35th Legislative District

Bob Iyall is running for the Port of Olympia, District 2. Iyall is a Nisqually Tribal Elder who works in management with the Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation (MCEC). He has also served as a member of the Nisqually Board of Economic Development and has been a member of the Bricklayers Union for over 40 years. Iyall's platform includes healing parts of the local environment and revising the port's approach to operations as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

His opponent in this race is Jessie Simmons, an Army veteran and former political consultant. Simmons also served as a board member with the Lacey Gold Star Memorial Foundation. His campaign is emphasizing protecting good-paying jobs and balancing organized labor with environmentalism. Additionally, Simmons wants to create an electric ferry service to run from the port to places like Tacoma and Bremerton.

Iyall is the best choice for Port of Olympia, District 2.

Joel Hansen is running a progressive campaign for Port of Olympia commissioner in District 3. He works at a solar energy company, and serves on both the Port of Olympia Citizens Advisory Committee and Tumwater Planning Commission and as a precinct committee officer. Hansen wants to put his expertise in finance and environmental science to use in order to strengthen the port economy without compromising on climate action.

If elected, Hansen wants to take a holistic approach to the commissioner position in order to generate living-wage jobs, attract local eco-friendly businesses, and engage an equity lens for port policymaking. He says he will listen to constituents about port issues and seek to better the communications between commissioners and those who live and work near the ort. Further, Hansen wants to advance environmental justice, and social justice broadly. He is supported by a number of local progressives and community leaders in this race.

Real estate broker and attorney Amy Evans is the other candidate in this race. Evans’ priorities include public access to port property, environmental stewardship, and job growth. Unfortunately, she lacks both a background in community leadership and widespread support in this race.

We recommend Hansen for Port of Olympia in District 3 to bring strong progressive leadership and a new perspective to the port.

Incumbent and Navy veteran Greg Wheeler is currently serving his first term as mayor. He previously served for eight years on the city council and is also on the boards of Kitsap Public Health, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, Kitsap Transit, and others.

During the height of the pandemic, Wheeler and the city council worked to keep residents safe and curtail the worst of COVID-19's economic effects by investing in technology for remote schooling and offering rental and utility bill assistance. Another recent benchmark success is the soon-to-be-open Pendleton Place apartment complex, which will help permanently house and provide services for people struggling with addiction and mental health issues. If re-elected, Wheeler states that he is dedicated to funding the Bremerton Rental Assistance Program, continuing the weatherization program, stabilizing rent costs, and increasing the city's housing stock.

Wheeler's opponent is William "Bill" Broughton, who served as the Bremerton city attorney from 1982 to 1987. He is also the former president of the Kitsap Building Association and is pushing for more development in the city. He states that if elected he will triple the transportation funding for downtown transit options, fix road crossings, and increase biking and walking infrastructure. Broughton also wants to see more dense, multi-use buildings utilized downtown, as well as a loosening of residential building regulations.

Wheeler's broad support by a number of local Democratic groups and progressive elected officials as well as his efforts to keep Bremerton livable and healthy for all makes him the better option for mayor of Bremerton.

Jennifer Chamberlin is technically running unopposed for Bremerton City Council, District 1. Her opponent, Tony Stephens announced to the Kitsap Sun in mid-September that he was dropping out of the race, and encouraged voters to choose Chamberlin.

Chamberlin works for the Bremerton School District, and has served five years so far as a City of Bremerton Arts Commissioner, and is a proud member of the Bremerton Professional Education Association. While more detailed policy stances don't appear to be available, Chamberlain says she aims to help those in crisis rise up with dignity, supports reproductive health for all, and wants to create a safer and more inclusive city for those who have been disenfranchised.

Stephens is the former president of the Kitsap County Republican Party. His name will remain on the ballot because he dropped out after the deadline. Were he to win, the council would need to fill the position by appointment. We recommend Chamberlin for Bremerton City Council, District 1.

Melissa Watkinson is a social scientist who has taught at U.W. Bothell in several roles. She is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and a descendent of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and she has worked with Indigenous Sisters Resistance and Seattle's Environmental Justice Committee.

At the core of Watkinson's platform is a commitment to equity and a sustainable vision for the area. As a council member, she wants to encourage mixed-income housing, provide more accessible transportation, support small business programs, and incentivize the protection of the local ecosystems.

She is running against Jeff Coughlin, a director working remotely on the NASA Kepler Mission and a Bremerton planning commissioner. Coughlin's campaign has three main priorities - improving input and communication from voters, reinvesting the revenue from increased growth into city services, and supporting local businesses.

