City of Sequim

Kathy Downer, a retired nurse, is running for Sequim City Council, Position 2. Downer serves on the Sequim Planning Commission and was previously a city council member in an Ohio town of 14,000. Though not a progressive, she wants to restore community-minded decision making to the council and would bring important municipal leadership experience to Sequim’s city government.

Downer is concerned that Sequim’s city government has failed to represent the interests of residents recently with the slate of candidates being appointed into roles, rather than voted in. Her campaign priorities include encouraging light manufacturing businesses to come to Sequim, investing in the local economy, and building workforce housing. She has earned endorsements from local Democratic leadership and the state’s education union.

Republican incumbent Sarah Kincaid is running to retain the seat she was appointed to in 2020 when the right-wing mayor, William Armacost, appointed a slate of very conservative candidates. This June, she voted with other conservative members to end the Government Alliance on Race and Equity. Kincaid serves as president of the Republican Women of Clallam County, and she previously worked as an office manager and quality control supervisor. She is part of the Independent Advisory Association, a far-right group led by conspiracy theorists.

Kathy Downer is the clear choice in this race for Position 2 on the Sequim’s city council.

Vicki Lowe, the executive director of Washington’s American Indian Health Commission, is running for Sequim City Council, Position 3. Lowe is a descendant of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe and has been an active part of the tribal community both as a longtime member of the Jamestown Canoe Family and as the tribe’s 2012 Volunteer of the Year.

At the American Indian Health Commission, one of Lowe’s main roles has been implementing the Tribal Assister program for the Washington Health Benefits Exchange. She hopes to use her community-focused experience in administrative management to expand affordable housing, make health care more accessible to residents, invest in the local economy, and advance equity and diversity work. Lowe believes that housing insecurity should be addressed with human services rather than criminalization.

Lowe’s opponent, incumbent Mike Pence, is a part of the slate of conservative candidates running in Sequim this cycle with the Independent Advisory Association, a group led by a conspiracy theorist who is pushing unfounded claims this election. Pence was appointed to this seat in 2020 and has since faced a minor scandal when it came out that his resume from the appointment process misconstrued his job experience. Pence refused to resign over the matter and is now running to retain the seat and continue promoting his right-wing, conspiracy-based agenda.

Vicki Lowe is the best candidate to serve Sequim in Position 3 on the city council and, if elected, she will bring much-needed new leadership to the council.

Community advocate and incumbent Rachel Anderson is running to retain the Position 4 seat on the council after being appointed earlier this year. Outside of council work, Anderson chairs the Head Start Policy Council with the Olympic Community Action Programs board where she is a low-income family representative. Additionally, she serves on the Sequim Education Foundation board and Farmer's and Artisan's Market board.

Anderson’s campaign priorities include affordable housing, small business support, health care and mental health services, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability. She wants to continue drawing from her community leadership and board experience to bring transparent and accountable governance to the council. Anderson has earned the endorsement of the Sequim Education Association in this race.

Daryl Ness is a retired railroad professional who spent his career working his way from conductor to executive with BNSF Railroad. Ness has aligned his campaign with a far-right group in Clallam County led by a conspiracy theorist. He does not have a detailed platform or campaign website as of late September.

Rachel Anderson is the best choice for Sequim City Council, Position 4.

Veteran and incumbent council member Brandon Janisse is running to retain Position 5 on the Sequim City Council. Janisse first joined the council in 2018 where he serves on the Finance Committee and chairs the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Outside of the council, Janisse works in control tech for the county sheriff’s department and volunteers on the sheriff's board.

If re-elected, Janisse wants to invest in living wage jobs, workforce housing, and a city arts district. He values transparent government and would continue keeping open lines of communication with constituents. Additionally, Janisse continues to prioritize small business support and city programs for Sequim residents like the Shipley Center’s services.

Janisse’s challenger, Patrick Day, is part of the slate of right-wing candidates who are running for positions in Sequim and Clallam County as a part of the Independent Advisory Association, a group led by an outspoken conspiracy theorist pushing divisive, unfounded thinking into local politics. Day wants to prioritize business interests above community needs, developers’ profits above real affordable housing solutions, and police expansion above community-backed alternatives.

Brandon Janisse is the clear choice for Sequim City Council, Position 5.

Lowell Rathbun is challenging a conservative incumbent for Sequim City Council, Position 6. Rathbun is an electronic design engineer and he serves on the executive boards of the county’s National Alliance on Mental Illness organization and the Clallam County Democrats in Port Angeles. He also works as a Democratic precinct committee officer.

Rathbun has progressive priorities in this race, including expanding mental health and addiction services, investing in affordable housing, addressing racism at all levels, and taking climate action. He wants to build multi-family and workforce housing to increase affordable options. Rathbun wants to lead with compassionate governance and human services, rather than criminalization and blame.

Incumbent Keith Larkin was first appointed to the city council in 2020 by Sequim’s right-wing mayor when Troy Tenneson resigned. Like his fellow council members who were appointed rather than voted in, Larkin has a more conservative agenda. Previously, he worked as a fire chief with the California Department of Foresting and Fire Protection. Larkin does not have a campaign website as of mid-October but has a conservative platform aligned with a right-wing organization in Clallam County run by a conspiracy theorist.

Lowell Rathbun is the best choice in this race. He deserves your vote for Position 6 to bring community-focused decision making to Sequim’s city council.