King County

Michelle Rylands is an Army veteran and PTA president running against incumbent Senator Phil Fortunato. She is strongly in favor of fully funding K-12 education, and also advocates for fixing our state's upside-down tax code and helping local small businesses.

Fortunato was chosen by Republicans to replace long-time senator Pam Roach. While he is very conservative on many issues, he deserves credit for playing a key role in breaking the final state budget impasse this year by pushing his Republican colleagues to fund the contracts of state employees. Nevertheless, Rylands is the best choice in this race.

Edgewood City Councilmember Nate Lowry is a landscape architect who has been a strong progressive voice in the community. He's running for the 31st District House seat to fix Washington's upside-down tax code and fund Head Start and STEM education. He is running against Republican Morgan Irwin, who was recently appointed to this seat and has not demonstrated progressive values. Lowry is the better choice in this race.

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.

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.

Progressive John Murphy is running for King County Council, District 3. From serving as a Vietnam Navy corpsman to working as a Deputy Fire Chief at Eastside Fire and Rescue for 20 years, Murphy has devoted his life to public service. Murphy prioritizes the economic needs of working families and wants to implement responsible infrastructure development throughout the county. If elected, Murphy would also focus on affordable housing, public safety, transportation, and improving waste water management in King County.

Murphy is running against conservative incumbent Kathy Lambert, whose track record on health and human services shows that she prioritizes conservative ideology over the needs of her constituents. John Murphy is the clear 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.

Denice Carnahan is running for King County Council, District 9. As an experienced businesswoman, she has a deep understanding of the needs of working families and the many challenges facing King County. As a candidate, Carnahan is prioritizing the development of long-term transportation and public safety solutions that equitably enhances King County communities. She is focused on ensuring that King County remains a great place to raise a family.

Carnahan is running against Republican incumbent Reagan Dunn, who has opposed responsible growth legislation and progressive tax reform measures during his tenure. His lack of principled leadership has stifled progress on the county level. For her progressive vision, Carnahan deserves your support in this race.

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.

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.

Yolanda Trout-Manuel is running unopposed to retain her seat in Position 4. She serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and she is a well-known advocate for traffic safety and for her domestic violence work. She received a 2015 Outstanding Award from the local Domestic Violence Task Force and an Outstanding Citizen Activist Award for Excellence in Traffic Safety from the Washington Traffic Safety Commissioners for her work on Washington's Highway 12. Trout-Manuel serves on several regional and national boards, including the Puget Sound Latino Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Elective Legislative Officials, and the National League of Cities. She plans to focus the upcoming years on homelessness, public safety, and the economic health of Auburn.

U.S. Navy veteran Larry Brown is the Legislative and Political Director for the Aerospace Machinists District Lodge 751. A strong advocate for workers, Brown has worked on the Governor’s Unemployment Task Force and the labor caucus for the Labor and Industries Workers Comp Advisory Committee. He is running on a jobs agenda that seeks to reduce commute times for workers, emphasize education and workforce training, and bring in more technology jobs.

Brown is opposed by Mike Kahler, a manager at the Auburn Valley Humane Society’s Thrift Store. Kahler promotes an enforcement of the city's anti-loitering and panhandling laws to force the homeless from storefronts.

Brown's experience and commitment to progressive values makes him the clear choice for Auburn City Council Position 6.

Randy Grein is running for Bellevue City Council, Position 2. Grein is running a low-profile progressive campaign with the support of local Democratic Party organizations. He is focused on making city government more accessible to the community and addressing pressing local issues like traffic congestion, affordable housing, and homelessness.

Grein is running against conservative incumbent Conrad Lee, who has been on the Bellevue City Council for more than 20 years. Lee has been a consistent conservative voice on the council, opposing the expansion of light rail and new housing options for homeless people. Grein is the best choice in this race.

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.

Liam Olsen is running for Bothell City Council Position 5. Olsen is a civil engineer who has also worked with the Bothell Landmark Preservation Board since 2010. If elected, Olsen wants to protect Bothell's open spaces, develop more parks, and improve access to multiple modes of transportation.

