The people have spoken.

Or written. Or filled in the blanks. Whatever you want to call what we did since ballots started appearing in mailboxes, we've had an election. King County has counted all the votes they're going to count today, and those early returns appear decisive in several races.

Dow Constantine is sitting on 57% of the vote and about a 35,000 vote lead over Susan Hutchison for King County Executive. I don't know if Hutchison has conceded, but Constantine has declared victory and he seens to be on safe ground doing so. This is a big Democratic win in a "non-partisan" election.

For King County Assessor, my old friend and mentor Gene Lux is holding 5.11% of the vote. I'm part of the .11, I guess. It's hardly a surprise - I'm not sure Gene's campaign extended beyond a voter's pamphlet statement. At any rate, it looks like former Seattle City Treasurer and Port Commissioner Lloyd Hara will get the nod, with a little over a third of the votes in a crowded field. That's fine.

For Port Commission Position 3, Rob Holland has nearly 55% of the votes counted and should handily, and happily, defeat David Doud. Max Vekich didn't fare so well, drawing little over 42% of the first day's vote count. Tom Albro, the apparent winner, wasn't my choice, but he was the choice of a lot of folks I respect and, frankly, he's not as bad a choice as Doud would have been in Position 3. I wish it was Max and Rob, but the Holland win is still one to savor and celebrate.

So far so good.

Exercising the Franchise, Part 4.

There are five more races on the front page of my ballot, four of which are uncontested - King County Sheriff, King County Council, Court of Appeals Judge and Port of Seattle Commissioner Position 1. I'll mark the ballot for my Council Member, Bob Ferguson, in hope that his finish is strong enough to deter future challenges, but I'll be part of the under vote for the rest.

The contested race is for King County Assessor. There are five names on the ballot, three of which merit consideration from Democratic voters. Lloyd Hara, former Seattle City Treasurer and Port Commissioner, is a likely favorite and a good Democrat. Former Deputy Assessor Bob Rosenberger has snagged the endorsement of my local Democratic Party organization and most every Democratic office holder that isn't in the Hara camp.

I won't make a case against either Hara or Rosenberger, and the office of Assessor will be in good hands should either of them win, but I'm voting for Gene Lux. I came to know Gene when I worked for the State House while he was carving out a reputation as a champion of working folks. I got to know him better when I was President of the Young Democrats of Washington and he was one of our strongest supporters and benefactors. He went on to the State Senate and has experience on a wide range of boards and commissions. Gene Lux has been serving the people in one capacity or another for a long time. He's never sold out. He's never sold us out. He's got my vote.