Originally posted on The Burien Voice
August 4, 2025
[EDITED for clarity: The event was reported as occurring on Sunday, August 3, 2024]
This video, sent to [The Burien Voice] by a reader, shows a Democrat campaign rally that happened yesterday [Sunday, Aug 3] at Burien City Hall.
US Representative Pramila Jayapal and Edwin Obras, candidate for the 33rd Washington state legislative district, are heard speaking at the rally, and there were several other local candidates there as well, including Sam Mendez, Sarah Moore, and Rocco DeVito, though we don’t know if they all spoke.
This is a public location, and at any other time, it would be an acceptable spot for a rally. However, during an election, it’s off limits to candidates and campaign workers because of its proximity to a ballot drop box.
The relevant law, RCW 29A.84.510, prohibits campaigning within 25 feet, measured radially, from any ballot drop box. According to the RCW (linked in a comment below):
“During the voting period that begins eighteen days before and ends the day of a special election, general election, or primary, no person may: Within a voting center or student engagement hub or in any public street or room in any public manner within [ . . . ] 25 feet measured radially from a ballot drop box as described in RCW 29A.40.170: suggest or persuade or attempt to suggest or persuade any voter to vote for or against any candidate or ballot measure.”
At one point, the videographer, who is apparently aware of this law, turns their phone to show the location of the city hall ballot box relative to the speakers. The speakers are standing further than 25 feet from the ballot box; however, their speeches are clearly audible to anyone standing at or approaching the ballot box, and any voter approaching the ballot box from the northeast along the sidewalk would actually have to push through the crowd to GET to the box. In doing so, they would be exposed to persuasive speech from campaign staff.
The RCW specifically prohibits campaigners from using electronic amplification near a ballot box if the sound of their speech could be HEARD within the 25-foot no-campaign zone, and while the Democrats don’t appear to be using electronic amplification for this part of their speech, their voices can still be easily heard by voters at the ballot box. The rally thus violates the spirit of the law, which seeks to prevent candidates and staff from trying to influence people right at voting locations.
King County Elections
Pramila Jayapal
City of Burien Government
Edwin Obras For State Representative
Sam Méndez
Rocco DeVito
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16s41GA3PR
7 Responses
Why doesn’t the BN focus on “actual” violations of the law rather than focussing on so-called violations of the spirit of the law!
There was “no” violation of the law here, period!
We live in a time when “actual” violations of not only the law but the Constitution and rule of law, are being committed everyday by our government and the BN publishes this “oh my God” hit piece?
Give me a break!
Thank you.
Your post doesn’t say when this rally took place. I wish you had the date and time included. As far as being a campaign violation, I think that’s a “stretch” on your part. They clearly are more than 25′ from the ballot box and not impeding anyone from getting there. I have a beef with Burien City Council candidates who are more interested in solving the world’s problems that are not within the city’s power to make right than making Burien a well run city. I would have preferred an article that reported the rally and the positions of the candidates who were at the rally.
Thank you for your comments. We reposted this from the Burien Voice based on a citizen journalist’s video. They said “yesterday” which was most likely Sunday. Now updated to include August 3 for clarity. Links to the candidate sites are included.
If you followed any local publications or read the voters pamphlet you would know those candidates stances. They all consider any enforcement of open drug use, public camping and street crime to be harsh and inhumane. They collectively want to push King County and Seattle Progressive ideals on Burien and serve as puppets of outside interests. Those types are just a modern version of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
I know there are few more brainwashed Progressive minions that couldn’t attend, but what pride they must have in such a HUGE turnout of activist suckups. Let hope for another humiliation at the polls and another boot kick out the door for the rest of them.
Thank you.