Watkinson offers the most thoughtful and progressive platform in this race. We recommend Watkinson for Bremerton City Council in District 3.

Incumbent Michael Goodnow is serving in his first term on the Bremerton City Council. He is a Navy veteran who has been deeply involved in volunteering through community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Kitsap County, Kitsap Humane Society, Kitsap Pride Network, and the Downtown Bremerton Association.

Goodnow voted for - and is the vice chair of - the Race Equity Advisory Committee, and has supported body cameras for more oversight and transparency in law enforcement. He also joined his fellow council members in a unanimous vote to relax accessory dwelling unit (ADU) restrictions, which will help increase the city's housing stock. If re-elected, Goodnow wants to continue to expand affordable and low-income housing in the city, fill vacant buildings with small businesses and increase road and pedestrian accessibility.

His opponent Matthew Adams is a veteran and a self-proclaimed "regular guy." Adams' Twitter page is filled with personal attacks against Goodnow, seemingly motivated by Goodnow's anti-racist principles. Adams has few policy proposals available. He states that he wants to see more parking enforcement and no additional utility taxes.

Goodnow is by far the better choice in this race and has earned a second term for Bremerton City Council in District 5.

Anna Mockler is a former professor and wetland scientist who is running for Bremerton City Council, Position 6 to support sustainability.

If elected, Mockler will focus on securing grants that help low-income families secure their first home. She also wants to see more bike lanes, safe sidewalks, and the promotion of green manufacturing jobs. Unique to Mockler's campaign is her focus on housing quality. As a former insulation contractor whose family works in construction, she wants to enforce a warranty of habitability to ensure that residents have structurally safe housing. She supports union labor and believes that the city should prioritize union contracts to promote living wages and fair working conditions.

Her opponent, incumbent Mike Simpson, is one of the more conservative members of the council. In February 2021, because Simpson had been working in Japan on a work assignment for over a month, the city council voted to remove Simpson from the District 6 seat because he had spent more than 30 continuous days outside of the city. They immediately voted to appoint him, but the result is that Simpson must now run for the seat though the original term of his position would have expired in 2023. While on the council, Simpson voted against loosening accessory dwelling unit laws, which could help alleviate the affordable housing crunch. He also pushed back on the need for a race equity committee, which was established after the national conversation on racial justice to better address the concerns of Bremerton residents. Simpson is endorsed by the local county Republicans.

Mockler is widely endorsed by progressive state legislators and local Democratic organizations and is the better choice in this race.

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.

Mayor Andy Ryder is running unopposed for re-election to the Lacey City Council.

He has served on the council since 2010, and is a member of the board of directors for thee Race, Equity, and Leadership Council (REAL) for the National League of Cities. In his time on the council, Ryder has been supportive of veterans services, the city's newly-instated commission of equity, and expanding housing options.

Michael Steadman is running unopposed for re-election to the Lacey City Council, Position 6. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and owner of a commercial leasing company.

Steadman is running to use his experience as a small business owner to help Lacey recover economically from the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Steadman ran as a Democrat for Thurston County Commissioner, a campaign in which he promoted tackling water quality issues, improving alternative criminal justice options, and improving mental health services.

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.

Incumbent mayor pro tem Clark Gilman is running for re-election to his seat on the Olympia City Council, where he has served since January 2016. Previously, Gilman worked as a clean energy advocate at Climate Solutions and an organizer for the carpenters union. Currently, he works as a paraeducator at South Sound High School.

Gilman's top three campaign priorities are protecting the city's environment and natural spaces, engaging residents in city planning, and encouraging a sense of cooperation in the community. While on the council, Gilman has been an advocate for affordability requirements on tax-incentivized development, which keeps more homes and apartments affordable for all. He also worked to pass renter protections for people falling behind on payments due to COVID. Gilman and the council have also supported reverting Capitol Lake back to an estuary to support salmon populations.

His opponent is Candace Mercer, who says that she is a 'progressive' who voted for Donald Trump. Much of her writing focuses on her decision to embrace right-wing advocates and ideals. Her secondary focus is on homelessness and addiction, with a stronger focus on the latter, though the measures she suggests are largely punitive. Mercer states that the city should aggressively prosecute drug dealing and sex work, build privatized urban campsites, and push for substance abstinence.

Gilman's agenda is far more comprehensive and actually progressive, addressing the city's biggest issues at the source with services that help struggling families and prevent people from falling into poverty in the first place. Clark Gilman is the best choice for Olympia City Council, Position 4.