Olsen is running against Jeremy Michel, who has no website or campaign info available. Olsen is the best choice in this race.

Aaron Moreau-Cook is a Senior Engineering Manager at Microsoft. He is the Chair of Bothell’s Safe School Walk Routes Taskforce. Moreau-Cook is seeking reforms to housing, including increasing aging-in-place services, improving affordable housing options, securing affordable housing for workers making less than a living wage, and preventing Section 8 discrimination. If elected, he supports applying for federal and state grants to preserve forested areas, restoring wildlife habitats, implementing safe sidewalk plans, and adding bikeways to Bothell.

He is running against Thomas Agnew, who was elected to the council in 2009 and is running on a platform of public safety, fiscal responsibility, infrastructure improvement, bringing a Boys and Girls Club to Bothell, and the environment.

Moreau-Cook is the best choice in this race because of his broader support from progressive advocates.

Pedro Olguin is an Organizing Coordinator with Teamsters Local 117. As an advocate for workers, Olguin's campaign has focused on the lack of family wage jobs and affordable housing that disproportionately impact women, children, and people of color. He supports alternatives to arresting people for being homeless and wants to improve relationships between the police and community groups.

Pedro Olguin is running against Joel Manning, who advocates for aggressive anti-homeless policies and a complete repeal of the local business and occupation tax. Olguin is the best choice in this race.

Jimmy Matta is running for Position 3 with a deep understanding of the struggles of working families. His family immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala, and by the time he was a teenager Matta had dropped out of high school to support his family in the fields. Matta later started a construction business, and went on to become a representative for the Carpenters Union for more than 20 years. If elected, Matta wants to create dedicated positions in the city to support local businesses, address the homelessness crisis and connect people to existing services. Matta would also focus on affordable housing and developing community policing programs.

Matta is running against conservative incumbent Debi Wagner, who has voted against sanctuary city status. A large portion of Wagner's time on the council and her campaign have been centered on economic development and public safety in the form of hiring more police officers. Matta is the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Nancy Tosta is serving her first term on the Burien City Council and served as Deputy Mayor for two years. She has served on a multitude of local government and policy groups, including the King County City Climate Collaboration, the Burien Ad-Hoc Social Services Funding Committee, and as a South Correctional Entity (SCORE) Administrative Board Member. Her campaign emphasizes funding social services, implementing block watches and other community methods of public safety, and improving youth programs and parks. In the last four years, Tosta has worked on non-arrest solutions for homelessness, advocated for more transportation options, and voted to increase investments in social services.

Tosta is running against conservative Darla Green. Green's campaign centers on fighting the minimum wage and Burien's sanctuary city status, while promoting an anti-panhandling initiative against homeless people. Tosta is the most experienced and progressive candidate in this race.

Krystal Marx is running for Position 7 on a "Burien for All" platform that focuses on social equity and community-based crime solutions. She promotes the Housing First approach to homelessness, and seeks involvement on community issues from the most-impacted groups. She is a former nonprofit operations manager and community educator.

Her opponent, Patty Janssen, is a "law and order" candidate and volunteer with the Burien Police Department. Janssen has focused her campaign mostly on crime prevention and stronger enforcement of local ordinances on issues like loitering and panhandling.

Marx is the best choice in this race.

Attorney Harry Steinmetz is running for Des Moines Council Position 5. Steinmetz has 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, among other positions. He was also the Director of Government Relations for the Washington Association for Housing and Services for the Aging, advocating for not-for-profit senior housing.

Steinmetz is running against Traci Buxton who is not running a progressive campaign. Steinmetz is the best choice in this race

Chad Harper is the Chair of the Highline Citizens for Schools and a Des Moines Human Services Commissioner. As commissioner, he worked to increase nonprofit program support from the city. He is focused on the issues of marina redevelopment, engagement between government and citizens, and public safety.

Harper is running for City Council Position 7 against Matthew Mahoney, who is active with the Citizen's Advisory Committee. Mahoney is a business manager, US Army veteran, and Fire Commissioner for Pierce County Fire District #26. Like Harper, Mahoney is focused on funding the seawall, solving airport issues, and public safety, but overall is less progressive than Harper.

