33rd Legislative District

After 15 years representing the 33rd District in the state House of Representatives, Tina Orwall was appointed in January to replace Senator Karen Keiser, who retired. Before being elected in 2009, she spent 20 years as a professional in the public mental health system, holding a position in Seattle’s Office of Housing, where she worked to connect people to direct services and resources. Orwall is now running unopposed to retain her seat in the state Senate.

During her tenure in Olympia, Orwall has been a strong advocate for survivors of sexual assault. In particular, she has worked to end Washington’s backlog of rape kits and pass legislation to support sex-trafficking victims.

Since her appointment to the Senate, Orwall has continued to be an advocate for mental health and housing initiatives. In January, Orwall sponsored a bill that would not only arrange for social workers in schools but would increase services in high-poverty schools. Additionally, she voted to increase education funding and expand access to special education services.

Tina Orwall has been a compassionate advocate and leader for the district. We are excited to see what she accomplishes in her full term representing the 33rd Legislative District in the Washington state Senate.

Democrat Edwin Obras is running to retain his seat representing the 33rd Legislative District, Position 1. Obras was appointed to this seat after former Rep. Tina Orwall moved to the Senate. Obras has over 25 years of experience working in human services, including homelessness, anti-hunger, capacity building, and youth development.

Since his appointment, Obras has been a champion of thoughtful solutions to the challenges local families face. He voted in favor of several progressive bills, including capping rent increases at 10%, reducing landfill waste, and establishing anti-discrimination protections in schools. He also sponsored a bill to limit excessive home buying, a move intended to open the market to first-time home buyers. He also won praise from labor unions for his steady hand and hard work on bills to protect low-wage janitors and hotel workers.

If elected, Obras plans to continue advocating for housing affordability, criminal justice reform, and workers' rights. He is an advocate for labor protections for low-income and gig economy workers, fighting for fair wages and safe working conditions. He also hopes to use his professional background to help expand statewide access to mental health resources.

Edwin Obras is the best and most progressive choice in this race. He has earned your vote for the Legislature from the 33rd Legislative District.

King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci has served District 6 (Bellevue and East King County) since 2015. She began her career as a public interest lawyer fighting for women and LGBTQ+ people. She was a neighborhood organizer who went on to serve on the Bellevue City Council, including for a term as mayor. Balducci has served as chair of the county council and serves as vice chair of the Sound Transit Board of Directors, where she successfully advocated for an early opening of the "starter line" in East King County.

In her nearly two decades of public service, Balducci has prioritized progressive solutions to the issues facing our region, including improving transportation options, promoting affordable housing, enhancing community safety, addressing climate action, and supporting arts and culture. Her track record is strong in all of these areas, including an arts levy to invest in science, heritage, arts, and cultural organizations, as well as legislation to keep “forever chemicals” out of our local environment. She was a tenacious advocate for the East Link light rail and the 10-station, 14-mile expansion plan slated for completion in early 2026.

Balducci is running for the executive position with a vision of an inclusive, vibrant, and climate-friendly county where all residents can thrive. She emphasizes her track record of effective leadership at the city and county levels that has delivered results for her communities. As a bus and bike commuter, Balducci is an avid supporter of expanding transit options, particularly light rail and bus routes. Additionally, she is an advocate for transit-oriented housing as a means of improving affordability, as well as cutting red tape to expedite the construction of badly needed housing in our region. Furthermore, she has outlined thoughtful plans to reduce gun violence, expand mental health and addiction treatment services, and youth prevention programs.

Attorney Steffanie Fain is running for King County Council from District 5. Fain has spent her decade-and-a-half-long legal career at law firms and is currently a managing partner at one in Seattle. She is also the current board president of Harborview Medical Center, the county’s public hospital, where she has served since her first appointment in 2015. Fain went through breast cancer treatment and leads on the board with a lens to expand equitable access to health care.

Throughout her campaign, Fain has expressed support for left-leaning proposals, but wavers when asked about how to fund these efforts. Her preference is to rely heavily on grants to fund services, such as expanding housing and electrifying the Metro fleet, despite the uncertain availability of federal grants under the current administration. She was notably hesitant to embrace progressive revenue as an option.

