Carol Gregory

Carol Gregory
Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the Position 2, 30th legislative district
In office January 12, 2015 – November 25, 2015
Preceded by	Roger Freeman
Succeeded by	Teri Hickel
Federal Way School District Director, District No. 4
Incumbent
Assumed office January 14, 2014
Preceded by	Angela Griffin
Personal details
Born	Carol Jean Landerholm November 10, 1943 Vancouver, Washington, U.S.A.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dean William Coe (divorced) Gilbert Allen "Gil" Gregory
Residence	Federal Way, Washington
Alma mater	University of Washington (B.A.)
Profession	Teacher Union President Education Policy Analyst Education and Workforce Advocacy Nonprofit Director
Website	Official

Carol Jean Gregory (née Landerholm; November 10, 1943) is an American politician of the Democratic Party. Gregory was appointed to the Washington House of Representatives by Governor Jay Inslee on January 8, 2015 to the vacant state representative seat in the 30th Legislative District left after the death of Representative Roger Freeman on October 29, 2014.^[1] She was sworn in with the rest of the Washington State Legislature on January 12, 2015.^[2]

After two unsuccessful campaigns to represent the 30th District in the Legislature in 2008 and 2010, Gregory was invited to run in 2013 for School Board against parochial school principal Medgar Wells,^[3] which was successful. A month after election, she was selected by the Board as School Board President,^[4] but stepped down in 2015 after being nominated to replace Rep. Roger Freeman, who died days before winning re-election. She retains her position on the Federal Way School Board, while the role of board president moved to Geoffery McAnalloy.^[5]

State law in Washington allows the political party that officially nominated a legislator of a legislative district to nominate three replacements for a vacancy in that legislator's position. Freeman's death near the end of the 2014 election cycle was the first such instance since the state's "top-two" primary system, which replaced the traditional party primary system. On December 1, 2014, the Washington State Democrats held a nominating convention of 30th District party members in Federal Way, which selected, in order of descending priority: Gregory, local party official Richard Champion, and unsuccessful 2014 State Senate candidate Shari Song as nominees.^[6] Under the law, the municipal County Councils of the county or counties in which the legislative district lies shall vote on which the three nominees shall fill the vacancy. The King County Council voted on December 8, 2014 to select Carol Gregory.^[7] However, the Pierce County Council objected to the King County vote, to which it was not party, arguing that the vote must be done by both County Councils at a combined assembly, while King County disagreed. Pierce County refused to hold their own vote, demanding that King County arrange a combined meeting.^[8] The impasse was resolved on January 8, 2015, when the responsibility then passed to Governor Jay Inslee, who selected Gregory.^[9]

In the case of vacancies filled before the middle of an electoral term, the appointment must be confirmed via an off-year mid-term election. In early 2015, Federal Way City Council member and political consultant Martin Moore, who had served as legislative aide to Freeman and previously a Democrat, announced his intention to run for the position as a Republican.^[10] Moore withdrew from the race after local Chamber of Commerce official Teri Hickel announced her candidacy, also as a Republican.^[11] Due to state laws preventing state legislators from campaigning while the legislature is in session, Gregory was left at a disadvantage after the State Legislature went into two special sessions over state budget battles, particularly in light of McCleary v Washington^[12] regarding state education funding, during which time Gregory's campaign was unable to raise or spend money outside of a few days between sessions.^[13] Hickel beat Gregory in the 2015 August top-two primary—a vestigial formality as only the two candidates were running—by 2.5 percentage points in an election with a 27% voter turnout.

The winner of the 2015 election will also face a 2016 election for a subsequent full term.

