Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund Endorsements

Navy veteran and current council chair Barry Buchanan has served one term on the Bellingham City Council and two on the Whatcom County Council. Buchanan has been a solid vote on the county council, especially through the difficulties of last year. He is the chair of the Whatcom County Incarceration Reduction and Prevention Taskforce and is seeking to provide alternatives to booking people for low-level crimes through the LEAD program, which was established in 2019.

Buchanan supports both the Whatcom Crisis Stabilization Center and East Whatcom Regional Resource Center, which serve those experiencing mental health crises and hunger. He has also worked in previous terms in office to ban fracking and protect the environment. In this race, Buchanan is prioritizing public safety by investing in community alternatives to policing and by reducing the number of people who end up in the criminal justice system when having mental health crises. His platform is very progressive.

Kamal Bhachu works as a senior maintenance engineer at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center and as a firearms instructor. His platform states that he would address affordable housing and living wage jobs, but doesn't offer enough policy details to evaluate and his campaign has been spotlighted by a conservative publication. His solution for addressing mental health and addiction in regards to people experiencing homelessness is to bring back programs like D.A.R.E. in schools, which doesn't go nearly far enough to help those suffering now, and doesn't address those who are unsheltered for non-addiction reasons.

Buchanan is the best choice for Whatcom County Council, At-Large Position A.

Sarah Perry is a small business owner, nonprofit fundraiser, and Democratic activist who is challenging incumbent Kathy Lambert for King County Council in District 3. Perry has years of experience building financial support for nonprofits and universities in the Puget Sound area.

Perry is running on a platform of supporting small businesses, protecting farmlands and the environment, and improving transportation. In particular, she wants to provide more support for the 40% of the district in unincorporated King County that can't rely on city leadership for investments and infrastructure. In our interview with Perry, she presented a detailed overview of her campaign as a strong advocate for growth management. She wants to promote urban forests, preserve the district's natural areas, usher in alternative energy sources, and improve wastewater and storm runoff in open spaces. Perry also wants to see an equity lens brought to COVID recovery, ensuring that new modes of transit are brought to the district, supporting behavioral health, and assisting those struggling with affordable housing.

While the King County Council is officially non-partisan, Perry's opponent, longtime Republican Kathy Lambert, has lost touch with this diverse and rapidly changing district. Lambert has voted against transit access for years, including voting to end Seattle's downtown free-ride zone. She also voted against making the county sheriff an appointed position, which was proposed to give the council and county executive more oversight in the wake of protests against police brutality. Lambert was the only "no" vote on the 2019 bill to use state money to fund early learning, post-secondary education, and in-home care providers.

Lambert received broad criticism in early October for a mail piece from her campaign that singled out the only Black member of the King County Council with fear-mongering and divisive language. All six Democrats on the council, as well as King County Executive Dow Constantine, denounced the attack and said it has no place in our public discourse. 

We need to elect leaders who will bring people together to create meaningful change, not tear each other down and divide us with hateful rhetoric. Perry's extensive civic engagement and track record of collaboration has earned her overwhelming support from community leaders and progressive organizations. Vote for Perry for new progressive leadership on the King County Council from District 3.

Kim-Khanh Van is a current Renton City Council member who is running for King County Council in District 9 to bring her experience and dedication to the county. After her family escaped Vietnam as refugees and settled in King County, she went on to earn her doctorate and become an attorney. Van credits the community for her successes and wants to provide families and residents with healthy, livable communities that include child care access and infrastructure maintenance. Outside of her work on the city council, Van serves in a multitude of organizations, including as a PTA president, a volunteer attorney with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and the co-founder of AAPI Against Hate.

Van has demonstrated that she is willing to take tough public votes on behalf of the most vulnerable in the community. She was one of only two members of the Renton City Council who voted to maintain the Red Lion Hotel as a source of housing for residents experiencing homelessness. In our interview, we were impressed with her in-depth knowledge about the issue and her desire to lead as a consensus and coalition builder at the county level. She wants to do more to educate voters on the economic and social benefits of providing supportive, stable housing early, rather than jailing people experiencing homelessness.

Van has done much advocacy work for marginalized communities. She understands the struggles that the Black, Latino, and Asian-Pacific Islander communities have faced historically and in the present, and vows to continue to stand with residents to make the county a place of opportunity for all.

Her opponent is Republican incumbent Reagan Dunn, who has served on the council since he was appointed and later elected to the position in 2005. Before that, he worked as a federal prosecutor appointed by President George W. Bush and was the national coordinator of a Department of Justice program that increases policing in neighborhoods. Dunn challenged Bob Ferguson in the 2012 race for attorney general and lost.

On the council, Dunn has been a consistent voice opposing the progressive reforms proposed by the rest of the council. In March, Dunn was the lone vote against giving grocery store workers $4 per hour hazard pay for their service on the front lines of the pandemic. In addition, Dunn was a vocal opponent of streamlining homelessness services between Seattle and King County. Instead, he proposed spending $1 million of taxpayer money on bus tickets to send people experiencing homelessness to other states, another shortsighted proposal that failed to address the root causes of the issue. In this campaign, he has emphasized his prosecutorial background and longstanding support of law enforcement without talking about how to increase accountability for law enforcement.