Harper is the clear progressive 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.

Jesse Johnson is an excellent progressive candidate running for Federal Way City Council Position 2. Johnson works as an education and post-secondary mentor, especially for men of color, in his role as Family and Community Engagement Specialist in South King County. He has also worked on the College Access Now Americorps team, as a Multicultural Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator at the University of Washington, and on President Obama and Congressman Adam Smith's campaigns. Johnson's platform comprehensively addresses issues of crime, restorative justice, and education. He seeks to tackle crime systemically by creating programs targeting violence and providing wrap-around youth services that address mental health and trauma, and wants to retain local graduates through career ladder programs with local businesses.

Johnson is running against incumbent Republican Bob Celski. Johnson is the best choice in this race.

Hoang Tran is running for Position 4 against Republican Diana Noble-Gulliford. At 18, Tran fled Vietnam and eventually arrived in America as a refugee. He has worked in public service for over 20 years and currently works as an administrator in public assistance programs for the state Department of Social and Health Services. Tran's campaign is centered on public safety through crime prevention programs and police department funding, addressing homelessness, and ensuring fiscal responsibility in government. He would like to increase the number of businesses owned be people of color in the city.

His opponent, Diana Noble-Gulliford, is a former city councilmember and current president of the Historical Society of Federal Way. Her biggest priorities are economic development and public safety. She supported the six-month housing moratorium on multi-family units, which Tran had reservations about due to the need for affordable housing. Tran is the better choice in this race.

Roger Flygare owns two court reporting agencies and is a U.S. Army veteran. He is a member of the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Washington Business, the Federal Way Coalition Against Trafficking, and the past President and Commanding General of the Association of Washington Generals. His campaign is prioritizing public safety and economic development. Flygare would support the local moratorium on multi-family housing until the number of single family homes is roughly equal to the number of multi-family homes, as he states it puts an undue burden on social services and schools.

He is running against Republican Martin Moore, who has switched parties and supported Democratic and Republican leaders and initiatives over the years. Moore's campaign has prioritized public safety, bringing tech jobs to Federal Way, fighting a B&O tax, and transparent government.

Flygare is the best choice in this race.

City councilmember Mary Lou Pauly has served as Deputy City Council President since 2016 and as Vice Chair of the Eastside Fire and Rescue Board. She has also served as an alternate member for the Cascade Water Alliance and an SCA representative on the King Conservation District Advisory Board. Pauly's top priority are transportation and traffic reduction, as well as smart growth and public safety. She wants to enact a developer code of conduct to reduce the impact of development on neighborhoods. She is determined that the City of Issaquah is equipped with the tools and infrastructure to sustainably develop.

She is running against fellow city councilmember Paul Winterstein, who has served on the council since 2012 and is focused on preserving the city's small-town culture, traffic reduction, and environmental restoration. We believe Pauly is the best qualified and most progressive choice in this race.

Chris Reh is a progressive political newcomer who is running to preserve the character of Issquah during this time of rapid growth. Reh advocates for long-term growth strategies that work for all residents and is passionate about balancing development with local community needs. 

Reh is running against Bryan Weinstein, who has not earned the same level of local progressive support. Reh is the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Issaquah City Councilmember Mariah Bettise was appointed to the position in May of 2016. Bettise sits on the council's Land & Shore Committee where she makes key decisions on local environmental policies. She is running against challenger Richard Swanson, who is not running a viable campaign. Bettise is the best choice in this race.

Attorney Joe Marshall is the former President of the Northshore Rotary Club and a board member of the Cascadia Community College Foundation. He aims to protect parks and natural areas as well as update the city's infrastructure to meet traffic and pedestrian needs. Marshall's top priorities are smart growth, economic development, and dealing with traffic. He opposes the renovation of the St. Edward Seminary on the grounds that he'd like to keep public land public.

His opponent, Suzanne Greathouse, is a former IT executive. She is promoting a walkable downtown, smart growth, and a green transportation safety plan that includes bikes, walkways, and waterway access. Greathouse supports the renovation of the St. Edward Seminary as a revenue source. She is prioritizing addressing community safety, fighting opioid use in schools, and smart South Transit development.

