City of Tukwila

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.

As the former chair of the House Environment committee in Olympia, Councilmember Dave Upthegrove is a strong environmental champion who has prioritized restoring salmon habitat on the Green River and cleanup for the Duwamish. However, he has recently disappointed progressives with his positions on the Veterans and Human Service Levy and safe injection sites. He is running unopposed in this race and deserves your vote.

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.

Zak Idan is running for TukwiIa City Council Seat 5. Idan is a progressive leader who has dedicated his life to advocating for immigrants' rights and building stronger communities. He serves on several boards and commissions including the Community Oriented Policing Citizen’s Advisory Board, OneAmerica, and the Matt Griffin YMCA. As a candidate for city council, he is prioritizing sustainable economic development, improved local infrastructure and affordable housing policies.

Idan is running against Dennis Martinez, who prioritizes pro-business stances over addressing the needs of the community. Zak Idan is the best choice in this race.

An active community leader, incumbent De'Sean Quinn is running for re-election to Tukwila City Council Seat 7. Quinn is committed to promoting environmentally responsible policies, protecting workers' rights, and increasing affordable housing in Tukwila. Over the past 8 years, he has proven his ability to pass fiscally responsible budgets that balance the current development needs of the community while planning for the city's future. His track record of delivering results for Tukwila makes him the best choice in this race.

Ubah Aden is running for Tukwila School District Position 4. Aden is a health coach and active community leader who would bring a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the Tukwila School Board. She has served on the Tukwila School Budget Committee and the Tukwila School Parent Advisory Committee.

Aden is opposed by Edna Morris, an educator who lacks Aden's inclusive and bold vision for Tukwila's schools. Aden is the best choice in this race.