Van's strong experience and progressive values make her the best choice for King County Council in District 9.

Jared Mead is running to retain his seat on the Snohomish County Council in District 4. He previously served in the state Legislature and was appointed to the council in 2020 after Terry Ryan resigned, winning his election in 2020 for the final year of the term. Last year, Mead chaired the Regional Law & Justice and Human Services committee on the council.

Mead is a strong progressive who has worked to prohibit discrimination, fight the climate crisis, and secure an energy-independent state for future generations. His campaign priorities include reducing traffic and pollution through transit-oriented development and protecting the county's urban growth areas. In this race, he is supported by many local progressive leaders and our partner organizations.

Mead faces a challenge from Republican Brenda Carrington. She has a business background in construction and landscaping and lost to Mead in last year's election. Carrington opposes new funding for essential services and disagrees with efforts to redirect some funding to community safety and prevention.

Mead is the clear choice for Snohomish County Council in District 4.

Brandy Donaghy is a community organizer and Navy veteran who is challenging incumbent Councilmember Sam Low for Snohomish County Council in District 5. Donaghy serves on the board of directors for the Communities of Color Coalition and regularly volunteers to provide emergency services and disaster relief to the Snohomish community.

Donaghy has spent her professional life advocating for a high quality of life for all Snohomish residents. She is a strong progressive whose campaign priorities include COVID-19 recovery that incorporates community support, housing security, justice reform, and maintaining green space. She is endorsed by many of our partner organizations and a number of progressive elected leaders in this race.

Low is an outspoken Republican on the council who voted in June against $4 per hour hazard pay for grocery store workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Earlier this spring, he badgered and voted against the appointment of a young woman of color to the Regional Law and Justice Council because he disagreed with some of her social media posts.

Donaghy would bring a much-needed progressive perspective to the council and is the obvious choice for Snohomish County Council in District 5.

Kaylee Galloway is running for Whatcom County Council to bring affordability and environmental considerations to the forefront. She is a member of the Whatcom County Climate Impact Advisory Committee. She has worked as a legislative assistant in the state House of Representatives, and as a staff assistant and community liaison in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

If elected, Galloway will push forward on the county's critical affordable housing needs and focus on restoring water quality for both salmon populations and Whatcom communities, which includes supporting the reduction of pollution runoff. She wants to address sustainability in infrastructure, transit, and other public needs through the lens of climate justice, which to her means considering the needs of communities of color and those with lower incomes who are disproportionately impacted by pollution and health disparities.

Kaylee is a good choice if you're looking for someone who will prioritize affordable housing and environmental conservation.

Incumbent Todd Donovan is running for re-election to Whatcom County Council in District 2. Donovan is a professor of state and local government at Western Washington University. He first joined the county council in 2016 and currently chairs the Natural Resources Committee. Additionally, Donovan has served on the Columbia Neighborhood Association board, the Whatcom County Citizens Election Advisory Commission, and as both a member and board chair of the local Washington Conservation Voters chapter.

During his time on the council, Donovan’s top priorities have been protecting Lake Whatcom’s ecosystem and budgeting responsibly so that Whatcom can provide human services. If re-elected, he wants to address the housing crisis that hurts the Whatcom community and economy, combat climate change, reduce incarceration rates while investing in diversion and alternatives, and protect clean water coming from Lake Whatcom and other natural waterways.

Donovan is facing a challenge from Kelley O’Connor, a former first responder and a current health care management student. O’Connor advocates for affordable housing and mental health resources but has not released a detailed campaign to accomplish these goals.

Todd Donovan is the best choice to represent District 2 on the Whatcom County Council because of his progressive track record and strong support from our progressive partners.

Rebecca Lewis has worked as an educator in the Sedro-Woolley district for over 20 years and is the president of the Sedro-Woolley Education Association (SWEA) union.

Lewis' campaign priorities include supporting living wage jobs, updating public utilities, and protecting the environment. As a labor leader, she wants to expand community work agreements, apprenticeships, and prevailing wages. She also wants the county to invest in rural infrastructure with reliable broadband and cell service. Additionally, Lewis states that further development on lakes should be ceased as a way to protect the watershed for 100,000 people in the county.

Her opponent, incumbent Tyler Byrd, is a board member of the Whatcom Business Alliance. Byrd is a conservative candidate prioritizing the needs of businesses above the local community. He was one of two council members to vote against the 0.1% sales tax to help fund affordable housing. On the environment, he voted against the moratorium on Cherry Point shipping unrefined fossil fuels, despite concerns about the cultural significance for the Lummi Nation and environmental threats. Finally, he voted against a $4 million coronavirus relief package last April.

Lewis is the clear choice for Whatcom County Council in District 3 to bring progressive, community-minded leadership to the county.

Amanda Hubik is running for Position 4 on the Anacortes City Council. She currently works as a legislative assistant to Democratic state Representative Alex Ramel and was recently appointed a commissioner of the Anacortes Housing Authority. Previously, she was the director of marketing and promotions for the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce.

Hubik is running on a progressive platform focused on building affordable, workforce housing, establishing environmental protections, and supporting small businesses, especially through COVID recovery. She wants to bring Anacortes residents together to make community-minded policies and shape council decisions. In this race, Hubik has earned the endorsement of the local Democrats as well as many progressive elected officials.

