Dow Constantine
Encyclopedia
Dow Constantine is an American
politician in the state of Washington where he currently serves as King County Executive
, an office he has held since November 2009. He was previously in the state legislature and on the King County Council
, chairing the latter before his election as Executive. Constantine is a Democrat
.
, where he was student body president and an Eagle Scout
. He attended the University of Washington
(UW), receiving a Bachelor of Arts
in political science and graduated as a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. Constantine also served an internship with Washington's 34th Legislative District representative Phil Talmadge. While attending law school, Constantine worked as a disk jockey for the college radio station KCMU. In 1989, Constantine earned a law degree
from the University of Washington School of Law
. Constantine later returned to obtain a Master's degree
in urban planning
from UW in 1992.
. Constantine was elected as to the State House of Representatives in 1996. He won re-election in 1998. In 2001, he became a Washington State Senator. He left the state senate in 2002 after being appointed to the King County Council to replace Nickels, who had been elected Seattle mayor. Constantine was a King County Council member from 2002 to 2009, representing the eighth district, which includes West Seattle, parts of Southeast Seattle
, North Highline, Burien, Vashon Island
, Maury Island
, Normandy Park, and parts of both SeaTac
and Tukwila
. In 2009, he served as council Chair.
on February 16, 2009 to replace Ron Sims
who was appointed the United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. In the primary election
, Constantine received 22% of the votes to advance to a run off against candidate Susan Hutchison
, who received 37%. Described as "perhaps the most contentious race on the November [2009] ballot" by Seattle NPR
outlet KPLU, the campaign has been characterized by negative campaigning
, including "mudslinging" ads paid for by the candidates' supporters.
Constantine received press attention for stressing the conservative affiliations of Hutchison, pointing to her involvement with the Discovery Institute
and contributions to Republican candidates such as President Bush in 2004 and Mike Huckabee in 2008. Hutchison downplayed any perceived partisanship and criticized Constantine as a political insider with close ties to labor unions.
In October 2009, the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission
(PDC) investigated allegations that the Constantine's campaign illegally coordinated with an independent campaign on anti-Hutchison ads. The PDC concluded there was no coordination and dismissed the complaint. The PDC also investigated complaints regarding Hutchison's campaign on allegations that campaign contributions exceeded single election limits and that expenditures by the campaign were not properly documented. The PDC imposed a $100 fine against Hutchison for exceeding campaign limits and dismissed the failure-to-report allegations.
Constantine was endorsed by Governor Christine Gregoire
, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickles, US Senators Patty Murray
and Maria Cantwell
, Washington State Senate Majority Leader Lisa BrownLisa Brown]] as well as state Senators Ed Murray, Ken Jacobsen
, Joe McDermott
, and Karen Keiser
. Organizations that endorsed Constantine included NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, the Sierra Club
, the Cascade Bicycle Club
, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
and the UFCW.
On election night, November 3, the initial batch of election results had Constantine winning the election over Hutchison, at that time receiving 57% of the votes to her 43%. He was expected to replace interim Executive Kurt Triplett
on November 24 following the certification of election results by the King County Elections' Canvassing Board. Constantine was ultimately declared the winner, and was inaugurated November 24, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician in the state of Washington where he currently serves as King County Executive
King County Executive
The King County Executive is the highest elected official representing the government of King County, Washington, USA. The post was established with the implementation of the Home Rule Charter for King County on November 5, 1968...
, an office he has held since November 2009. He was previously in the state legislature and on the King County Council
King County Council
The Metropolitan King County Council, the legislative body of King County, Washington, consists of nine members elected by district. The Council adopts laws, sets policy, and holds final approval over the budget...
, chairing the latter before his election as Executive. Constantine is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Early life and education
James Dow Constantine was born and raised in West Seattle, Washington, the son of John and Lois Constantine. In 1980, he graduated from West Seattle High SchoolWest Seattle High School
West Seattle High School is a comprehensive public high school in Seattle's West Seattle neighborhood that serves grades nine through twelve as part of the Seattle School District.-History and Facilities:...
, where he was student body president and an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
. He attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
(UW), receiving a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science and graduated as a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. Constantine also served an internship with Washington's 34th Legislative District representative Phil Talmadge. While attending law school, Constantine worked as a disk jockey for the college radio station KCMU. In 1989, Constantine earned a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Washington School of Law
University of Washington School of Law
The University of Washington School of Law is the law school of the University of Washington, located on the northwest corner of the main campus in Seattle, Washington.The most recent 2012 U.S...
. Constantine later returned to obtain a Master's degree
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
from UW in 1992.
Career
Constantine opened a private law practice in 1990. He served as chair of the 34th District Democrats organization and worked as an aide for King County Council member Greg NickelsGreg Nickels
Gregory J. "Greg" Nickels was the 51st mayor of Seattle, Washington. He took office on January 1, 2002 and was reelected to a second term in 2005. In August 2009, Nickels finished third in the primary election for Seattle mayor, failing to qualify for the November 2009 general election, and...
. Constantine was elected as to the State House of Representatives in 1996. He won re-election in 1998. In 2001, he became a Washington State Senator. He left the state senate in 2002 after being appointed to the King County Council to replace Nickels, who had been elected Seattle mayor. Constantine was a King County Council member from 2002 to 2009, representing the eighth district, which includes West Seattle, parts of Southeast Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, North Highline, Burien, Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...