We lean towards Marshall because of his support from progressive advocates.

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.

Debra Srebnik is a human services program manager at the University of Washington. Srebnik is actively involved in the Kenmore community. She has served on the Kenmore Planning Commission, is a member of Friends of St. Edwards State Park and the Northshore School District nutrition and the fitness advisory council. Srebnik supports the restoration of shoreline and habitat in local parks, reducing industrial pollution, and downtown growth. Her opponent, Carol Baker, is running on a more conservative platform. Srebnik is the best choice in this race.

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.

Tye Whitfield has a long history of civic activism and serving our community. She was the chair of the Puget Sound Service District, a Parks and Recreation commissioner, and helped create community events like Taste of Kent. Whitfield is also a small business owner who is running to bring more jobs to Kent and keep it a great place to raise a family.

Whitfield is running against conservative-leaning former PTSA president Toni Troutner. Troutner has served as the commissioner of the Civil Service Commission of the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority and a member of Drug Free Coalition, among other community service organizations. Whitfield is the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Brenda Fincher is a strong progressive choice for Kent City Council, Position 6. She has served in many nonprofit and community roles, including as Board President of the Kent Youth and Family Services. As an author of the Kent School District's Diversity Task Force Plan, Fincher has emphasized equity and quality education as central themes of her campaign, as well as public safety and helping vulnerable populations by leading the development of the Kent women's homeless shelter.

Fincher is running against Russell Hanscom, a former member of the Kent Chamber of Commerce who is currently a Kent school board member. Hanscom has not advanced a platform. His official candidate statement states that his lack of enthusiasm for the position and his new business would likely make him an ineffective councilmember.

Fincher is the best candidate 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.

Joy Langley is the Executive Director for Cultural Access Washington, a nonprofit that seeks to increase funding and access to cultural institutions like the Pacific Science Center and the Seattle Art Museum. She is also the Community Relations Chair of the Mercer Island Arts Council. Langley is aiming to reform the city budget, manage residential growth, and add parking to the town center.

She is running against Tom Acker, whose campaign is largely centered around opposing more transit options. Langley is the better choice in this race.

Mark Coen is a former Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Board member and the founder of Attachment and Trauma Specialists. He has also worked previously with Earthcorps, the National Association of Social Workers, and the Alliance of Child Mental Health. Coen's campaign is focused on updating infrastructure, improving residential building codes, and transportation.

Immigration attorney Maggie Riley is running for Newcastle City Council Position 6. While a newcomer to the political scene, Riley is no stranger to political activism and has been a vocal advocate for improved land use laws and transit. She aims to improve the quality of life for all Newcastle residents by working to create an equitable budget that improves infrastructure and the services offered to community members.

Maggie Riley is running against PACCAR executive Tamra Kammin, who opposes modernizing Newcastle's building codes. Riley is the best choice in the race and would bring a welcomed progressive voice on city council.

Tanika Padhye was appointed to the Redmond City Council in March 2017 when Kim Allen, the former Position 4 councilmember, stepped down. As a lawyer, Padhye represented low-income residents through the Northwest Justice Project and worked as an investigator for the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. She served on the city's Planning Commission and the Parks and Trails Commission, and is focused on the issues of diversity, affordable housing, and traffic.

Padhye is opposed by Eugene Zakhareyev, a software development manager. Much of his focus has been on balancing urban growth, encouraging community involvement in land use planning, and supporting small businesses. Padhye is the more qualified candidate 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.

Incumbent Randy Corman has served as the City Council president for five years and as chair of each of the council's committees. Corman has helped Renton set up an inclusion task force and supported lowering the minimum house size to allow for more small affordable homes. Additionally, Corman has focused on renovating downtown, rebuilding libraries, and increasing the number of subsidized housing units. If re-elected, Corman has stated he would like to address solving the opioid crisis.

His opponent Neil Sheesley has served as President of both the North and South Renton Neighborhoods and as a Renton Municipal Arts Commissioner.

We lean towards Corman for his more progressive stances.

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.

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.