Her opponent is Jeff Graf, a Navy veteran who now works for a local aerospace manufacturing company. He has served on the Planning Commission since being appointed in 2017. Graf’s platform includes cutting government services apart from policing, prioritizing business interests, and increasing funding for police.

Amanda Hubik is the most progressive choice in this race and deserves your vote for Anacortes City Council, Position 4.

Han Tran is running for Position 1 on the Bothell City Council. Tran works in tech product development and has a background in community advocacy. Currently, she works as a co-chair on Bothell’s Anti-Racist Communities team and is a parent member of the Northshore School District's Ethnic Studies pilot program. As a Harvard Business School graduate and a Vietnamese American from an immigrant family, Tran wants to bring her unique perspective to create community-driven solutions that make Bothell a more equitable place.

Tran believes housing and food are human rights and would work on policies to address housing and food insecurity in Bothell. She wants to expand the RADAR program, a de-escalation initiative with Bothell police that seeks to avoid the use of force when responding to people with behavioral health issues or developmental disabilities. She would also look into investing in other community-based public safety initiatives. Tran is committed to supporting Bothell’s small business community and wants to provide grants and career pathways for business owners who are people of color, women, veterans, and LGBTQ+.

Tran is challenging incumbent council member and current deputy mayor Jeanne Zornes, a moderate Republican who has been in office since 2017. Zornes is also a substitute teacher for Northshore public schools and a freelance photographer. She is campaigning to build up Bothell's business sector and increase law enforcement funding rather than invest in community alternatives. Despite claiming to run a completely nonpartisan race, Zornes has endorsed other conservatives this year.

Tran will bring strong, progressive leadership to the council. She deserves your vote for Bothell City Council, Position 1.

Planning commissioner Jenne Alderks is running for Bothell City Council, Position 3. Alderks is a small business owner offering birth and postpartum doula services, and she recently earned a public policy and administration certification from Harvard Kennedy School. She is also a parent to three children on the autism spectrum whom she homeschools.

Alderks is running on a detailed platform that includes generating equitable small business growth, investing in affordable housing to lessen the growing wealth gap in Bothell, and building an environmentally sustainable future for the area through the COVID recovery. As a co-chair with Anti-Racist Communities: Bothell, Alderks has already begun advancing equity in her community. If elected, she wants to expand the RADAR (Response Awareness, De-escalation, and Referral) program, which helps Bothell police respond to health emergencies without the use of force.

Also in this race is incumbent Rosemary McAuliffe, a longtime Democratic elected official who was elected to the city council in 2017 after serving as a state senator for over a decade. Before that, she spent 14 years on the Northshore School Board. As of mid-October, McAuliffe has not yet shared a detailed platform in this race but mentioned that she wants to support small businesses through recovery from the pandemic.

With strong progressive values and partner support, Alderks is the best choice in this race for Position 3 on Bothell’s city council.

Community organizer Rami Al-Kabra is running for Bothell City Council, Position 7. Al-Kabra serves as a member of the Bothell Landmark Preservation Board and a co-chair with Anti-Racist Communities: Bothell. As a Palestinian Muslim, he has been a strong community advocate and has founded both the Washington chapter of the largest Islamic civil rights organization in the nation (CAIR) and the Islamic Center of Bothell. In 2020, he helped to organize the March for Black Lives in Bothell when 200 residents showed up to call for systemic change.

In this race, Al-Kabra is running to bring sustainable and equitable progress to Bothell. His platform includes green city planning, budget reform, amplifying human services, and small business support. Specifically, he wants to advance housing affordability projects with eco-friendly building practices in order to make Bothell more sustainable and more affordable at the same time. He also wants to bring more constituent voices into discussions about the budget to ensure that the funds are being used in the best interest of the community.

Al-Kabra is running against Beca Nistrian, who owns a Bothell coffee shop and writes children’s books. Her social media presence leans more conservative and she is supporting other conservative candidates this year. 

Rami Al-Kabra deserves your vote for Bothell City Council, Position 7 to make Bothell a place where all residents can thrive.

Hugo Garcia is running for Burien City Council, Position 1. Garcia, whose family immigrated from Mexico more than 30 years ago, states that he learned the values of resilience and tenacity at an early age by watching his father wait tables to support their family of five. If elected, he intends to bring the experience of working families to the forefront.

Garcia is a member of the Burien Planning Commission and chair of the Burien Economic Development Partnership (BEDP). His platform includes housing for all and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that will equitably and sustainably lift up all Burien residents and help local businesses come back stronger. In addition, Garcia is committed to keeping Burien affordable so that working families can continue to live in the community and thrive.

Garcia is facing Martin Barrett, who owns a corporate gift supplier. Barrett is vilifying community members who want to discuss community-based alternatives to public safety. He states that he wants Burien to be a “wealth generator" without providing details. While Barrett's platform does address the need for more affordable housing, he wants to rely on developers to solve the problem rather than making changes to zoning laws and seeking other innovative solutions.

Garcia is the clear choice for Burien City Council, Position 1.

