Our committee president, Mark Greene, is a candidate for Mayor of Federal Way. He wrote the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission an email on May 31, 2025. He questioned why potential declared write-in candidates were not considered eligible for election by them, according to the language on their website. The site implies that candidates are not eligible without a formal write-in declaration. They are not even considered declared candidates in and of themselves. We believe that you do not even have to be a declared write-in candidate to win an election, according to the law. Winning is possible if your write-in votes outnumber everybody else’s votes. Being a declared write-in candidate helps with alleviating confusion. It accounts for misspellings of the candidate’s name. It seems to be in the candidate’s best interest. Still, it’s not a strict, legal necessity.
What’s the point of reiterating these points, you say? The point is that the Public Disclosure Commission cannot imply that candidates are not eligible for election on their ‘For the Voters & the Public’ website page. They cannot expect that kind of disparagement of write-in candidates or declared candidates to go unquestioned. When you sign up with them as a candidate, it apparently means you’re a ‘declared’ candidate. This is based on the logic of their stated legally mandated requirements of being a candidate. You need to report that fact to them. For the record, being a ‘declared candidate’ is different than being a ‘declared write-in candidate.’ You could technically be one without the other. Although, we believe all candidates for any public office in Washington must sign up with them (if there’s an exception to the rule, we’re not aware of it). This should be done within two weeks of becoming a candidate.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying something important. Anybody who signs up with the Public Disclosure Commission is eligible for election. This remains true unless that candidate informs them that they are no longer a candidate, thereby making a formal withdrawal of their candidacy. So, why would the P.D.C. have a website that implies differently! They could use an asterisk for candidates that simply are not on the ballot. That would at least be informative. It would also be factual. It’s counter-intuitive to use asterisks for candidates within the standard framework of elections. Especially when compared to those going, or potentially going, the write-in route.
Mark Greene is a write-in candidate for Mayor of Federal Way. He intends to make that a declared write-in candidacy.
F.W. Lifeline Mark Greene for Mayor is the name of his election committee.
The P.D.C. did not respond to the committee’s query on this subject but we’ll be okay without an answer…we’re eligible for election either way.
POST-SCRIPT:
P.D.C. finally responded after more than a week.
Good afternoon,
In response to your question about the green asterisks denoting ‘declared candidates’ and ‘candidates eligible for election’ on the PDC website, yes, these also include “declared” write-in candidates.
PDC candidacy forms submitted to us, in and of itself, do not necessarily mean ‘declared candidate’. A “declared” candidate files declarations of candidacy with election officials. Persons “register” with the PDC when, according to the disclosure law, they become a candidate by doing one of these things: accept a contribution or spend money for your campaign; reserve space or purchase advertising to promote your candidacy; authorize someone else to do any of these activities for you; state publicly that you are seeking office; or file a declaration of candidacy.
I hope this information is helpful.
Mark’s response to their (PDC’s) response: Thanks for the reply. It is new and kind of puzzling to me that registering with you (the PDC) is not necessarily the same thing as being a declared candidate…if I understood your reply well…so that explains why some candidates can apparently get away with filing a C-1 form but not file (an) F-1 form in a timely manner, if at all, because filing a C-1 form doesn’t necessarily mean you are a declared candidate, according to your email. Therefore, (an) F-1 form is not necessarily warranted at all until a candidate files a declaration with their election office or in some way advertises his candidacy, but merely registering with a C-1 form doesn’t automatically require a follow-up F-1 if this logic is to be followed.
F.W. Lifeline Mark Greene for Mayor Committee: We’re getting a headache trying to understand this election minutiae. So, apparently being a declared candidate and being ‘just a candidate’ can be two different things (who knew?) but how do you become ‘just a candidate’ without declaring that fact and at the same time indicating a bunch of legal requirements, like filing with the PDC.
Post-Script: Regarding the above statements by our committee, we are just ruminating publicly, do not follow our thought line about reporting requirements, necessarily. If you become a candidate (under PDC jurisdiction) at all, you should file both a C-1 form and an F-1 form within two weeks of your candidacy, no ifs, ands or buts.
We think a lot of the confusion we’re writing about is a matter of semantics and could be solved with better word choices. Like use the word ‘official’ for certain candidates instead of ‘declared’. ‘Declared’ has at least two different kinds of meanings, such as somebody could just stand up in front of a neighborhood group and say that they are running for Council. That would be a theoretical declaration but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a ‘declared candidate’ under PDC rules or jargon, apparently. ‘Official’, on the other hand, would mean that you made an oath or did some kind of paperwork with an election authority that certified your candidacy.
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