim County Executive until the November election. ^[2] Triplett did not run in the election for a full term.

Following the passage of an amendment to the King County Charter in 2008, ^[3] the election was conducted with a nonpartisan primary. Eight candidates ran in the election, with former news anchor Susan Hutchison finishing first in the primary with 33 percent of the vote, and County Council Chairman Dow Constantine finishing second with 27 percent. In the general election, Constantine, a Democrat, defeated Hutchison, a Republican, by a wide margin, receiving 59 percent of the vote to Hutchison's 41 percent.

Primary election

Candidates

• Susan Hutchison, former KIRO-TV news anchor ^[4]
• Dow Constantine, Chairman of the County Council ^[5]
• Fred Jarrett, State Senator ^[6]
• Larry Phillips, County Councilmember ^[7]
• Ross Hunter, State Representative ^[8]
• Alan Lobdell, public works manager ^[9]
• Goodspaceguy, perennial candidate ^[10]
• Stan Lippmann, physicist, perennial candidate ^[10]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Dow Constantine	Larry Phillips	Fred Jarrett	Susan Hutchison	Ross Hunter	Stan Lippmann	Alan Lobdell	Goodspaceguy	Undecided
SurveyUSA [11]	June 3–4, 2009	515 (LV)	± 4.4%	8%	9%	5%	34%	5%	–	–	–	39%
SurveyUSA [12]	June 20–22, 2009	508 (LV)	± 4.4%	12%	7%	4%	41%	6%	2%	2%	3%	23%
SurveyUSA [13]	July 11–13, 2009	504 (LV)	± 4.5%	12%	8%	7%	39%	6%	1%	2%	2%	22%
SurveyUSA [14]	August 1–3, 2009	606 (LV)	± 4.1%	13%	6%	8%	39%	8%	2%	2%	2%	20%
SurveyUSA [15]	August 10–11, 2009	649 (LV)	± 3.9%	20%	8%	6%	37%	8%	2%	2%	2%	15%

Results

2009 King County Executive primary election ^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Susan Hutchison	110,052	33.05%
	Nonpartisan	Dow Constantine	89,833	26.98%
	Nonpartisan	Fred Jarrett	40,527	12.17%
	Nonpartisan	Larry Phillips	40,295	12.10%
	Nonpartisan	Ross Hunter	36,259	10.89%
	Nonpartisan	Alan Lobdell	7,991	2.40%
	Nonpartisan	Goodspaceguy	3,884	1.17%
	Nonpartisan	Stan Lippmann	3,598	1.08%
	Write-in		572	0.17%
Total votes			333,011	100.00%

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Dow Constantine	Susan Hutchison	Undecided
SurveyUSA [17]	September 1–3, 2009	557 (LV)	± 4.2%	44%	47%	10%
SurveyUSA [18]	September 19–21, 2009	537 (LV)	± 4.3%	44%	47%	10%
SurveyUSA [19]	October 10–12, 2009	523 (LV)	± 4.4%	42%	47%	11%
SurveyUSA [20]	October 29 – November 1, 2009	614 (LV)	± 4.0%	53%	43%	5%

Results

2009 King County Executive election ^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Dow Constantine	325,777	59.04%
	Nonpartisan	Susan Hutchison	224,467	40.68%
	Write-in		1,537	0.28%
Total votes			551,781	100.00%

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

References

1. Ervin, Keith (May 8, 2009). "Ron Sims to be sworn in today as HUD deputy secretary". The Columbian . p. A3. Retrieved July 8, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
2. "Kurt Triplett appointed interim county executive". Westside Seattle . May 18, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
3. "Election Results - November 4, 2008 General Election". King County Elections. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
4. "Susan Hutchison files candidacy for King County Executive". Westside Seattle . June 5, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
5. "Democrat plans run for King County exec". The Olympian . February 17, 2009. p. A4. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
6. Brunner, Jim (March 17, 2009). "State Sen. Fred Jarrett seeks King County executive job". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
7. Ervin, Keith (July 30, 2009). "Profile: King County Executive candidate Larry Phillips". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
8. "Hunter joins King County executive's race". Auburn Reporter. April 30, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
9. "Executive candidates blast county management at forum". Snoqualmie Valley Record. June 26, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
10. Holden, Dominic (August 6, 2009). "The Oddballs for King County Executive". The Stranger . Retrieved July 8, 2025.
11. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15429". SurveyUSA . June 5, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
12. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15488". SurveyUSA . June 23, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
13. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15532". SurveyUSA . July 14, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
14. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15613". SurveyUSA . August 4, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
15. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15639". SurveyUSA . August 12, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
16. "August 18, 2009 primary election - King County Executive short and full term". King County Elections. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
17. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15767". SurveyUSA . September 4, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
18. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15822". SurveyUSA . September 22, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
19. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15826". SurveyUSA . October 13, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
20. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #15991". SurveyUSA . November 2, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
21. "Election results - November 3, 2009 General Election". King County Elections. Retrieved July 8, 2025.