Just in time for the Sept. 17 primary elections, the Association of Washington Business (AWB) has released its rating of the voting records of all state legislators. The ratings reflect how the legislators voted on issues important to the business community of Washington State.

It was no surprise that Republicans scored high, while all the local Democrats actually lost ground from last year’s AWB ratings.

In the 26th District, which encompasses the area from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and includes parts of Bremerton, both Democrats scored lower than last year.

Rep. Pat Lantz (D-Gig Harbor) scored only 21 percent, a reduction of nine points from last year, while Rep. Brock Jackley (D-Manchester) was rated as voting with business 25 percent of the time. However, Sen. Bob Oke (R-Port Orchard) voted with business 84 percent of the time.

In the 23rd District, which includes Bainbridge Island as well as most of North Kitsap and Bremerton, Rep. Phil Rockefeller (D-Bainbridge Island) had a 29 percent favorable voting record while Rep. Beverly Woods (R-Bainbridge Island) voted with business 88 percent of the time. In the Senate, Sen. Betti Sheldon (D-Bremerton) voted against business 75 percent of the time, showing a one percent loss from last year with a 25 percent voting record. Sheldon was also cited for her strong support against retrospective insurance rating programs.

In the 35th, which includes Bremerton and most of Mason County, Rep. William Eickmeyer (D-Belfair) and Rep. Kathy Haigh (D-Sheldon) both were rated as voting only 29 percent in favor of issues important to business. This was a major reduction for Eickmeyer, who vote with business 56 percent of the time in last year’s rating. Sen. Tim Sheldon (D-Potlatch), who has a history of not voting the party line, but rather of voting on issues depending on how they impact his district, was rated as voting with business 68 percent of time.