It’s Primary Election Day in Washington, and while it may not be the most glamorous ballot of the year, it’s the one that decides who actually gets to control your money — from city councils to county executives. Crowded fields across the state will be narrowed to two contenders per race. That includes the Seattle mayor’s race, where incumbent Bruce Harrell is basically neck-and-neck with socialist activist Katie Wilson.

Your ballot decides where your tax dollars go — roads, transit, schools, and whatever else the government thinks it’s good at. So don’t sit this one out and then complain later. Ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by 8 p.m. tonight. Preliminary results drop at 8 p.m. too, but official certification won’t happen until later this month.

Need to find your local voter’s guide? Check the Washington Secretary of State’s website.

In a bombshell report by The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle’s 770 AM, State Senator Lisa Wellman (D–Mercer Island) was caught red-handed pushing legislation to help convicted child sex predators — including the son of her close personal friend — all while pretending it was about “reform.”

Wellman worked closely and quietly with Bruce Glant, whose son was convicted for attempting to rape what he thought were three children — ages 6, 11, and 13 — during a Washington State net nanny sting. Instead of condemning the monstrous behavior, Wellman called it a “miscarriage of justice” and crusaded to dismantle the very sting operations that protected actual kids from predators like Glant’s son.

And in case you’re wondering how deep this ethical cesspool runs: Wellman didn’t disclose the friendship. Instead, she let everyone believe Bruce Glant was just some random concerned citizen — not her dinner buddy and text-pal, not the guy she sent apartment listings to, and definitely not the father of a convicted would-be child rapist she was actively trying to get off the hook.

One of her bills, SB 5312, would have shortened the registration and supervision of sex offenders. The other, SB 5282, quietly sought to neuter the net nanny stings that catch predators before they can strike. Conveniently, both would have directly benefited Glant’s son — who was recently released early from prison.

When backlash hit, Wellman blamed her constituents for not “really listening,” and whined in texts to Glant about how “brutal” the online criticism was. Yes, because apparently, you are the problem for not getting behind her pro-predator platform.

Wellman may claim she’s all about protecting kids — but actions speak louder than spin. According to Jason Rantz, what she actually did was use her office to shield a predator, cozy up to his dad, and try to rig the justice system so predators get five years and a clean slate — if they’re lucky enough to be friends with the right Democrat.

Seattle progressives: always ready to criminalize police but coddle the creeps. Read the more at Seattle Red.

Sound Transit is back with a new buzzword — the “Enterprise Initiative” — which, in typical Democrat-led fashion, means they’ve wildly blown past their budget and now need a fancy name for “we messed up again.”

As reported by The Center Square, the agency admitted during a July 24 board meeting that ST-3, their $54 billion transit expansion plan, is unaffordable as-is. But don’t worry — they didn’t bother including any actual cost data or timelines. Because when you’re swimming in billions of taxpayer dollars, who needs specifics?

According to the Washington Policy Center’s Charles Prestrud, this latest financial faceplant was inevitable. Sound Transit has a long, proud tradition of underestimating costs and construction time — and now the bill has come due. Despite raking in more than $2.5 billion per year from every tax imaginable, the agency still can’t balance its budget or build on time.

Meanwhile, the average Puget Sound household is shelling out over $1,700 a year to Sound Transit — whether they ride or not. And what do they get? Ridership that’s finally reached 100,000 daily boardings (King County Metro does 250,000 at a fraction of the cost), plus a staggering 44% of riders now boarding for free, thanks to Democrat policies like “students ride free.”

Oh, and accountability? There isn’t any. Sound Transit’s board isn’t elected — it’s appointed by county executives. You can’t vote them out, and they’re not answering to you. Just the way they like it.

So what’s the plan now? A bunch of vague committee meetings and a “new system plan” — with maybe some canceled or delayed projects by 2026. Until then, keep paying up, keep riding free (if you’re lucky), and don’t ask too many questions. Sound Transit certainly won’t answer them. Read more at Center Square.

In our latest podcast episode, Chad Magendanz joins the show to talk about his campaign for the state Senate in Washington’s 5th Legislative District. With a background that spans submarining, teaching, lawmaking, and school board service, Chad breaks down the challenges facing Washington—from broken education systems to workforce misfires. He also dishes on what it means to be a sensible voice in a state drowning in political extremes.

Listen now and find out why Chad might just be the nerdy, practical disruptor Olympia desperately needs.

Available on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].