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City Races

Depending on where you live, you may have the following city races on your ballot.

  • Eliana Macias is a dental assistant at the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic running for Yakima City Council District 1. She believes District 1 needs more resources to improve public safety and Yakima needs more opportunities for youth. As the daughter of farmworkers, Macias says she wants to advance vision for a stronger, more vibrant and welcoming community.

    Macias is running against Matthew Sagen and Kenton Gartrell. Sagen is active with the Yakima County Democrats and is prioritizing infrastructure, public safety, and economic development. He is also endorsed by OneAmerica Votes. Gartrell is a far-right Trump supporter who has posted conspiracy theories and propaganda to his personal Facebook page.

    Macias is the strongest choice for District 1 and deserves your vote.

    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Eliana Macias

    Eliana Macias is a dental assistant at the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic running for Yakima City Council District 1. She believes District 1 needs more resources to improve public safety and Yakima needs more opportunities for youth.

    Eliana Macias is a dental assistant at the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic running for Yakima City Council District 1. She believes District 1 needs more resources to improve public safety and Yakima needs more opportunities for youth. As the daughter of farmworkers, Macias says she wants to advance vision for a stronger, more vibrant and welcoming community.

    Macias is running against Matthew Sagen and Kenton Gartrell. Sagen is active with the Yakima County Democrats and is prioritizing infrastructure, public safety, and economic development. He is also endorsed by OneAmerica Votes. Gartrell is a far-right Trump supporter who has posted conspiracy theories and propaganda to his personal Facebook page.

    Macias is the strongest choice for District 1 and deserves your vote.

    Eliana Macias

    Eliana Macias is a dental assistant at the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic running for Yakima City Council District 1. She believes District 1 needs more resources to improve public safety and Yakima needs more opportunities for youth.

  • Endorsed By: OneAmerica Votes
  • Berenice Ponce is a Yakima School District school board director and education advocate running for Yakima City Council District 3. She has served as a union organizer, community liaison for better wages, and a case manager for several nonprofits. As an education advocate, Ponce works one-on-one with at-risk students and feels that many problems that face people in adulthood can be prevented by providing services to those people when they are young. Ponce wants to prioritize affordable housing and public safety.

    Also in this race are Patricia Byers and Thomas Sund. Byers is the Chair of the City of Yakima Planning Commission; she ran for this seat in 2015 but lost. She is running on a platform of increasing public safety near the city's schools as well as "smart budgeting." Thomas Sund is a retired funeral director. His campaign is emphasizing his twelve years working with law enforcement. If elected, Sund's priorities would be supporting police and firefighters and maintaining city streets.

    Ponce is the best choice for Yakima City Council District 3.

    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Berenice L. Ponce

    Berenice Ponce is a Yakima School District school board director and education advocate running for Yakima City Council District 3. She has served as a union organizer, community liaison for better wages, and a case manager for several nonprofits.

    Berenice Ponce is a Yakima School District school board director and education advocate running for Yakima City Council District 3. She has served as a union organizer, community liaison for better wages, and a case manager for several nonprofits. As an education advocate, Ponce works one-on-one with at-risk students and feels that many problems that face people in adulthood can be prevented by providing services to those people when they are young. Ponce wants to prioritize affordable housing and public safety.

    Also in this race are Patricia Byers and Thomas Sund. Byers is the Chair of the City of Yakima Planning Commission; she ran for this seat in 2015 but lost. She is running on a platform of increasing public safety near the city's schools as well as "smart budgeting." Thomas Sund is a retired funeral director. His campaign is emphasizing his twelve years working with law enforcement. If elected, Sund's priorities would be supporting police and firefighters and maintaining city streets.

    Ponce is the best choice for Yakima City Council District 3.

    Berenice L. Ponce

    Berenice Ponce is a Yakima School District school board director and education advocate running for Yakima City Council District 3. She has served as a union organizer, community liaison for better wages, and a case manager for several nonprofits.