Fain's broader campaign goals include public safety, affordability, and homelessness. Unfortunately, she offers largely generic talking points on these important and nuanced issues. Without more specific policy proposals, it’s unclear what her approach to these goals will be. Furthermore, Fain’s endorsements so far have come from a set of more moderate Democrats and Republicans, which appears to reflect her own political alignment. Additionally, Fain has received campaign contributions from a number of right-leaning individuals, elected officials, corporations, and PACs.

While we do not agree with all of her positions, Steffanie Fain is the less conservative candidate in this race.

Incumbent Commissioner Ryan Calkins is running unopposed for re-election for Port of Seattle, Commissioner Position 1, where he has served since 2017. He works for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as an advisor on offshore wind and maritime infrastructure. Previously, Calkins also ran a successful import and distribution company and started a local nonprofit focused on supporting small business entrepreneurship. His background in business, maritime infrastructure, and public service makes him a highly qualified voice on the commission.

The Port of Seattle oversees public assets in travel, trade, and commerce for the region. Over the last eight years, Calkins has helped push the commission in a more progressive direction. He advocates for equity, sustainability, and prosperity to port leadership, and he has supported measures to protect our port’s local ecosystem, fight for workers’ rights, and improve local immigration policy. Calkins is campaigning on a platform that emphasizes environmental justice, sustainable economic development, and creating living-wage jobs

Ryan Calkins deserves your vote for another term in Position 1 on the Seattle Port Commission.

Incumbent Hamdi Mohamed is running unopposed for re-election for Commissioner Position 3 on the Port of Seattle. Mohamed was first elected to the position in 2021 on a visionary progressive platform, making her the first Black woman to serve on the commission. Mohamed’s mother worked for the airport when her family first settled in SeaTac as Somali refugees – an upbringing that has deepened her knowledge of the port’s community importance. She is the department director for Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and previously worked as a policy advisor for the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice. She is currently the only commissioner who resides in South King County.

Mohamed is a leader in people-focused policy, taking seriously the real impact of port commission decisions on the local community, ecosystem, and economy. On the commission, she has prioritized economic development to create good-paying local jobs, support workers’ rights, and help small businesses flourish. She has also been a strong voice for addressing airport noise disruptions, reducing port pollution that impacts the South King County communities, and promoting renewable energy solutions.

We recommend Hamdi Mohamed for another term as Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position 3, to continue bringing strong, progressive leadership to the to the region.

Commission president Toshiko Grace Hasegawa is running unopposed for re-election to Commissioner Position 4 on the Port of Seattle. Hasegawa was first elected to the position in 2021, becoming one of the first women of color to serve on the commission, alongside her colleague Hamdi Mohamed. Hasegawa is the former executive director of the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA), an advocacy organization that advises government agencies on issues affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She currently serves on the boards of Densho and the Seattle chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, both organizations that uplift the city’s Japanese American community.

On the commission, Hasegawa has been a voice for community empowerment, equitable prosperity, and regional sustainability. She was a critical advocate protecting North SeaTac Park, led efforts to increase childcare and health care for airport employees, helped set ambitious goals to decarbonize the cruise industry, and expanded the South King County Community Impact Fund. If re–elected, Hasegawa will continue her tireless work to fight for clean water and air, strong workers' protections, and economic development that benefits local communities first in her progressive vision for the commission.

We recommend Hasegawa for a second term on the Seattle Port Commission.

Hugo Garcia is running for re-election for Burien City Council, Position 1. Garcia, whose family immigrated from Mexico more than 30 years ago, learned the value of hard work at an early age by watching his father wait tables to support their family of five. Garcia has proven to be a thoughtful and progressive leader in Burien, particularly during a tumultuous period for the city.

If re-elected, Garcia plans to continue focusing on expanding access to housing and improving affordability. Garcia contributed to efforts to support people experiencing homelessness, including voting in favor of a proposal for a tiny home village. He also intends to defend Burien "against Trump Era Impacts" by supporting the city's libraries, museums, and public institutions. Garcia stood firmly against conservative council member Stephanie Mora's attempt to censure him after he criticized an ordinance criminalizing homelessness, which he said upheld and enabled systemic racism.

Due to his continued progressive leadership, we recommend Hugo Garcia for Burien City Council, Position 1.