Dontae Payne is a former U.S. Army member and currently works as the deputy district director to Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. Payne has also worked as the regional representative for the Olympic Peninsula and South Puget Sound to the governor's office.

Payne wants to see the city acknowledge systemic racism and support the use of an equity lens in its policymaking. On housing and homelessness, Payne states that expanded transitional and permanent supportive housing will help alleviate the crisis while providing COVID relief for small businesses and rent stabilization for commercial tenants will aid the city's economic recovery.

He also supports additional funding for body cameras, social services, mental health, addiction programs, and the city's crisis response unit. In his interview, he stated that his opinion on defunding the police was nuanced and that the city should focus on true reform, justice, and accountability.

Payne states that if elected, he would be the first Black man to ever serve on the city council. He says that his experience as a gay, Black, former military member would bring the voice of marginalized people to the table.

He is running against retired Air Force member and former firefighter Corey Gauny, who works as a management analyst for the state's Department of Licensing. The only issue listed in detail on his site is around homelessness. Gauny says that he would tackle the issues by providing resources around behavioral health, but does not address key issues like affordable housing or the need to provide shelter for the hundreds of people who sleep on the streets every night. He also mentions that he wants to focus on a vision of the city that centers businesses. Gauny is also using a Republican consultant, which further indicates he would bring a more conservative voice to the council.

Payne is the best choice in this race.

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 Fred Chang is running to retain Position 6 on the Port Orchard City Council. Chang works for the State Department of Transportation in Seattle. He was elected to the council in 2005 after serving on the city’s planning commission for six years. As a community leader, Chang has been involved with the Bremerton Ferry Advisory committee, the Sidney Museum and Arts Association, and the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce.

On the Economic Development & Tourism and Land Use committees, Chang has worked to strengthen the economic backbone of Port Orchard so that all community members have a chance to thrive. In this race, Chang is prioritizing expanding public transportation and making city government more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the residents it serves. Chang is supported by the local Democrats and elected officials in this race.

Kaylan O’Connor is challenging Chang for Position 6. O’Connor’s campaign is aligned with other right-leaning candidates running for office in Port Orchard this year. Her campaign website isn’t working as of early October and her voters statement is vague, emphasizing that she would oppose progress and prioritize business interests.

Fred Chang is the best choice for Port Orchard City Council, Position 6 and deserves to be re-elected to keep bringing community-minded improvements to the city.

Darcy Huffman, a communications and resource director for her church, is running for Olympia School Board in District 3. The former finance professional challenged an incumbent Republican in the state’s 35th Legislative District last year. Huffman currently also works on the Affordable Housing Taskforce for a coalition of Washington churches and as a member of the Quixote Communities board, which works to provide permanent supportive housing for people struggling with homelessness.

If elected, Huffman wants to make sure that Olympia’s public schools are supportive learning environments for all students. Her platform includes strengthening lines of communications with parents, prioritizing the emotional and social wellbeing of students, funding essential skills learning, and closing the opportunity gap. Huffman’s campaign to create a more equitable school system is supported by a large number of local progressive and Democratic organizations and leaders.

Wealth advisor Mark Boyer is running against Huffman on a vague platform that highlights no priorities or policy. He was a part of a conservative group that campaigned to bring back in-person learning earlier this year before it was safe to do so.

We recommend Darcy Huffman because of her progressive background, strong community support, and clear vision for the District 3 director position.

Incumbent Director Scott Clifthorne is running to retain his seat serving District 5 on the Olympia School Board. Clifthorne was first elected in 2017 and now serves as president. Clifthorne works as a negotiator for Teamster 117 and was formerly the president of the Lincoln Community Council. Previously, he was a member of the City of Olympia Community Workgroup on Homelessness.

During Clifthorne’s time on the board, Olympia was able to secure PE, art, and music teachers in all elementary schools beginning in Fall 2021. In this race, Clifthorne wants to continue expanding student opportunities, deepen lines of communication for families and schools, and address systemic inequities particularly relating to race, disability, and socioeconomic status. With three kids enrolled in Olympia public schools and widespread support from community leaders and organizations, Clifthorne will continue to bring progressive values to the board.

Challenging Clifthorne is Don Mitchell, a nurse and assistant professor of nursing. Mitchell advocated for school re-opening earlier than was safe, and he is now running on a reactionary platform that ignores scientific-informed, school board decisions. He also wants to continue valuing standardized tests despite ample research that shows that they are not an effective assessment of student success. Mitchell is not a progressive choice.

We recommend Scott Clifthorne in this race because of his school board experience and inclusive plan for the school district.