Sarah Moore is running for Burien City Council, Position 5. Moore serves as vice-chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and co-founded ACLU Burien People Power. Her work experience includes more than 20 years at the Pacific Science Center and managing a quarantine site with King County during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moore's platform includes ensuring affordable housing for everyone through partnerships with other cities, state and county agencies, and nonprofit organizations and addressing causes of crime through distributing much-needed resources to Burien's communities. She also wants to prioritize environmental issues, including reducing polluted stormwater that runs into Puget Sound and providing lots of outdoor, walkable spaces.

Moore is facing small business owner Alex Simkus. He's running for city council to ensure entities like the Port of Seattle, the Department of Transportation, and King County Metro are held accountable for what he perceives as poor taxing and spending decisions. While his platform mentions increasing access to affordable housing and making utilities more affordable, Simkus does not bring the same level of detail to the campaign as Moore.

Moore is the best choice for Burien City Council, Position 5.

Deputy Mayor Krystal Marx is running for re-election to Burien City Council, Position 7. She is currently the executive director of Seattle Pride and previously worked for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Washington.

First elected in 2017, Marx has been a consistent progressive voice on the council. She takes a housing-first approach to homelessness, which prioritizes getting people in crisis into stable housing, and has worked to pass a range of tenant protections to keep people in their homes. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marx voted in favor of $5 per hour hazard pay for front-line workers like grocery store employees. Recently, she joined her colleagues supporting an expansion of affordable housing in downtown Burien that includes units designated for Burien residents and veterans.

Marx faces sales associate Stephanie Mora. Her platform is conservative and she blames outsiders and nearby cities for local problems rather than offering solutions for Burien. Mora is also running to repeal the local ordinance allowing critical social services to be built in the city, leaving residents in need to fend for themselves.

Marx is the best choice in the race for Burien City Council, Position 7.

Demi Chatters is an education advocate who has spent over a decade working to bring inclusive and quality education to public school students. She is deeply embedded in the community as a member of the Snohomish Human Rights Commission and Evergreen Middle School Equity Team. She also serves on the board for Seattle Suns, a youth sports organization that focuses on youth experiencing poverty, and is a committee member for LGBTQ organization NOLOSE.

If elected, Chatters wants to advocate for an equitable and sustainable recovery from COVID that benefits everyone in the city. To that end, she will prioritize infrastructure investments, work on sustainable business development, and champion workers' rights through fair collective bargaining. She notes that the increasing struggle of residents to secure housing should be met with additional services in the form of mental health care, encouraging more housing options, and moving the unsheltered towards more housing options. Specifically for District 5, Chatters wants to see the completion of the Silver Lake trail, reinforced road stability, and opportunities for parks within neighborhoods.

Chatters is running against Ben Zarlingo, a communications technology consultant and a leadership member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Association. He intends to address the city's enormous $16.5 million deficit with a somewhat inconsistent strategy of avoiding cuts to services and revenue increases through taxes while leaning more on welcoming new businesses. Zarlingo's other priorities include pairing housing and mental health treatment for people experiencing homelessness and supporting family services like the Baker Heights project.

Demi Chatters has the support of several local progressive officials and is committed to building an Everett that supports working families. She is by far the best choice in this race.

A note for Everett voters: this is the first election using the new redistricted map adopted last year. District 5 includes parts of the neighborhoods of Twin Creeks, Westmont, Cascade View, and Pinehurst Beverly Park, as well as all of Silver Creek.

Leandra Craft is running to retain her seat on Federal Way City Council in Position 5. She was appointed to the council in October 2020 and is a King County deputy prosecuting attorney. Craft focuses her work as an attorney on alternatives to incarceration and prosecuting hate crimes. In her time on the council, she has been a voice for all members of the community and worked to prioritize housing affordability as well as economic development and recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also in this race is Jack Walsh, a former newspaper reporter who currently owns a local ice cream business. Walsh led advisory vote campaigns to keep marijuana businesses out of Federal Way. His campaign platform includes a refusal to consider investing in community safety alternatives as well as damaging misinformation about people experiencing homelessness.

Craft is the obvious choice in the race for Federal Way City Council, Position 5.

Renae Seam is running for Federal Way City Council, Position 6. She works for Boeing Employees Credit Union utilizing her master's degree in business and data analytics. Seam wants to use her experience in risk management and analytics to ensure community members can remain financially stable or regain financial stability, disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, create a climate action plan to increase sustainability and minimize Federal Way's carbon footprint, and be a voice for the marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

Seam is facing Jack Dovey. Dovey is a former mayor and council member in Federal Way. He is currently a marketing manager for GPSLockbox whose campaign website is not functional as of mid-October. Dovey's campaign platform is thin and does not prioritize issues the community has been calling for, including reforms to the local approach to public safety.

Seam is the best choice in the race for Federal Way City Council, Position 6.

Robin Vazquez is a Lacey Planning Commissioner running for Lacey City Council, Position 4. Her priorities include increasing access to affordable housing and providing more public transit and transportation choices. As a member of the commission, Vazquez has supported increasing the housing supply in Lacey to match the need for more affordable options. She mentions that as a certified instructor for teaching English as a second language and as a Community Emergency Response Team member, she wants to develop a city language access plan and multilingual disaster preparation.