Sarah Moore is running for re-election for Burien City Council, Position 5. Moore joined the City Council in 2022 and, in January 2025, began her position as Deputy Mayor. Previously, she co-founded ACLU Burien People Power and spent more than 20 years working at the Pacific Science Center.

Moore was one of only two city council members to vote against the harsh emergency ordinance to criminalize homelessness on public property at all times. On the ordinance, Moore said "the law makes the city one that 'offers a severe weather shelter on a 32 degree day and exile on a 33 degree day.'" In 2023, Moore also voted in favor of a $1 million proposal from King County to build a tiny home village for community members experiencing homelessness. Those in favor of the proposal argued that it was a step towards permanent housing. In addition, Moore stood with councilmember Hugo Garcia in support of raising the local minimum wage, which the voters of Burien approved in February.

Due to her continued progressive work in Burien, we strongly support Sarah Moore for Burien City Council, Position 5.

Rocco DeVito is challenging incumbent Stephanie Mora for Burien City Council, Position 7. DeVito grew up on naval bases and in a family dedicated to public service. A union member, DeVito currently works at King County Metro helping to improve the transit system and provide transit passes to those who need them most.

DeVito is an active and enthusiastic member of the Burien community. His campaign prioritizes safe streets, affordable housing, and taking a thoughtful approach to the city's budget. He is an advocate for renter protections and rent stabilization to prevent displacement. He is not supportive of Burien's camping ban and is a proponent of emergency shelters and tiny home villages as transitional housing options. He supports progressive revenue options at the state level to maintain services and protect our quality of life.

Rocco DeVito is the clear progressive choice for Burien City Council, Position 7 race.

Harry Steinmetz is running for re-election to Des Moines City Council, Position 1. Steinmetz worked in the King County Prosecutor's office, as a city prosecutor for the city of Olympia, and as a staff attorney for the Washington state Senate Judiciary Committee. He also directed government relations for the Washington Association for Housing and Services for the Aging, advocating for not-for-profit senior housing.

Steinmetz's re-election campaign is focused on public safety, downtown improvements, and fiscal responsibility. We appreciate that his approach to public safety extends beyond traditional policing to include mental and behavioral health professionals in responding to non-emergency calls. Steinmetz's vision for the downtown area includes more walkable infrastructure that allows for more ability and access to businesses. He is a proponent of the Marina Steps and Redondo Pier projects, as well as an advocate for a passenger ferry service in Des Moines. He expressed his desire for fiscal responsibility in the city's budget; however, he did not detail what that would entail.

Harry Steinmetz is a steady leader who would continue to serve the community well. We recommend re-electing him for another term on the Des Moines City Council in Position 1.

Pierre Blosse is running for Des Moines City Council, Position 5. Born in France, Blosse moved to the US at age 10. He has been living in Des Moines since 2019 and currently works as the Vice President of the Des Moines Legacy Foundation.

Blosse is running a mixed campaign, focused on creating a better Des Moines for future generations. He is an advocate for community spaces, such as parks and playgrounds, as well as for maintaining youth center programs. He has set an ambitious goal of making the city carbon neutral by 2050, but it is unclear how he plans to move Des Moines towards this goal. He is opposed to increased taxation, which can make it difficult to maintain essential services and programs. Additionally, Blosse aims to enhance community engagement through more transparent practices, including budget summaries and community outreach before final votes. While his campaign could afford more specific ideas and proposals, Blosse has earned the endorsements of local Democratic affiliates, such as the King County Democrats and the 33rd District Democrats.

While Pierre Blosse is not the most progressive candidate on the ballot this year, we lean towards voting for him for Des Moines City Council, Position 5.

Satwinder Kaur is running for re-election for Kent City Council, Position 2. Kaur was first elected to the council in 2017, making history as the first Indian-American Kent City Council member. She has since served as Council President and works as a Senior Engineer in the tech industry.

Kaur has consistently been a progressive voice on the council. She has advocated for more diverse and inclusive policing in Kent through the expansion of the Community Court and supporting the Community Immersion Law Enforcement Program. Kaur has also displayed a strong commitment to building an inclusive community. She helped create the Kent Cultural Communities Board and expanded translation and interpretation services across city services.