, Maury Island
Maury Island
Maury Island is a small island in Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is connected to Vashon Island by an isthmus built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Before construction of the isthmus, the island was connected to Vashon only during low tide. The island is rural with...
, Normandy Park, and parts of both SeaTac
SeaTac, Washington
SeaTac is an American city in southern King County, Washington, and an outlying suburb of Seattle, Washington. Incorporated in February 1990, the City of SeaTac is ten square miles in area and has a population of 26,909 according to the 2010 census...
and Tukwila
Tukwila, Washington
Tukwila is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The northern edge of Tukwila borders the city of Seattle. The population was 19,107 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. In 2009, he served as council Chair.
King County executive election
Constantine announced his candidacy for King County ExecutiveKing County Executive
The King County Executive is the highest elected official representing the government of King County, Washington, USA. The post was established with the implementation of the Home Rule Charter for King County on November 5, 1968...
on February 16, 2009 to replace Ron Sims
Ron Sims
Ronald Cordell Sims, , is currently the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, having been confirmed by the Senate on May 6, 2009 and sworn in on May 8. He is also the former King County Executive...
who was appointed the United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. In the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, Constantine received 22% of the votes to advance to a run off against candidate Susan Hutchison
Susan Hutchison
Susan Hutchison is a former television news anchor and political candidate in Seattle, Washington. She is the Executive Director of the Charles and Lisa Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences. Hutchison's twenty-five year career as a journalist began at KITV news in Honolulu and continued at KIRO-TV...
, who received 37%. Described as "perhaps the most contentious race on the November [2009] ballot" by Seattle NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
outlet KPLU, the campaign has been characterized by negative campaigning
Negative campaigning
Negative campaigning, also known more colloquially as "mudslinging", is trying to win an advantage by referring to negative aspects of an opponent or of a policy rather than emphasizing one's own positive attributes or preferred policies...
, including "mudslinging" ads paid for by the candidates' supporters.
Constantine received press attention for stressing the conservative affiliations of Hutchison, pointing to her involvement with the Discovery Institute
Discovery Institute
The Discovery Institute is a non-profit public policy think tank based in Seattle, Washington, best known for its advocacy of intelligent design...
and contributions to Republican candidates such as President Bush in 2004 and Mike Huckabee in 2008. Hutchison downplayed any perceived partisanship and criticized Constantine as a political insider with close ties to labor unions.
In October 2009, the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission
Washington State Public Disclosure Commission
The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission is a non-partisan agency of the Washington State government. Its purpose is to collect reports from political candidates and ballot measure sponsors regarding campaign contributions and expenditures, and provide these reports to the public. The...
(PDC) investigated allegations that the Constantine's campaign illegally coordinated with an independent campaign on anti-Hutchison ads. The PDC concluded there was no coordination and dismissed the complaint. The PDC also investigated complaints regarding Hutchison's campaign on allegations that campaign contributions exceeded single election limits and that expenditures by the campaign were not properly documented. The PDC imposed a $100 fine against Hutchison for exceeding campaign limits and dismissed the failure-to-report allegations.
Constantine was endorsed by Governor Christine Gregoire
Christine Gregoire
Christine O'Grady "Chris" Gregoire is the 22nd and current Governor of the state of Washington, and a member of the Democratic Party. Gregoire defeated Republican candidate Dino Rossi in 2004, and again in 2008. She is the second female governor of Washington...
, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickles, US Senators Patty Murray
Patty Murray
Patricia Lynn "Patty" Murray is the senior United States Senator from Washington and a member of the Democratic Party. Murray was first elected to the Senate in 1992, becoming Washington's first female senator...
and Maria Cantwell
Maria Cantwell
Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party....
, Washington State Senate Majority Leader Lisa BrownLisa Brown]] as well as state Senators Ed Murray, Ken Jacobsen
Ken Jacobsen
Ken Jacobsen was a Democratic Party member of the State Senate in Washington, United States. He was first elected to the Washington State Legislature in 1982.-Political History:...
, Joe McDermott
Joe McDermott (politician)
J. Joseph McDermott , usually known as Joe McDermott, is an American politician from the state of Washington and a member of King County Council, representing the 8th district...
, and Karen Keiser
Karen Keiser
Karen Keiser is a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Washington. She represents the 33rd district in the Washington State Senate, which contains parts of Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Kent and Des Moines. She has served in the state senate since 2002 and served in the Washington House...
. Organizations that endorsed Constantine included NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, the Cascade Bicycle Club
Cascade Bicycle Club
Cascade Bicycle Club is a nonprofit 501 community organization based in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest bicycling club in the United States with more than 13,000 members. It is run by unpaid directors, professional staff and volunteers...
, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is an AFL-CIO/CLC trade union representing approx. 646,933 workers as of 2006 in more than 200 industries.-Formation and early history:...
and the UFCW.
On election night, November 3, the initial batch of election results had Constantine winning the election over Hutchison, at that time receiving 57% of the votes to her 43%. He was expected to replace interim Executive Kurt Triplett
Kurt Triplett
Kurt Triplett was the 7th King County Executive in Washington, United States. The Metropolitan King County Council appointed Triplett who had previously been Chief of Staff to Ron Sims, prior to Sim's resignation as King County Executive in order to serve as Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban...
on November 24 following the certification of election results by the King County Elections' Canvassing Board. Constantine was ultimately declared the winner, and was inaugurated November 24, 2009.