Primary Election Fraud Alleged in King County
Citizens of the People's Party accuse local political rings of rigging ward primaries through intimidation and mass-importing voters.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The King County committee, composed of members of the People’s party, held that the primary of September 20, 1886, was 'packed' in the interest of Cochrane for Sheriff. Cochrane himself admitted that men were 'run in from the woods' to carry the First Ward primary in his interest. The Second Ward was also manipulated to a most shameful degree. Of those who voted, only two or three were fairly elected by members of the People’s party who were lawful voters in their respective wards. Realizing the deep disgrace of such proceedings, we delayed definite action in the hope that some way would be found to remedy the fraud committed without disrupting party ties. It seems, however, that the ring, which Cochrane appears to be the 'Boss,' and Wegener the chief manipulator, will listen to no reason and are dead to all shame.
“Cochrane himself admitted that men were 'run in from the woods' to carry the First Ward primary in his interest.”
Accusations of 'packed' primaries and the manipulation of local party machinery remain a staple of Seattle political discourse. The language of 'the ring' and the 'boss' system highlights how intensely local elections were contested long before the city’s massive growth.
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