Vazquez is running against Emma McSharry, who said her frustrations with the state's COVID regulations and homelessness spurred her to run for office. Her Facebook states that her three priorities include fiscal responsibility, supporting businesses, and cleanliness, though more detailed policies are not available on her website. This snapshot of her potential agenda, along with endorsements by the police officer's guild and Republican elected officials, indicate she would likely pursue a moderate to conservative agenda if elected.

Vazquez has earned the support of several members of the current city council, as well as a large number of city councilmembers from neighboring cities and progressive members of the state legislature. Vazquez is by far the best choice in this race.

Carolyn Cox was elected in 2018 and is serving her first term as a councilmember for Position 7. She represents the city in several organizations, including as chair of the Intercity Transit Authority, on the Thurston County Regional Housing Council, and on the Thurston Climate Mitigation Steering Committee. Cox is now running for mayor to bring these issues to the forefront in a combined local and regional approach to continue to improve the lives of residents.

Cox notes that there is not enough housing to meet the needs of residents, especially the unsheltered. She wants to continue working with the housing council to build more lower-cost housing. The council also just unanimously approved the creation of mobile outreach teams, who will work with police to contact and help those who are homeless or in crisis. She supports the creation and expansion of bike lanes, safe pedestrian walkways, and public transit. As the city begins to recover from the pandemic, Cox states that the $1 million grant fund to small businesses is just the first step in making sure that residents and establishments get back on their feet.

Cox faces a challenge from Felix Peguero-Reyes, a U.S. Army veteran who now works as a financial advisor. He has not released a detailed platform but states he wants to focus on economic development and safety. He has been endorsed by some conservative business groups and Republican elected officials.

Cox has earned an impressive set of progressive endorsements because of her track record on the council and detailed platform. Cox is the clear choice for Lacey City Council, Position 7.

Incumbent Yến Huỳnh was appointed to the Position 2 seat in January 2021 after Jessica Bateman left the council to join the state Legislature. She is a former equity and social justice coordinator at the Washington State Department of Corrections, where she aimed to reduce recidivism and is a former Olympia planning commissioner. She is the only person of color currently serving on the council as well as the youngest member of the council.

Huỳnh's priorities include helping small businesses recover from the pandemic, working with local arts organizations, expanding affordable housing, and improving transportation for all. The council member wants to see public safety reimagined through the input of the community, and wants to see first responders and diverse community members included as part of the city's public safety decision-making process. She is endorsed by a wide slate of state senators, elected officials, city council members, unions, and other progressive organizations.

She is running against Robbi Kesler, the former general counsel for the Confederated Tribes of Chehalis, and a member of the Skokomish Tribe in Mason County. In the primary, Kesler's initial answers on homelessness in local interviews did not point to an effective strategy, with an overemphasis on private property. Kesler has since significantly expanded her platform, providing more details on her plans to address homelessness, handle waterfront development, and support collective bargaining. However, Huynh's solid track record on the council and support from the progressive community still makes her the best choice in this race.

Elected in 2017, incumbent and veterinary oncologist Lisa Parshley is running for re-election to Olympia City Council, Position 2.

Parshley is seeking a second term on the council to continue her work on climate, economic recovery, and more. During her time on the council, Parshley has supported the council's vote for grocery stores with more than 250 employees to provide hazard pay to workers during the pandemic. Parshley sponsored an ordinance banning the retail sale of dogs and cats in the city limits. She also joined the unanimous vote of her colleagues on the council banning the use of chemical weapons on demonstrators last summer.

The two candidates in this race represent a philosophical divide in local and national politics on the left. Parshley has led a steady response to community demands that some activists have decried as incrementalism. On the other side, Reed feels a serious urgency to shake up the council and address issues like police violence immediately that some leaders have called unrealistic.

Parshley has won endorsements from current members of the city council and other elected officials, as well as several Democratic groups and unions.

Incumbent Jim Cooper is a veteran and the CEO of United Ways of the Pacific Northwest. He is also deeply involved in the community as president of the Olympia Metropolitan Parks District, chair of the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency Board, and chair of the Regional Housing Council.

Cooper and the city council have passed several significant pieces of legislation that benefit the community. Notably, he supported the Olympia Home Fund to build new supportive permanent housing, provided funding for struggling businesses and families during the pandemic, and created a regional climate plan with neighboring cities. If re-elected, Cooper states that he will focus on housing and economic recovery, twin crises that affect everyone in the community, as well as continuing conversations on criminal justice reform.

Cooper faces a challenge from conservative Spence Weigand, an Olympia-based realtor. His three listed campaign priorities include addressing homelessness, housing, and improving the business climate. While his site doesn't go into specifics on these as of mid-October, he repeats false and misleading claims about people experiencing homelessness in Thurston County. He also criticizes efforts to clean up and supply sanitation at encampments and wants to see increased law enforcement presence and new mental health facilities. On the matter of affordable housing, he is a supporter of zoning reform on single-family zoning, as well as projects like the 478-unit West Bay Yards project, while disclosing that his real estate firm is involved in the Hardel property.

Cooper is backed by a significant number of unions, including the Lacey and Olympia firefighters' unions and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367, as well as by Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and a large number of county and city elected officials. His track record on the council and strong support from our partners and local leaders make him the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin is running to retain his spot serving Port Angeles in Position 3 on the city council. Schromen-Wawrin was first elected to the council in 2017. Previously, he worked as a science teacher before getting a law degree and practicing constitutional law. Now, in addition to council work, Schromen-Wawrin chairs the Clallam Transit board and serves on the policy committees for the Association of Washington Cities and the Washington Low-Income Housing Alliance.

