Washington Conservation Action Endorsements

Sen. Rebecca Saldaña is running unopposed for re-election to the Senate seat in Legislative District 37. She previously worked as the Executive Director for Puget Sound Sage, a nonprofit tackling issues such as environmental justice, affordable housing, and workers' rights. In her first term in the Senate, Saldaña has pushed for full education funding and an end to Washington's regressive tax system. Her first bill signed by Governor Inslee expanded HOV lane access for blood donation vehicles, and she has co-signed bills to protect internet privacy and prohibit criminal record check-boxes on job applications.

It is vital that Manka Dhingra is elected as state Senator for the 45th District. Dhingra is the Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, an anti-domestic violence activist, and a supervisor for both the Mental Health and Veterans courts. Her experience prepares her to handle issues of homelessness, substance abuse, closing tax loopholes, and promoting equity, justice, and inclusion.

Dhingra is running against Republican Jinyoung Lee Englund. Englund spent her career as a political operative working for Republicans, including Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, former presidential candidate Gov. Jeb Bush, and Dino Rossi. She only recently moved to the district from Washington, D.C. where she worked as a lobbyist.

This race is important because the Republican-controlled state Senate has used their single-seat majority to grind Olympia to a halt on climate change, tax reform, workers’ rights, health care, voting rights, and other key issues. If a progressive wins this race, it will flip control of the Senate from Republicans to Democrats and open the door to passing many priority bills. Manka Dhingra is the best choice in this race.

Patty Kuderer has been an effective and reliable progressive leader in her first few months in the state Senate. After winning her re-election campaign for the House in 2016, she was appointed to the Senate to replace Cyrus Habib. In her first years in the Legislature she focused on equitable education funding and passed bills to help students with hearing issues succeed. Her resume of community engagement includes serving as Co-President of Chinook Middle School PTSA, as well as serving in organizations such as NARAL, the Peace Alliance, and the Chrysalis Domestic Violence Center. If re-elected, she intends to focus on education, health care access, and fixing our state's upside down tax code.

Kuderer is opposed by Libertarian Michelle Darnell, who is running on an anti-tax platform that would shortchange our schools and necessary transportation improvements. Kuderer is the best choice in this race.

A biotech professional and former member of the Bellevue City Council, Vandana Slatter was appointed to the state House in early 2017 and is now running to retain her seat. In her role as representative, Slatter has focused on education and equity issues, working on legislation benefiting homeless youth, fully funding schools, and providing health care for all. She has served on the boards of several organizations and nonprofits, including the Children's Institute for Learning Differences, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Global Social Business Partners, and the Cancer Center at Overlake Hospital Foundation.

She is running against Libertarian Ciaran Dougherty, a computational linguist who lacks Slatter's knowledge and experience with public policy. Slatter is the clear choice in this race.

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.

Barry Buchanan is a solid progressive currently in his first term on the Whatcom County Council. He formerly represented District 1 and is currently running for the at-large position in the new redistricted map. Buchanan is a chair of the county council, a veteran of the Navy, and a former councilmember on the Bellingham City Council. So far in office, Buchanan has worked on banning fracking in the county and fighting the massive coal export terminal proposed in Whatcom County. His campaign is focused on the environment and protecting human rights. His opponent, real estate broker Mary Kay Robinson, seeks to cut regulations on business and agriculture. Buchanan 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.

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.

Rud Browne is the current at-large incumbent on the Whatcom County Council and is now running for the new District 1 position. Since his election to the council in 2013, Browne has cemented his reputation as an environmentalist. Browne is the founder of Ryzex, an eco-friendly company and one of Whatcom’s largest employers. He was integral in starting the “Towards Zero Waste” campaign that encouraged businesses and schools to reduce unnecessary waste. His campaign is focused on protecting the environment regardless of destructive federal policy, as well as affordable housing, water management, and working around the state budget crisis.

Browne's opponent, Philip Morgan, is not running a competitive race. He has stated that he wants to lift the moratorium on Cherry Point fossil fuel exports and lessen restrictions on permitting. Browne is the best candidate and has earned another term on the Whatcom County Council.

Progressive Todd Donovan is the incumbent in the current District 1 seat, and is now running for Position 2. Donovan wants to clean up Lake Whatcom and restore native vegetation. He is a solid environmental leader who supports public transit, equal park access, and who voted no on the coal export terminal. We hope he will reevaluate the proposal for a costly new jail and support jail alternatives and funding for mental health and drug addiction treatment.

