Issaquah, Sammamish lawmakers top the list for most missed votes in Olympia

Issaquah’s and Sammamish’s three state lawmakers missed more votes in Olympia this past legislative session than other legislators in the House or Senate.

By Celeste Gracey • May 11, 2012 12:39 pm

Issaquah’s and Sammamish’s three state lawmakers missed more votes in Olympia this past legislative session than other legislators in the House or Senate.

While the Washington Policy Center, the organization behind the scorecard, insists that the missed votes are an important tool in measuring lawmakers, the District 5 representatives said the figures can be misleading.

“Not all votes are equal,” said Rep. Jay Rodne, who said he missed most of his 62 votes on weekends when he was serving in the Marine Corp Reserves. “Missing a budget vote is a big deal. Missing a vote on the concurrence calendar is not a big deal.”

In one day, a legislative body can take 25 votes on minor issues. The real thing that matters is whether representatives are present for controversial bills, said Rep. Glenn Anderson, who missed the most votes of all, 95. There should be a system weighing those important bills more heavily.

Anderson pointed to a divorce and his work as a business consultant as reasons for missing so many votes.

The Legislature is only part-time work. Lawmakers have personal responsibilities as well, such as their families or jobs, he said.

“People do have personal tragedies or illnesses that come up,” Anderson said. “There needs to be recognition of that.”

Sen. Cheryl Pflug explained her 63 missed votes as hours spent meeting with the governor and studying more important issues. She was in Olympia for most of her missed votes, she said.

She added that she’s also missed some votes from her time at law school.

The Policy Center has been publishing the voting records of lawmakers since 2005, when it launched WashingtonVotes.org. The group publishes an annual roundup listing missed votes.

If a legislator misses a high number of votes, people have the right to ask why, said John Barnes, the Policy Center’s communications director. “Sometimes there is a perfectly legitimate explanation.”

However, it’s a fair way to assess lawmakers, Barnes added, because it’s treated as one piece of the picture.

Since Washington Votes launched, there has been a noticeable drop in the number of missed votes and lawmakers are more conscious about missing votes, Barnes said. The high number of missed votes for District 5 shouldn’t be considered a trend, he said.

“I don’t think anyone is sneaking home to watch TV,” Pflug said. “This is not a job you take because you’re lazy. You take it because you have a passion for it.”