Delegates approve credentials report after contested seating fights over multiple counties

The convention's credentials committee, chaired by Diane Tebelius, presented a report listing the delegates and alternates entitled to vote at the convention. Tebelius told the body the delegation that morning totaled 1,829 certified delegates and moved to adopt the committee's report.

Several counties' delegations were contested on the floor. Delegates debated competing slates from Grant County, including a dispute about which faction had properly called and run county conventions in March. Phil Wilson (Mason County) moved to adopt an alternate slate for Grant County; the motion failed after debate and a vote in the plenary.

Benton County's list also drew challenge. Delegates argued whether the county executive committee's appointment of additional delegates complied with party rule 29. Larry Ulbrich (Benton County) moved that five disputed Benton County delegates be seated; credentials chair Diane Tebelius summarized the committee finding that the appointments violated rules and the credentials committee voted unanimously not to seat those delegates. A floor motion to seat them failed.

Other procedural fixes were handled on the floor: a motion to amend the report to add Janelle Holst to the Kitsap County delegation passed, and several alternates were clarified or elevated after the credentials desk checked county paperwork. The chair directed refunds for delegates whose seating motions failed where they had paid fees in good faith.

Why it matters: Delegate seating determines who may vote on endorsements and party business; the plenary's decisions on contested delegations resolved multiple county-level disputes and set the voter roll for the rest of the convention.

Outcome and next steps: After multiple motions and amendments, the credentials committee report, as amended on the floor, was accepted by the convention and the body moved on to rules and candidate committee business.