Prior to her political career, Gregory was the director of BuRSST for Prosperity, a nonprofit association which works to elevate people out of poverty. She served as president of the Washington Education Association teachers' union from 1975–1981, and president of the Washington chapter of womens' rights group NARAL.^[14][15]

Electoral history

Washington's 30th Legislative District State Representative, Pos. 2, General Election 2015[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Teri Hickel	12,652	54.81
	Democratic	Carol Gregory (Appointed Incumbent)	10,431	45.19

Washington's 30th Legislative District State Representative, Pos. 2, Primary Election 2015[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Teri Hickel	7,982	51.74
	Democratic	Carol Gregory (Appointed Incumbent)	7,446	48.26

Federal Way School District, Director District No. 4, General Election 2013[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non-partisan	Carol Gregory	10,812	52.70
	Non-partisan	Medgar Wells	9,703	47.30

Federal Way School District, Director District No. 4, Primary Election 2013[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Non-partisan	Carol Gregory	6,122	44.19
	Non-partisan	Medgar Wells	5,299	38.25
	Non-partisan	Kenneth Lance Barton	2,432	17.56

Washington's 30th Legislative District State Representative, Pos. 2, General Election 2010[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Katrina Asay	19,130	50.40
	Democratic	Carol Gregory	18,829	49.60

Washington's 30th Legislative District State Representative, Pos. 2, Primary Election 2010[21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Carol Gregory	9,227	44.01
	Republican	Katrina Asay	5,629	26.85
	Republican	Ed Barney	2,641	12.60
	Republican	Anthony Kalchik	1,832	8.74
	Republican	Jerry Galland	1,636	7.80

Washington's 30th Legislative District State Representative, Pos. 2, General Election 2008[22]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Skip Priest (Incumbent)	24,154	53.49	-4.99
	Democratic	Carol Gregory	21,006	46.51

Washington's 30th Legislative District State Representative, Pos. 2, Primary Election 2008[23]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Skip Priest (Incumbent)	11,265	59.17
	Democratic	Carol Gregory	7,773	40.83

References

1. "Carol Gregory will replace deceased state Rep. Roger Freeman of Federal Way". thenewstribune.com. January 8, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
2. "Rep. Carol Gregory sworn in as newest Washington lawmaker". housedemocrats.wa.gov. January 12, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
3. "Medgar Wells". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
4. "Federal Way school board president steps down, leadership reshuffled again". Federal Way Mirror. February 12, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
5. "Federal Way school board appoints new president, vice president". Federal Way Mirror. December 10, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
6. "WA 30th LD Democrats Nominate 3 Candidates to Replace Rep. Roger Freeman". Majority Rules. December 2, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
7. "Council approves appointment of Carol Gregory to fill vacancy in the State Legislature". King County. December 8, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
8. "Pierce County officials mad at King County’s solo vote to replace deceased state lawmaker". Tacoma News Tribune. December 8, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
9. "Inslee appoints Carol Gregory to serve as State Representative in the 30th Legislative District". Access Washington. January 8, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
10. "Former Democrat Martin Moore to run as Republican for state House". Tacoma News Tribune. January 20, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
11. "Federal Way Councilman Moore drops out of 30th District race, endorses Hickel". Federal Way Mirror. March 31, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
12. "McCleary v Washington Opinion" (PDF). Washington Supreme Court. January 5, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
13. "4-day break between legislative sessions means fundraising time in state House race". Tacoma News Tribune. April 27, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
14. "The Times recommends voters elect District 30 Republican Katrina Asay to the state House of Representatives". Seattle Times. July 14, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
15. "The Road To Olympia: Carol Gregory". Winpower Strategies. August 31, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
16. "Legislative District 30". Secretary of State of Washington. November 30, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
17. "Legislative District 30". Secretary of State of Washington. 2015-08-19. Retrieved 09/03/2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
18. "Federal Way School District No. 210 Director District No. 4". electionsdata.kingcounty.gov. November 26, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
19. "Federal Way School District No. 210 Director District No. 4". your.kingcounty.gov. August 20, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
20. "Washington Secretary of State, 2010 General Election Results – Legislative District 30 – State Representative Pos. 2". vote.wa.gov. November 29, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
21. "Washington Secretary of State, 2010 Primary Election Results – Legislative District 30 – State Representative Pos. 2". vote.wa.gov. September 3, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
22. "Washington Secretary of State, 2008 General Election Results – Legislative District 30 – State Representative Pos. 2". vote.wa.gov. November 26, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
23. "Washington Secretary of State, 2008 Primary Election Results – Legislative District 30 – State Representative Pos. 2". vote.wa.gov. September 4, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2015.