Donovan is facing progressive Amy Glasser. As a mental health professional, Glasser resists the structure of the current jail system as a means to house people with mental illnesses and people struggling with substance abuse. We believe Donovan is the best choice in this race because of his track record in office and support from progressive organizations.

Rebecca Boonstra is running in the newly established District 3. She is the Executive Director of the Mt. Baker Chamber of Commerce and was elected to the Board of Commissioners of the Columbia Valley Parks and Recreation District. Boonstra also worked in the visitor center in Maple Falls for a decade and wants to increase access to its natural areas while protecting the natural environment. She wants to give a voice to those who are often shut out of council decisions and county government.

Boonstra is running against conservative candidate Tyler Byrd, who doesn't share her committment to protecting the environment for future generations against the fossil fuel industry at Cherry Point. Boonstra is the progressive choice in this race.

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.

Elected in 2014, financial manager Nancy Backus is the first female mayor of Auburn. Prior to her first term, she served on the city council for 10 years as Chair of the Finance Committee and the Planning & Community Development Committee. Backus' first term is backed by an impressive list of accomplishments. Backus has made economic development a priority, including welcoming new small businesses to the downtown area, launching a downtown facade improvement program, and seeking additional expansion from Boeing. As a result, unemployment in Auburn is among the lowest in the state. In 2016, the mayor led the charge for a homelessness task force and the city is currently working on 40 of the 56 recommendations issued by the task force, including extending availability at the emergency shelter.

Backus is running against city councilmember and deputy mayor Largo Wales. Wales' campaign is focused on public safety and funding local infrastructure, but her platform also includes anti-homeless measures such as moving all care and housing programs away from the central areas and into industrial zones.

Backus' leadership has earned her another term.

Karol Brown is the founder of World One Law Group, an immigration law practice that helps businesses and families handle their immigration affairs. She was chair of the 41st Legislative District Democrats and was also the former Policy and Advocacy Director at OneAmerica, an immigrant rights advocacy organization. Her campaign is focused on keeping Bellevue affordable for working families, improving transit, and public safety.

Brown is running against Jared Nieuwenhuis, the marketing director for HeR Interactive, Inc. Nieuwenhuis is backed by the conservative members of the current Bellevue City Council. Brown's experience and progressive values make her the clear choice in this race.

Community leader Janice Zahn has served on the City of Bellevue Transportation Commission since 2013. Previously, she was a manager for construction projects for the Port of Seattle, where she gained experience making sustainable transportation decisions on a regional scale. Zahn is running to ensure that the Eastside grows responsibly while protecting access to affordable housing for residents. She also wants to implement a climate change policy that reflects the city's values.

Zahn is running agains Phillip Yin, who ran as a Republican for Lt. Governor last year and lost in the primary to former state Senator Cyrus Habib. Zahn has earned strong progressive support and is the best choice in this race.

Lynne Robinson is running for re-election to the Bellevue City Council, Position 6. Since joining in 2014, Robinson has prioritized supporting small businesses, increasing responsible development, and protecting the environment at the local level. She is focused on addressing the needs of Bellevue families by focusing on education, affordable housing, and human services for vulnerable community members.

Robinson is running against attorney Steven Fricke, who is running on a conservative platform against expanding options for housing the homeless in Bellevue. Because of her track record as a progressive advocate on a range of local issues, Robinson is the best choice in this race.

Pinky Vargas is running unopposed for re-election to the Bellingham City Council, Ward 4. Vargas has served on the council since 2014 and has held several positions including city council president, chair of the Community and Economic Development Committee, and chair of the Lodging Tax Allocation Committee. Vargas is focused on social and gender justice, natural preservation, environmental protection, housing, and supporting local businesses.

Bellingham City Council president Michael Lilliquist is running for a third term on the council. In his eight years, Lilliquist has championed causes like keeping a "hands off" policy for federal immigration enforcement and encouraging affordable, low-income housing. He supports tax equity, restoring the Lake Whatcom reservoir, housing affordability, and avoiding development sprawl. His opponent, Quenby Peterson, serves on the Bellingham School Board, but is not running a competitive campaign.

Lilliquist is the best choice in this race.