During his time on the council, Schromen-Wawrin has worked to increase affordable housing, develop childcare programs, maintain stable utility rates, and support small businesses (especially through the pandemic). Now, he is running to build a local economy that works for everyone, continue to expand affordable housing, and strengthen the council’s communication and transparency. In this race, he earned endorsements from the local Democrats and other progressive organizations.

His opponent Jena Stamper is running with Clallam County's Independent Advisory Association, a far-right group led by a conspiracy theorist, in order to challenge Schromen-Wawrin’s seat and bring conservative values to the council. The Associated Press covered both Stamper's false claims and the lies pushed by the group, noting that their theories on homelessness are unsubstantiated. She is a chiropractor and business owner. If elected, Stamper wants to prioritize business interests at the cost of community-strengthening social services and making Port Angeles an inclusive place for all to thrive.

Schromen-Wawrin is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for Port Angeles City Council, Position 3.

Incumbent Dr. Jeralee Anderson was first elected to the Redmond City Council in 2017. She is the president and co-founder of Greenroads International, which rates and advocates for sustainable transportation infrastructure. She has also been recognized for her achievements at the state and national level, working on the Gov. Inslee-appointed Washington State Public Works Board, as an alternate on the King County Regional Transit Committee, and on the Cascade Water Alliance board of directors.

Anderson's re-election campaign is focused on climate action, improving infrastructure, and economic justice. She is committed to implementing the city's climate goals by 2030 and wants to expand the tree canopy. Anderson will prioritize reduce housing costs and rents so that seniors aren't displaced and first responders can live in the community they serve. In addition, she supports expanding mental health response services and focusing development around transit hubs.

Anderson faces a challenge from AT&T program manager Tara Van Niman. Her platform emphasizes the need to take local action on climate change, improve community engagement, and promote smart growth that accommodates the influx of people moving to Redmond. Van Niman has earned the endorsement of some local leaders like Sen. Manka Dhingra and Reps. Roger Goodman and Larry Springer.

Anderson's thoughtful platform and strong support from our Progressive Voters Guide partner organizations make her the best choice in this race.

Carmen Rivera is running for Renton City Council, Position 2 to leverage her professional background in social services for the people of Renton. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at Seattle University's Criminal Justice Department, where her coursework incorporates a racial equity lens. Previously, she worked at the state's Department of Children, Youth, and Families at Echo Glen's Children's Center, counseling and providing treatment plans for struggling youth. She has also worked at Youthsource, where she engaged young people who had dropped out of school.

As a social services advocate, Rivera wants to prioritize updating Renton's Community Needs Assessment for Human Services, which would help provide the community access to food, shelter, and living wage jobs. She also wants to update Renton's 2011 Clean Economy Strategy, bringing it in line with today's standards on clean water, air, and reduced pollution. Additionally, Rivera will work hard to provide low-cost job training and emphasize the need for affordable and mixed-income housing.

Her opponent, Ben Johnson, runs a small IT business and has worked with the North Renton streets project, as well as serving on the City of Renton Airport Committee. His priorities include funding the police and fire departments, making neighborhoods attractive, and ensuring that Renton expands its transportation options through Sound Transit and the state department of transportation.

Rivera has overwhelming support from progressive organizations across the spectrum, from unions to housing advocates to educators. Her dedication to the community and progressive and bold vision for the city earns her our recommendation for Renton City Council, Position 2.

Jake Simpson is an organizer and cook who is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 2. He is running to make SeaTac a city that welcomes everyone and serves all people equally. Simpson is dedicated to working with employers to find outcomes that benefit both workers and businesses.

Simpson is running against incumbent Stan Tombs. Tombs is conservative and re-joined the council in June 2020 after Councilmember Amina Ahmed passed away. He previously served as vice-chair of the SeaTac Planning Commission. Tombs said upon rejoining that he would be a placeholder until the next election but is now running for re-election.

Tombs claims he has a commitment to affordable housing and robust community services, but his actions are divisive and he votes with the more conservative bloc of the council against funding these services. He voted in December 2020 to eliminate funding from immigrant and refugee services. He also voted to not fund children and family services, medical equipment and guardianship for adults with developmental disabilities, or YMCA programming, all while boasting of doubling the number of police. None of these actions speak to the compassionate service for all that Tombs advertises. 

Simpson will bring needed progressive change to the SeaTac City Council. We recommend Simpson for SeaTac for City Council, Position 2.

Mohamed Egal is a job developer with the state's Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) who is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 4. Egal immigrated to the United States decades ago and has lived in SeaTac for more than 10 years. He served as a job developer at Hopelink before transitioning into similar work with the Somali community at Career Path Services (which operates within the DSHS). Egal's campaign is focused on helping his community overcome the many challenges exposed by COVID-19. He wants to expand affordable, multi-family housing, bring in more jobs that pay strong wages, and improve human services.

Egal is running against incumbent Councilmember Clyde "Fuzz" Hill, who works as a manager at T-Mobile. Hill is not progressive and has not released a detailed campaign platform. His statement in the King County Voters Guide does not reflect the need for reforms in public safety that the community is asking for.