Satwinder Kaur is a steady, progressive leader who will continue to make positive change in Kent. She has earned your vote to serve another term in Position 2.

Andy Song is also running for Kent City Council, Position 6. He is currently serving on the Kent School Board while owning a small business, working as a college professor, and practicing as a therapist. If elected, he would step down from his role on the school board.

Song's campaign for city council prioritizes supporting local businesses, promoting health and public safety, and planning for the future of Kent. His approach to addressing homelessness in Kent prioritizes funding services to help residents transition into more permanent housing options. However, he contradicted himself on his stance on banning public encampments. In a questionnaire with The Urbanist, he explicitly stated, "No, I do not support camping bans or sweeps." while on his website, he said, "I will push for a clear policy that bans unsafe public encampments while expanding the number of shelter beds, treatment programs, and outreach workers so that people in crisis have safe alternatives." Banning public encampments without first ensuring adequate shelter capacity or transitional housing options can displace our neighbors experiencing homelessness and put them further in harm's way.

Additionally, Song's approach to addressing the affordable housing shortage in Kent focuses on implementing a vacancy tax to encourage property owners to rent their spaces. However, he does advocate for zoning reforms to allow for transit-oriented housing options that meet residents at all income levels.

While there are some aspects of Andy Song's platform we appreciate, we lean towards electing Sharn Shoker for Kent City Council, Position 6.

Social worker Caitlin Konya is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 2. Konya has worked for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services for the past four years. She was raised in South King County by two active union members who instilled in her the importance of workers’ rights. She is a first-time candidate but has volunteered with SeaTac’s Community Services Advisory Committee since 2023 and is a member of WFSE Local 872.

Konya is campaigning on an optimistic vision of affordability, access, and abundance in SeaTac. If elected, she aims to support the small business community, fund public infrastructure repairs and upgrades, and develop a sustainable development model that enables increasing density. Previously, Konya offered outspoken support for making the wealthy pay what they owe in taxes to support our youth and working families, as well as state workers who have borne the brunt of budget cuts.

We recommend electing Caitlyn Konya for SeaTac City Council, Position 2.

Mayor Mohamed Egal is running for re-election to Position 4 on the SeaTac City Council. Egal is a Somali immigrant who was first elected to the city council in 2021 with a slate of other progressive candidates. He is a job developer at Hopelink, an organization that connects immigrants, individuals facing poverty, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable community members with the resources they need. Egal has spent over a decade in social and human services, including as a King County Municipal Court interpreter.

Egal has been a thoughtful community leader on the council. He has focused on the issues of affordable housing, health care access, community safety, and workforce development as key concerns facing SeaTac. He helped lead the creation of the SeaTac Small Business Capital Access Program, which provides local small businesses with a range of support services. He has also worked to reduce the environmental impact of the airport on the SeaTac community. Egal has yet to release a campaign platform as of mid-October, but his track record shows that he would continue to lead with community values if re-elected.

We recommend re-electing Mohamed Egal to another term on the SeaTac City Council in Position 4, due to his commitment to progressive leadership for the community.

Bedria Abdullahi is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 6. According to her profile on the SeaTac Blog, she is an Assistant Community Director at a real estate broker.

Abdullahi is running to be a thoughtful and inclusive leader. She is prioritizing childcare capacity, economic development programs, diverse housing options, and parks and recreation. Although her platform is limited in detailed policy proposals, Abdullahi has earned the endorsements of the 33rd Legislative District Democrats and the King County Democrats. Based on the information available, we believe Bedria Abdullahi is the best choice for SeaTac City Council, Position 6.

Teresa Gregory is running to retain her position as Kent School Board Director, District 4. She was appointed earlier this year to replace Awale Farah. Prior to serving on the school board, Gregory was the president of a homeowners association, a Girl Scouts troop leader, and worked for Boeing and Microsoft. She is also a graduate of the Kent school district and currently has two children in the district.

In her appointment interview, Gregory stated that she has been a "champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion" and emphasized the importance of diverse representation. Her current campaign focuses on academic excellence, inclusivity and diversity, financial transparency, and enhanced community engagement and communication.

Due to her commitment to improving academic outcomes and making Kent schools a welcoming place for all students, we recommend voting for Teresa Gregory to retain her seat in District 4.