FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2008

Contact:  Brad Meacham
               Chair
               206-622-8333

Municipal League Forms PAC to Distribute
Candidate Ratings and Ballot Recommendations

SEATTLE – The Municipal League of King County today announced the formation of a political action committee to fund mailing of its candidate ratings and recommendations on ballot issues directly to voters.

Through the Municipal League PAC, which was launched with the generous support of John Stanton and other individuals, the Municipal League will deliver a general mailing of its recommendations to King County voters for the first time.  A card with the League's ratings of individual candidates and its support of Initiative 26 should arrive in about 75,000 homes over the next few days.

The Municipal League supports putting Initiative 26 on the ballot for the November general election, but has taken no position on the merits of the initiative at this time.  If adopted, Initiative 26 would make the King County Council, Executive and Assessor nonpartisan offices.  The League's current position is consistent with the League's call for nonpartisan county offices since the 1960s. This year, the League's Ballot Issues Committee studied all sides of the initiative before recommending a "yes" vote.  Stanton offered support for a mailing after the League's Trustee's adopted the recommendation.

“This enables the League to better fulfill its mission: getting nonpartisan recommendations about candidates and ballot issues in front of voters,” said Brad Meacham, Municipal League Chair. “We thank John Stanton and others for their generous support of our mission to improve local government.  We formed the PAC to assure our compliance with Washington election laws, not to change the League's non-partisan mission.”

To view this year's candidate ratings and more detailed information about the rating process, see www.munileague.org. Printed copies of the 2008 Voter's Guide will be available at Safeway stores, public libraries throughout King County and at the League office.

About the Municipal League

The Municipal League of King County is a nonpartisan volunteer organization that has worked to ensure good government that is open, effective and accountable since 1910. The Municipal League is dedicated to improving the caliber of public officials and the quality of public decisions. For more information see www.munileague.org.

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