City of Shoreline

Incumbent Dow Constantine has been a strong and effective leader for King County. Throughout his two terms in office, Constantine has improved King County Metro transit service and promoted the health of our natural environment. Constantine is leading efforts to protect King County from the Trump administration by proposing to triple the Veterans and Human Services Levy and offering regional support for the Paris climate agreement.

He is running against retired engineer and light rail opponent Bill Hirt, who is not running an effective campaign. Constantine has clearly earned another term as King County Executive.

Mitzi Johanknecht has worked in law enforcement for 32 years and is running to "restore honor and integrity to the Office of Sheriff." She believes the controversies surrounding the Sheriff’s office have been demoralizing for the department and a distraction for officers in the community. Johanknecht is against safe injection sites but has pledged to uphold any local laws surrounding these sites. She says she has never reported anyone to ICE and is a strong proponent of restorative justice. Johanknecht earned the support of staunch progressives such as Rep. Pramila Jayapal and The Stranger newspaper.

Johanknecht is challenging Sheriff John Urquhart, who was first elected in 2012 after serving 23 years as a sergeant and department spokesperson, where he was twice named Officer of the Year. As Sheriff, Urquhart has been an ally on a wide range of progressive issues. He supports sanctuary cities and protecting immigrant communities, and he was an outspoken critic of two anti-transgender ballot measures. He has been endorsed by a number of progressive organizations.

However, Urquhart has also been plagued by very troubling ethics issues in recent months. Late last year, reports surfaced that Urquhart was accused of raping a colleague 15 years ago. The FBI, Seattle Police Department, and the King County Prosecutor’s office investigated the allegations and did not find grounds to pursue criminal charges against him. However, the county ombudsman’s office faulted Urquhart for blocking an internal investigation into his behavior. You can read a lengthy description of the events here. In the closing days of the election, Urquhart has faced renewed criticism for attempting to bully and intimidate people who accuse him of wrongdoing and because a representative of his campaign threatened to release one accuser’s medical records to discredit her charges.

We expect our leaders in law enforcement to uphold the highest ethical standards and maintain the trust of the community they are sworn to protect. For this reason, we cannot recommend Urquhart and believe Johanknecht is the best choice in this race.

Rod Dembowski has played a key role on the King County Council promoting responsible regional development that balances environmental protections and job growth. Dembowski has prioritized improving domestic abuse services, green transit, and voting access in King County. He has strong stances on progressive issues like affordable housing and homelessness, but it is worth noting that he did take some questionable votes on revenue and health and human services issues during his most recent term. Dembowski is running unopposed for reelection.

Former Seattle City Council member Peter Steinbrueck is running to ensure that the Port of Seattle balances job growth and development with environmentally friendly environment platforms. He aims to make the Port of Seattle a leader in reducing emissions and restoring habitats. While Peter has a proven track record on supporting workers' rights, living wages, and environmentally responsible policies, we lean toward Shridhar for Port of Seattle, Position 4.

Judge Michael Spearman is running for re-election to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Position 2. Appointed by former Governor Christine Gregoire in 2010, Spearman has more than three decades of legal experience including 14 years as a Superior Court judge. Spearman has also been rated as "exceptionally well qualified" by more than 5 Washington state bar associations including the King County Bar Association and QLAW, the LGBT Bar Association of Washington. He is opposed by attorney Nathan W. S. Choi, who lacks Spearman's depth of judicial experience. Spearman has earned another term on the appellate court.

Judge David Mann is unopposed in this race. With more than three decades of experience, Judge Mann was appointed to this seat in 2016 because of his extensive judicial track record. He is a former board member of Conservation Northwest, the Northwest Fund for the Environment, and the Washington Environmental Council. He also successfully argued before the Supreme Court in the case of Milner v. Dept. of Navy, which improved government transparency through the Freedom of Information Act. Mann has earned your vote.

Community activist Jin-Ah Kim is running for Shoreline City Council, Position 1. As a recovered survivor of opioid addiction, Kim has dedicated herself to helping people who struggle with homelessness and drug addiction. Kim is a precinct committee officer with 32nd District Democrats. As a candidate, she is focused on ensuring Shoreline's financial stability, building the city's ability to provide services to underserved populations, and mitigating changes brought by light rail and Point Wells development.

Kim is running against Shoreline City Council incumbent Keith McGlashan, who has served on the council since 2005. McGlashan supported World Refugee Day and more recently joined the unanimous vote of making Shoreline a safe and welcoming city. He is a member of the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Local Officials Committee (GLBLO), and has served on various community organizations like Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, King County Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness, and the National League of Cities, Community and Economic Development Committee.

Because of her support from our progressive partners, we think Jin-Ah Kim is the better choice in this race.

Will Hall is running unopposed for Shoreline City Council, Position 3. First elected to the council in 2009, Hall has held several city and regional positions such as deputy mayor and planning commissioner. Hall is on the Board of Directors of the Association of Washington Cities and on the Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board. His priorities on the council include sustainability, transportation, and careful development.

Shoreline Planning Commissioner Susan Chang is running for Shoreline City Council Position 5 against Democratic precinct committee officer Carolyn Ahlgreen. A civil engineer by trade, Chang is also a volunteer with the Richmond Beach Community Association Board and Richmond Beach Advocates. Her priorities are a balanced budget, regional solutions to affordable housing, public safety, and preservation of the city's tree canopy. She has also emphasized the need for traffic and congestion improvements in rezoned areas like Aurora Ave.

Mayor Chris Roberts is running unopposed for Position 7. He was elected mayor by his fellow councilmembers in 2016 after serving on the council since 2010. A member of the Choctaw Nation, Roberts has pushed for inclusive policies in local government and in the city itself. Last year, Roberts wrote a letter declaring that Shoreline would stand against deportation and discrimination and asked other mayors in the region to sign on as well. Roberts is seeking a regional approach to Shoreline's homelessness issues, and is focusing on affordable housing and transportation in the upcoming years.

Heather Fralick is a Senior Associate Faculty member at Cascadia College, an educator at Shoreline Community College, and an active member of the Cascade K-8 PTSA. She is also a former member of Shoreline’s Economic Development Advisory Committee. Fralick's campaign prioritizes equal and inclusive education for all children, fully funded education, and partnerships with parents and local community.

She is running against Jill Brady, who has served as Trustee and Co-President of the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation. Brady also supports fully funded education and inclusive schools.

Fralick is the better choice because of her broad support from progressive advocates.