Elected in 2013, Roxanne Murphy of the Nooksack Tribe was the first Native American to join the Bellingham City Council. She has spent her first term focusing on issues of equity and the environment. Murphy has proposed a requirement for paid sick leave for Bellingham businesses, opposed the Cherry Point coal terminal, and led the resolution for supporting the Sioux tribes fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline. Murphy is the Youth Director for the Nooksack and serves on the Whatcom Transportation Authority.

Murphy is running against Eric Bostrom, a Trump-supporting conservative. Murphy's experience and track record on the council make her the best choice in this race.

Council member Mike Nelson is running for re-election to Edmonds City Council, Position 2. During his two years on the council, Nelson has passed legislation to reduce gun violence, commit Edmonds to 100% renewable energy to fight climate change, and was the lone vote against cuts to fire and emergency medical services. Nelson's priorities for his next term are affordable housing, making Edmonds more inclusive, and enhancing protections for our wetlands and streams. Nelson is running unopposed and deserves your vote.

Adrienne Fraley-Monillas is running for re-election to Edmonds City Council, Position 3. She has supported the environment in her two terms as councilmember through her commitment to keep coal trains out of the waterfront. Fraley-Monillas has also supported Edmonds' Safe City Resolution and hopes it will lead to sanctuary city status. She is president of the Snohomish County Health District, as well as a volunteer at the Edmonds Senior Center. Her opponent is Al Rutledge, a perennial candidate. Fraley-Monillas is the best choice in this race.

Jim Ferrell is running for a second term as mayor of Federal Way. A former King County Prosecutor and a Republican for 20 years, Ferrell switched parties to become a moderate Democrat in his latest run for mayor. Ferrell wants to continue the development of the Federal Way downtown core and maintain the police department (he added nine new officers to the force). Ferrell has banned homeless encampments on public property and supported cleaning sweeps via the Homeless Encampment Services Initiative.

Ferrell is running against Susan Honda. Elected in 2011, Honda currently serves on the Finance, Economic Development & Regional Affairs Committee, and is the president of women's organization Soroptimists International and incoming co-president of the local Kiwanis Club. Honda is focused on hiring a city administrator to run the day-to-day governmental needs of Federal Way.

While Ferrell is not extremely progressive, he has earned the most support from our progressive partner organizations.

Incumbent councilmember Nigel Herbig was elected to the council in 2013. Previously, he as worked as a legislative aide to state Rep. Jessyn Farrell. On the council, Herbig initiated an amendment to prevent housing discrimination by landlords and voted to prevent additional 520 construction in city limits due to concerns about pollution. His opponent, Patrick O'Brien, lacks Herbig's policy experience. Herbig has earned a second term on the Kenmore City Council.

Current Kent City Councilmember Dana Ralph has served her community through numerous local non-profits, including as council liaison of the Kent Arts Commission, chair of the Drug Free Communities Coalition, and board member of Kent Kiwanis Club. On the council, Ralph sits on the Public Works Committee and Public Safety Committee, and also serves as the chair of the Operations Committee.

Ralph is running for mayor against another current councilmember, Jim Berrios. Berrios is a former Kent School Board member and current city councilmember who also brings an solid resume of community service.

Ralph has earned the most support from our Progressive Voters Guide partner organizations and is the best choice in this race.

Satwinder Kaur is an IT professional and a former Kent City Council executive assistant. Kaur has been deeply involved with local community organizations, including serving as chair of the Kent Cultural Communities Board, steward of Green Kent Parks, member of the Kent International Festival Steering Committee, board member of the Kent Historical Society, and member of Living Well Kent. Her platform includes ensuring safe neighborhoods, fiscal transparency, traffic reduction, and making the police force more diverse.

Kaur is facing libertarian Paul Addis, an army veteran and a senior business analyst at Alaska Airlines. Kaur is the clear progressive choice in this race.

Kirkland Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold was elected to the City Council in 2013 and has emerged as a real leader in the community. He chairs the council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee, participates in the regional King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, and has held leadership roles in YES! For Great Kirkland Parks, Futurewise, and Northwest SEED (Sustainable Energy for Economic Development). In his first term, Arnold has prioritized smart development and transportation plans for Kirkland, funding for parks, revitalizing the Totem Lake Mall, and supporting individual neighborhood plans. Arnold is also a part-time technology consultant at Fuse. He was not involved in this recommendation.