Egal is the best choice for SeaTac City Council, Position 4.

Iris Guzmán is a social worker with Highline Public Schools who is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 6. She has lived in SeaTac for nearly 15 years and has a master's in social work. Guzmán wants to bridge the gaps between housing, food, and other basic needs for communities in SeaTac, and she understands the experience of working families firsthand.

Guzmán is challenging incumbent Councilmember Pam Fernald. Fernald is a block watch captain who participated in the CItizen's Police Academy. She is conservative and, as of mid-October, her campaign website has not been updated since 2013.

Guzmán is the clear choice for SeaTac City Council, Position 6.

Teresa Mosqueda is running for re-election to Seattle City Council, Position 8. Previously, Mosqueda worked at the Washington State Labor Council as a political campaigns director and served on the board of Fuse Washington.

Mosqueda was first elected in 2017 and has distinguished herself as a progressive leader on the Seattle City Council. She sponsored the Jumpstart Seattle legislation that will fund affordable housing through a tax on high earners at large corporations. In addition, Mosqueda supported efforts to expand paid sick leave and establish minimum wages for gig and other workers who have often been left behind in our economy. Her campaign priorities include addressing our housing crisis with greater urgency, including re-zoning housing across Seattle, as well as providing assistance to renters and investing in health citywide.

Mosqueda is running against Kenneth Wilson, the manager of an engineering company. Wilson's platform is not progressive and does not reflect the community's priorities. His voter's guide statement includes comments about public safety and policing that indicate he would not support reinvestment in community safety alternatives. He is also dismissive of evidence-based solutions for our affordable housing crisis.

Mosqueda is a strong progressive and the clear choice for Seattle City Council, Position 8.

Lawyer and community activist Nikkita Oliver is running for Seattle City Council, Position 9. Oliver, who uses they/them pronouns, works with numerous local groups including Urban Impact, the Urban Youth Leadership Academy, and the Union Gospel Mission’s Youth Reach Out Center. Oliver is an exceptionally progressive advocate who is incredibly dedicated to creating systemic change focused on the needs of communities of color and low-income Seattleites. They also serve as executive director of Creative Justice and is a member of coalitions like Decriminalize Seattle, Free Them All WA, and No New Youth Jail.

Their forward-looking platform is centered around economic, social, racial, and environmental justice. Oliver's top priorities include expanding affordable housing, redirecting some police funding to make investments in communities, and bringing a Green New Deal to Seattle. If elected, Oliver would pursue policies to give everyone the opportunity to thrive, including preparing for extreme weather driven by climate change season that disproportionately impacts Black, brown, and Indigenous communities, and providing municipal broadband for all.

Oliver is running against Sara Nelson, who co-founded and owns Fremont Brewing. She wants to bring her experience as a small business owner to the council and refocus the city on delivering basic services. Nelson does not support increasing investments in homelessness services and affordable housing, despite clear evidence from outside studies that the city's funding has been inadequate. She also opposes redirecting funds from the police department into community-based alternatives for public safety.

The Seattle City Council has a track record of crafting innovative solutions to some of the most important issues facing our community. From groundbreaking minimum wage and sick leave requirements to empowering workers with predictable schedules and hazard pay to pushing for bold action on climate and making the wealthy pay their share, the city council has worked to build a stronger and more inclusive city.

As we tackle big challenges with homelessness, police violence, climate change, and pandemic recovery, it's not the time to elect a cautious, business-oriented candidate who doesn't appear to be a catalyst for progressive change. Oliver is the clear choice in this race for Seattle City Council, Position 9.

Naghmana Sherazi is running for Spokane City Council, District 1, Position 2. Since immigrating from Pakistan, Sherazi has become very active in the local community. She is a member of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, Refugee Connections of Spokane, and Greater Spokane Progress.

Sherazi is running to increase representation and investment in Northeast Spokane and to push for stronger police reform. She wants to empower the city's Ombudsman's Office to hold police officers accountable and improve safety for all residents. In addition, she would like to shift some 911 responses to mental health crisis responders instead of armed police officers. Sherazi supports extending the eviction moratorium and increasing affordable housing options in Spokane. 

Sherazi is facing Jonathan Bingle, a small business owner running on a conservative platform. Conservative developers and realtors are spending record amounts to elect him and he is endorsed by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and other local Republicans. His campaign priorities are focused on helping businesses and supporting the police, instead of looking at investing in community services that would be more effective and keep our community safer.

Sherazi would be a strong addition to the city council and is the best choice for Spokane City Council, District 1, Position 2.

Betsy Wilkerson is running unopposed for re-election to Spokane City Council, District 2, Position 2. She was appointed to the city council in 2019 and has been a champion for progressive causes from the Spokane housing levy to police reform. Wilkerson brings to the council more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles at nonprofits and as a business owner. She is also the only Black woman serving on the council and is the first to do so in almost 20 years. Wilkerson's platform emphasizes making Spokane a place where everyone gets the tools and opportunities they need to thrive.

Wilkerson is the best choice for Spokane City Council, District 2, Position 2, and deserves your vote.

