The most telling fact about last night’s elections forum—what, you didn’t know we’re having an election? We are, for King County Elections Director, next month—was that just three candidates, of a total of six, bothered to show. Given that this was one of the few chances candidates would have to face off in public before ballots go out next week, you’d think that the three absent contenders—Pam Roach, David Irons, and Julie Anne Kempf—would have welcomed the opportunity.

Instead, the 40 or so folks who made the drive to the Renton Carpenters Hall for the King County District Democrats’ candidate forum—moderated by HA blogger David Goldstein—were greeted with a half-empty panel. Seated at the bunting-draped table were current elections director Sherril Huff (appointed to the position by Ron Sims before voters made her job an elected position in November); former sports bar owner and Orting schoolteacher Chris Clifford; and former bank manager Bill Anderson. After state Democratic Party chair Dwight remarked that the voters, "in their infinite wisdom," had decided to make the elections director an elected position—a comment that elicited boos from the audience—Goldstein noted that he was an "ironic" choice to moderate the panel, given that "there isn’t anybody here more opposed to an elected elections director than I am."

Despite the wishes of some hyperventilating bloggers (who didn't bother to attend), the forum was mostly without fireworks—the one exception being a bit of sniping between Huff and Clifford, who bellowed (if you've ever heard Clifford talk, you know what I mean), "If you can’t tell people where you live and you do not submit a truthful declaration of candidacy about where you live, we cannot trust you!"—a reference to the fact that Huff moved to King County from Bremerton right before she filed. (More on that weird little sideline here). Huff responded airily, "I have a background of more than 30 years in public service and I will match my integrity with anyone’s, including my opponent here."

Of the three candidates at last night's forum, only one—Huff—is considered a serious contender for the job, and not just because she already has it. Since her appointment last year (and indeed, since she came on as assistant director in 2004), Huff has presided over major reforms in the county elections system that have resulted in more transparency and fewer election foul-ups. Like Anderson and perhaps Clifford (who left early to attend a Municipal League endorsement interview), Huff said she agrees with the idea of permanent and same-day voter registration (although she said same-day registration presented challenges counties would have to work out); unlike her opponents, she "unequivocally" opposed making the elections director an elected position. In response to Anderson's defense of the new system—"The citizens should have a say on whether I'm doing a good job"—Huff said that making the position elected "has taken a certain element out of the qualifications for what is a very demanding, high-profile position that requires a significant amount of public trust."

She might as well have been talking about her absent opponents—Kempf, who was fired from the position after lying about ballots that were mailed late; Roach, a Republican with a vendetta against the King County Council; and Irons, a onetime Ron Sims opponent whose bizarre feud with his family resulted in his own mother refusing to endorse him. Of those, perhaps the scariest is Roach, an oddball state senator who once allegedly pulled a gun on a senate staffer.

Ballots for the February 3 special election will be mailed out January 14 and 15; the next chance to see the elections director candidates is at a forum being put on by the Seattle Municipal League on Tuesday, January 13, from 7:00pm - 8:30pm at the Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67th St. NW.