Jay Arnold's opponent is Martin Morgan, a perennial candidate who has sued Kirkland several times as part of a multi-year feud with the city. Arnold is clearly the best choice for Kirkland City Council Position 1.

Tom Neir is running unopposed for Position 2 on the Kirkland City Council. He has served in several community organizations, including as co-founder and board member of the Kirkland Parks Foundation, board member of the Tilth Alliance, and as Chairman of the Kirkland Transportation Commission. His platform includes improving local sustainability efforts, education, and equality.

Penny Sweet is running unopposed for Kirkland City Council Position 3. She has served on the council since 2010 and serves in the community on the Board of Directors of the Kirkland Downtown Association. Sweet is also the co-founder of Celebrate Kirkland. She is focused on continuing Kirkland's economic successes through the redevelopment at Totem Lake and making the city more inclusive and welcoming.

Amy Walen has served as the mayor of Kirkland since 2014 and as a councilmember since 2009. She is the vice president of the Sound Cities Association and a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board. Walen's track record includes supporting the Totem Lake revitalization and seeking to improve transportation infrastructure throughout the city. Her challenger, Jory Hamilton, is not running a competitive campaign. Walen is the best choice in this race.

Jon Pascal was appointed to Position 2 in late 2016, and is running now for Doreen Marchione's seat in Position 7. Pascal has a long history of civic engagement, including serving on the Kirkland Transportation Commission, the Planning Commission, and the Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods. Pascal wants to expand Green Kirkland Partnership's volunteer program for parks and open spaces as well as increase park-and-ride options to increase mass transit ridership.

Elected to the Olympia City Council in 2011 and reelected in 2013, Jim Cooper is the CEO of the United Way of the Pacific Northwest. He holds several local leadership roles, including Chair of the City Council Finance Committee, Chair of the Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency Board, and President of the Olympia Metropolitan Parks District.

Cooper helped create an air quality monitoring program at the Olympia Regional Clean Air Agency. He also had a hand in the creation of the Thurston Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force. If re-elected, Cooper will continue to focus on seeking racial, gender, and economic justice for residents of Olympia, including bringing in more living wage jobs, establishing the Olympia Human Rights Commission, preserving the environment, and fighting climate change locally.

He is running against Libertarian Daniel Marsh, whose platform includes increasing public safety and promoting free trade in Olympia. Cooper is the best choice in this race.

Jeralee Anderson is the executive director of the Greenroads Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes and rates sustainable transportation infrastructure. A civil engineer by trade, she has been internationally recognized as a sustainability leader for Greenroads' rating system and won a Champion of Change award from the Obama White House in 2013. Anderson's platform focuses on green, resilient transportation systems, STEM education, and attracting new small businesses to Redmond. She is running against software engineer Jason Antonelli. Anderson is the best choice for Redmond City Council Position 6.

Lifelong Renton resident Armondo Pavone was elected to the City Council in 2014. Pavone is a past president of the Downtown Renton Association and is a board member of the regional Economic Development Council. Pavone's priorities on the council are supporting local businesses and maintaining city services.

Pavone is running against Diane Dobson, who works in her family law firm and is the former Vice-President of the Neighborhood Association. She has also worked with the mayor’s City Center Community Plan Advisory Board, is a founding member of the Renton Downtown Partnership, and has served as past president of the Renton Lions Club, among other local institutions. Dobson is campaigning on community-based policing, public safety, and advocating for small businesses.

Both Pavone and Dobson have stated support for inclusive city policies, though Pavone has explicitly said that the city has never checked immigration status and would continue this policy. We lean toward Pavone in this race because of his support from progressive advocates.

Appointed to the city council in 2014, incumbent Ruth Pérez is the first Hispanic councilmember in Renton. As chair of the Transportation Committee, Perez is focused on inclusive transit options, education, safe communities, and attracting more jobs to Renton. She has been a champion for communities of color and immigrant community members.

Jason Ritchie is running for Sammamish City Council, Position 1. Ritchie is an up-and-coming progressive leader on the Eastside and has demonstrated his commitment to progressive values on issues such as immigration reform, protecting safe and legal access to abortion, and fully funding education. In addition to his work on the council, Ritchie started a business remodeling homes for the disabled after his father had a stroke and suffered from limited mobility. He is running against conservative Mark Baughman, who has not offered progressive solutions to the challenges facing Sammamish. Ritchie is the best choice in this race.