Zack Zappone is running for Spokane City Council, District 3, Position 2. Zappone is a local high school English teacher. He previously challenged Republican Rep. Mike Volz in the 6th Legislative District and narrowly lost.

Zappone's campaign priorities include ensuring everyone has the training they need to enter the workforce, a housing-first approach to homelessness, worker protections, and creating a more equitable tax system for lower-income residents. He highlights his experience in logistics through his volunteer work with the Spokane Food Fighters, who are delivering meals during the coronavirus crisis. He supports expanded protections for renters, incentivizing more housing density, and demilitarizing the police.

His opponent in this race is Mike Lish, a conservative fast food restaurant owner. Notably, conservative developers and realtors are pouring lots of money into this race to get Lish elected. Lish's campaign platform is not detailed but is focused on supporting funding for police officers instead of looking at investing in effective community services that make our community safer for everyone. While he claims he wants to address the affordable housing crisis, Lish does not have a detailed strategy to bring more housing to Spokane.

Zappone is the best choice for Spokane City Council, District 3, Position 2.

Tumwater City Council member Debbie Sullivan is running for mayor. Sullivan first joined the council in 2013. Before that, she spent a decade on the city’s planning commission, where she was chair for seven years, and worked as a project manager in the private sector. Sullivan currently chairs the General Government Committee and the Tumwater LEOFF 1 Disability Board, and volunteers with Community Youth Services.

Since joining the council, Sullivan has been heavily focused on economic growth, including job growth programs and the redevelopment of the brewery property. If elected mayor, Sullivan's priorities will be climate action, equity and social justice work, local business support, and infrastructure and public transit improvements. Her candidacy has support from many progressive and Democratic elected leaders in the area.

Pamela J. Hanson was first motivated to run for office in 2019 when she launched a campaign for a Tumwater City Council seat to oppose government spending and services. Now, she is challenging Sullivan for mayor with a platform of descrambling a local cable channel and providing notifications for Tumwater city meetings.

While not a progressive, Debbie Sullivan is the best choice in this race to be Tumwater’s next mayor because of her Democratic support and her leadership experience.

Incumbent Angela Jefferson is running unopposed for Tumwater City Council, Position 2. Jefferson was appointed to the seat in March when Councilmember Tom Oliva vacated the spot. Outside of the council, Jefferson is a personal trainer, licensed massage therapist, and army veteran. She previously served on the Tumwater Planning Commission, the Tumwater Historical Preservation Commission, and the Lacey Parks and Recreation Commission.

Jefferson is running on a platform that focuses on climate action, reducing homelessness, expanding affordable housing, and supporting local businesses while strategically encouraging new business. If elected, she wants to enact policy to protect the local ecosystem, work with regional partners to create permanent, secure housing for those who need it, and to work directly with small business owners to strengthen the Tumwater business community. In this race, she earned the endorsement of the county Democrats as well as a number of local progressive elected leaders and organizations.

Jefferson would continue bringing community-focused leadership to the Tumwater City Council. She deserves your vote to retain Position 2 on the Tumwater City Council.

Peter Agabi is running for Position 6 on the Tumwater City Council. Agabi works in health enforcement management systems and consulted with the state Department of Health’s Certificate of Need program for 15 years.

If elected, Agabi will focus on creating more affordable housing options, preventing homelessness, mitigating climate change, and making Tumwater safer and more inclusive. He also wants to revitalize the historic district and invest in the small business community. Additionally, Agabi aims to build on the progress made by the Thurston Climate Action Team and the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan to build a sustainable future for Tumwater. To get this work done, Agabi wants to partner with local tribes and engage Tumwater residents to have their voices heard.

Agabi is running against Alex Rossiter, the manager of a mountainboarding shop. He was appointed to and now serves on the Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission as the vice chair. This is Rossiter’s first race and he is prioritizing building a skatepark, designating the entire brewery district as historic, exploring the benefits of regionalization, and supporting small businesses.

Peter Agabi is the best choice in this race because of his progressive values and his commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders. He deserves your vote for Tumwater City Council, Position 6.

Diana Perez is the founder of the local League of United Latin American Citizens. Perez has been highly active and awarded in the community for her civil rights and policy work. She was appointed by Gov. Inslee as a commissioner for Washington State Parks and Recreation and serves as a board member of the Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program, which provides law clinics for underserved communities.

Perez's campaign is focused on improving life for all residents of Vancouver. She wants to incentivize mixed-income communities that have access to public transportation, and create bold solutions for affordable housing that bring the unsheltered community, service providers, and developers to the table. She believes that investing in communities of color can strengthen the entire city, and she would focus on removing discriminatory language in housing deeds, center living wage jobs, and look to help small businesses recover post-pandemic.

She is running against David Gellatly. He is the former chair of the Clark County Republican Party and is now a member of the party's executive board. He states that his top priorities would be homelessness and supporting businesses in the city. Gellatly was cited last year as one of the organizers of pro-Trump rallies in Vancouver during protests and after the shooting of Kevin E. Peterson, Jr. As the head of a conservative activist group, Gellatly is likely to continue to push regressive policies on the council on social and racial justice, environmental reform, and more.

Perez has worked tirelessly both professionally and on a volunteer basis to bring community-oriented solutions to Vancouver. She deserves your vote for Vancouver City Council, Position 3.