  • Endorsed By: OneAmerica Votes
  • Small business owner and attorney Liz Hallock is running for Yakima City Council District 5. Hallock is prioritizing improving government transparency and trust with low-income residents, as well as economic development, and public safety. She has pledged to end the use of the Yakima Airport for ICE flights and wants to create a citizen police oversight board to restore the entire community's trust in the police force and encourage accountability.

    Also in this race is Mark Collins and Soneya Lund. Collins is the director of research and development at a public safety-focused software company. Collins wants to prioritize solutions to improve roads and transportation systems. He also wants to find creative solutions to homelessness in Yakima.

    Soneya Lund is a small business owner and board member of the homeless youth-centered nonprofit Rod’s House. Lund is running to bring nearly 20 years of experience as a small business owner to focus on the city’s finances, bring in more small businesses, and improve council communication.

    Hallock is the most progressive choice for Yakima City Council District 5.

    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Elizabeth Hallock

    Small business owner and attorney Liz Hallock is running for Yakima City Council District 5. Hallock is prioritizing improving government transparency and trust with low-income residents, as well as economic development, and public safety.

    Small business owner and attorney Liz Hallock is running for Yakima City Council District 5. Hallock is prioritizing improving government transparency and trust with low-income residents, as well as economic development, and public safety. She has pledged to end the use of the Yakima Airport for ICE flights and wants to create a citizen police oversight board to restore the entire community's trust in the police force and encourage accountability.

    Also in this race is Mark Collins and Soneya Lund. Collins is the director of research and development at a public safety-focused software company. Collins wants to prioritize solutions to improve roads and transportation systems. He also wants to find creative solutions to homelessness in Yakima.

    Soneya Lund is a small business owner and board member of the homeless youth-centered nonprofit Rod’s House. Lund is running to bring nearly 20 years of experience as a small business owner to focus on the city’s finances, bring in more small businesses, and improve council communication.

    Hallock is the most progressive choice for Yakima City Council District 5.

    Elizabeth Hallock

    Small business owner and attorney Liz Hallock is running for Yakima City Council District 5. Hallock is prioritizing improving government transparency and trust with low-income residents, as well as economic development, and public safety.

  • Moderate Holly Cousens is running for re-election to the Yakima City Council in District 7. In addition to serving on the City Council, Cousens teaches business technology at Yakima Valley College and works at Entrust Community Services. Cousens is running for another term in order to put more money into the city's reserve account and improve public safety and infrastructure. 

    Cousens is running against Sarah Towell and Tracey Bautista. Towell is a former veterinary assistant who is enthusiastic about the humane treatment of animals and wants to bring additional opportunities to the low-income and struggling communities of Yakima. Bautista is an independent foreign currency trader running to promote open government, improve quality of life, and attract businesses to Yakima. If elected, Bautista's priorities would be gang prevention efforts and teaching financial literacy to communities of color.

    Holly Cousens is the best choice for Yakima City Council in District 7.

    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Holly Cousens

    Moderate Holly Cousens is running for re-election to the Yakima City Council in District 7. In addition to serving on the City Council, Cousens teaches business technology at Yakima Valley College and works at Entrust Community Services.

    Moderate Holly Cousens is running for re-election to the Yakima City Council in District 7. In addition to serving on the City Council, Cousens teaches business technology at Yakima Valley College and works at Entrust Community Services. Cousens is running for another term in order to put more money into the city's reserve account and improve public safety and infrastructure. 

    Cousens is running against Sarah Towell and Tracey Bautista. Towell is a former veterinary assistant who is enthusiastic about the humane treatment of animals and wants to bring additional opportunities to the low-income and struggling communities of Yakima. Bautista is an independent foreign currency trader running to promote open government, improve quality of life, and attract businesses to Yakima. If elected, Bautista's priorities would be gang prevention efforts and teaching financial literacy to communities of color.

    Holly Cousens is the best choice for Yakima City Council in District 7.

    Holly Cousens

    Moderate Holly Cousens is running for re-election to the Yakima City Council in District 7. In addition to serving on the City Council, Cousens teaches business technology at Yakima Valley College and works at Entrust Community Services.