Karen Howe is running for Sammamish City Council, Position 3. A newcomer to local politics, her fresh take on city budgeting, social services access, protecting the environment, and managing development is exactly what the community needs. She is prioritizing addressing the needs of working and middle class families as the city continues to grows. Karen Howe is running against Karen Moran, whose infrastructure-based campaign is not as progressive. Howe is the best choice in this race.

Rituja Indapure is a Senior Analyst at Costco. She has served in the community as Treasurer at Challenger Elementary, co-president of the Beaver Lake PTSA, and a United Way volunteer. Indapure is seeking cost-effective transportation solutions and sustainable growth that protects parks and the environment. She also seeks ways to improve emergency response times, specifically services deployed in natural disasters, and to decrease language barriers between the police department and the community.

Indapure is running against conservative Chris Ross. We recommend Indapure in this race.

Pam Stuart is a Senior Manager in Customer and Partner Advocacy at Microsoft. Her campaign priorities include balancing growth with environmental sustainability, investing in parks and senior services, and improving transportation options to reduce traffic.

As city council member, she would support buying and preserving wetlands and green spaces, creating a standing Health and Human Services Commission, keeping teens engaged and supported with targeted programs, and holding developers accountable for building infrastructure to support increased density. She is running against Republican John Robinson. Stuart is the best choice in this race.

Lorena González has been a truly impressive leader in her two years on the Seattle City Council. González is a civil rights attorney who runs a bilingual legal clinic for low-income residents and is the President Emeritus of OneAmerica, a Seattle-based immigrant advocacy organization. She supports police reform for bias-free and just policing, paid parental and family leave for all workers, and supports much of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) for more equitable housing policy and as a part of the solution to homelessness in the city. If reelected, González wants to create a legal defense fund for immigrants and to fix our city's upside-down tax code. She is running against challenger and small business owner Pat Murakami who is not running as progressive of a campaign. González is the clear 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.

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.

Incumbent City Councilmember Candace Mumm has a long track record of community involvement and leadership on land use issues and women’s health. She voted to support earned sick leave for all workers in Spokane and is a vocal advocate for a better bus system. Mumm is also the past president of the city's planning commission, where she oversaw adoption of the city's first Comprehensive Plan. She co-authored the city's Crosswalk Ordinance and co-led the city's Gender and Racial Equity task force.

Mumm is running against conservative Matthew Howes, whose campaign is centered on crime, road maintenance, and reducing business taxes. Mumm is the best choice in this race.

Community leader Philip Cowan is running for Tacoma City Council Position 2. Cowan has worked as the Executive Director of Tacoma's Grand Cinema for more than ten years and is running to make Tacoma a healthier place to live for all residents. He believes that it is necessary to address Tacoma's long history of environmental problems and prioritizes environmentally sustainable solutions regarding future development. Cowan is focused on strengthening workers' rights in the local economy and ensuring that Tacoma remains a great to place to live for residents of all income levels.

Community leader Chris Beale is running for Tacoma City Council Position 5. Beale is Chair of the Planning Commission and has also served as Vice Chair of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council, as a member of Pierce County Transit’s Citizen Advisory Council, and as Board President of the local non-profit ForeverGreen Trails. Beale is advocating for more affordable housing, storm water quality maintenance, support for Safe Routes to Schools, the Neighborhood Councils, and equitable road improvements. He aims to give specific attention to South Tacoma to "address historic inequality of public investments."

Beale is running against Brian Arnold, a conservative insurance company owner and board member of the South Tacoma Business District. Arnold's campaign is focused on increased policing and community safety. Beale 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.

Former Deputy District Attorney and U.S. Army veteran Bernie Talmas is running for re-election as Mayor of Woodinville. Talmas prioritizes biking and pedestrian access in the city's transportation plan and is focused on centering new development in Woodinville's downtown area and preserving natural wildlife corridors and streams. Talmas' opponent, Brad Walker, is running a shoestring campaign without endorsements or donations. Talmas has earned a second term as Mayor of Woodinville.

Susan Boundy-Sanders is running for re-election to the Woodinville City Council Position 5. Boundy-Sanders is focused on maintaining Woodinville's rural character while balancing the economic and development demands that come along with population growth. During her tenure, she has focused on improving the city's infrastructure and maintaining safe zoning laws. She is running against Gary Harris, who is running on a platform of maintaining Woodinville's small town feel and public safety. Boundy-Sanders is the best choice in this race.