County council tables senate seat appointment

After a heated debate, Whatcom County Council voted 4-2 to postpone appointing a 42nd Legislative District senator until Tuesday, January 11. Councilmember Ben Elenbaas, who is one of three candidates for the seat, recused himself from the vote.

County council was tasked with appointing a candidate for the senate seat held by state senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale), who died after a month-long battle with Covid-19 on December 17. The Whatcom County Republican Party sent county council a list of nominees on December 31 that council was slated to vote on during a special January 4 meeting before Washington’s legislative session convened Monday, January 10.

The Whatcom County Republican Party sent council three nominees: Ben Elenbaas, a current county council member representing the Blaine, Birch Bay and Point Roberts area; Simon Sefzik, a Ferndale resident who recently graduated from Patrick Henry College in Virginia and has worked as an intern at the White House; and Tawsha Thompson, a Lynden resident who served nearly 25 years as a city of Bellingham police officer.

Saying he wanted a more transparent selection process, councilmember Rud Browne proposed council ask 20 questions of the applicants and allow residents until the end of the day on Friday, January 7 to offer additional questions. Instead, council decided to give the applicants the questions immediately after the meeting, and have the applicants return their responses by the end of the day Friday, January 7.

Councilmembers Tyler Byrd and Kathy Kershner voted against Browne’s motion. 

“I think postponing this to any degree at this point is really an injustice to people in the 42nd district who are needing someone in Olympia to represent them and help them with the flood,” Byrd said. “People are trying to celebrate Christmas in a trailer because they can’t even get into their house and the trailer’s not insulated well in 7-degree temperature outside, some of the worst temperatures we’ve seen, ever. They’re begging for help and support. I don’t know how we look at every single one of those people who voted for us and say, ‘We’re doing what’s in your best interest.’”

Byrd also voiced concern that delaying the vote could mean the senator would be given whatever committees were left over after the legislative session begins.

The pushed vote means upcoming councilmember Kaylee Galloway will be voting on the new senator instead of Browne, whose term on county council ends before the next council meeting onTuesday, January 11.

John Ramsey, chair of the Whatcom County Republican Party, expressed his dismay with county council’s decision in a statement that was issued following the meeting. Ramsey said the Republican party, acting on county council’s request made during its December 22 meeting, reviewed dozens of applicants over the holidays before meeting December 30 to vote on its top three nominees.

“The council is now on record stating their intention to select our new senator next Tuesday, January 11. There should be no further stalling,” Ramsey said. “The central committee of the Whatcom County Republican Party has fulfilled its obligations by submitting three names on very short notice and a tight deadline. It is time for the Whatcom County Council to fulfill theirs.”

County council is expected to meet 9 a.m. Tuesday, January 11 to vote on the appointee and a county judge will swear them into office shortly after. Council’s questions can be viewed online at bit.ly/3G2kzVj.