To the editor:

Craig Brant expressed outrage in the May 24 South Whidbey Record because the Island County Democratic Central Committee will meet on June 9 to vote on endorsements of candidates for the August 19 primary.

In e-mails to ICDCC, Mr. Brant has shown particular agitation about endorsements in the race for State Representative, 10th District, Position 2, between Patricia Terry and Ann McDonald.

Mr. Brant states that the ICDCC endorsement, voted on by the

52 Democratic PCOs, “isn’t representative democracy” because it prevents the “average Democratic Party member from helping to make the top candidate selection.” Au contraire! All registered voters will have a chance to vote for either Patricia Terry or Ann McDonald in the Aug. 19 Primary Election.

Mr. Brant also states that these endorsements will come “before any real campaigning has been done,” and questions whether “the average Democrat in our district even know[s] who the candidates are.”

Patricia Terry and Ann McDonald have been campaigning for months. They made presentations in person or by surrogate to the ICDCC in January, and have held events and fundraisers all over the 10th Legislative District. Notices of their events have been posted on the Island County Democrats’ Web site and in the ICD newsletter for the last four months.

The endorsement by ICDCC is an expression of opinion by ICDCC as to its preferred candidate — nothing more, nothing less. Fifty-two PCOs who are either elected by the registered voters in their precincts or voted into office by the other members of the ICDCC to fill vacancies, get together, hear from candidates, and announce who they want to represent them. This is grassroots democracy at its best.

Marti Anamosa

Clinton