Whatcom County

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.

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.

Incumbent Michael Shepard is running to continue representing District 1 as a Port of Bellingham commissioner. Shepard first joined the port in 2018 and serves on a number of committees including the Whatcom County Homeless Strategies Workgroup and the Small Cities Partnership. In addition, Shepard teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on anthropology and environmental studies online at Goucher College and Western Washington University.

During his first term, Shepard has focused on community- and environment-centered policymaking. His campaign priorities include revitalizing the waterfront, increasing tourism and commerce, and protecting the port’s ecosystem. He also wants to expand broadband access, affordable housing options, renewable energy production, and family-wage jobs.

CEO of Mills Electric, John Huntley, is challenging Shepard for the port commissioner seat. The lion's share of Huntley's campaign focus is on attracting industries to the port. He mentions the port using natural gas for "green energy", but the Shepard and the rest of the commission are already leading on the issue. The port is already using 100% renewable energy through wind power purchases and partnering with a local solar panel manufacturer to increase the generation of clean energy. Huntley is also featured in a local conservative newsletter where he shares that he is running to prioritize business and corporate interests.

Shepard has earned an impressive number of endorsements from progressive organizations and elected leaders and will continue bringing much-needed progressive leadership to the port as a commissioner. He deserves your vote for Port of Bellingham in District 1.

Small business owner Kelly Krieger is running for Port of Bellingham Commissioner in District 2. Krieger is active with the Whatcom County Democrats and has a professional background in business and marketing. She also served on the board of directors for the Puget Consumers Cooperative.

Krieger's campaign is focused on climate-friendly economic development, municipal broadband, affordable workforce housing, and aviation innovation. She wants to make the port a place for job creation and clean energy leadership.

Krieger is challenging incumbent Commissioner Ken Bell in District 2. Bell is a former Whatcom County planning commissioner and Whatcom County charter review commissioner, and he also currently serves as the president of a private company that cleans up contaminated soil. Unfortunately, Bell is involved with the Whatcom Republicans and played a role in a police-led sweep of a homeless encampment on port property earlier this year. He is not a progressive candidate.

We recommend Krieger for the Port of Bellingham in District 2 because of her progressive values and broad partner support.

Hollie Huthman, who currently serves on the Bellingham City Council in the At-Large seat, is now running unopposed for the Ward 2 seat on the council.

She was elected to the council in 2019 and since then has been supportive of progressive reforms, including giving frontline workers hazard pay. Her top three policy priorities for a second term include funding mental health and permanent supportive housing, increasing middle- and low-income housing, and supporting alternative crisis response programs which provide first responders who specialize in mental health care.

Huthman has earned your support for another term on the Bellingham City Council.

Skip Williams is running unopposed for Bellingham City Council in Ward 4. Williams is a retired music teacher with a long history of activism in the community, including serving on the board of the Mount Baker Theater and Northwest Youth Services. Williams' top priority will be to make progress on affordable housing and homelessness solutions, including supporting the Homeless Outreach Team and affordable housing development. He also wants to address institutional racism, address community-driven policing issues, and protect the area's natural spaces.

Williams has earned your vote for Bellingham City Council.

Kristina Michele Martens is a real estate agent, local activist, and former radio host who is running to bring the needs of the community, especially historically underserved communities, to the forefront of policy. If elected, she states that she would be the first Black person to serve on the Bellingham City Council.

In our interview with Martens, she emphasized the need for the city to fortify outreach from city hall, whether it be to struggling local businesses or residents having a difficult time. One of her top priorities would be to address homelessness in the city by making strong investments in rapid re-housing, easy access shelters, and permanent shelters. She supports Councilmember Hammill's proposed 0.1% sales tax for housing because it will save the city money by reducing unnecessary jail time and emergency responses. On police reform, Martens supports shifting police away from responding to jobs they aren't trained to do, like dealing with mental health crises, and investing more in diversion programs.

Martens is one of the people working to found the Whatcom Racial Equity Commission, a joint effort between city and county to hold policy conversations and propose solutions to the challenges that Black, Indigenous, and other community members face. If elected, she is dedicated to continuing to hold conversations to build trust between residents and city hall.

Her opponent is financial advisor Russ Whidbee, who states that he will take a moderate approach to policymaking on the council. On housing, Whidbee would not go as far as Martin's approach to updating zoning and allowing for more housing types. Instead, he states that his focus would be on seeking out grants and public and private partnerships with banks and developers to increase affordable housing. Whidbee would seek to increase the transparency of the police department with the use of body cameras, create a citizen-led oversight panel with police membership, and encourage more de-escalation training.

Martens' bold vision and backing from progressive organizations make her the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Kate Bishop is running to retain her seat in Position 6 on the Ferndale City Council. First elected in 2017, Bishop is the current mayor pro tem and chairs the Finance and Administration committee. She has also worked as a social worker for over a decade. Bishop serves as a board member for the Ferndale Community Service Cooperative and helped to establish the Ferndale Utilities Fund there.

On the council, Bishop created the Equity Advisory Board as well as the North Whatcom Poverty Task Force, which works to assess the needs of the community in the areas of housing and food insecurity, housing affordability, and income inequality. If re-elected, she wants to continue working to keep Ferndale affordable and she would invest in social services, business support, and infrastructure updates. Bishop has been endorsed by the Whatcom County Democrats in this race.

Bishop faces a challenge from Robert Pinkley, who owns a restaurant in downtown Ferndale. Pinkley previously worked for the U.S. Department of Commerce and ran unsuccessfully for Ferndale mayor in 2019. Now, he is campaigning on a more Republican platform to represent downtown and prioritize business interests above community needs.

Kate Bishop will continue fighting for community solutions. She deserves your vote for Ferndale City Council, Position 6.

Maralise Fegan is running to retain her seat in Position 7 on the Ferndale City Council. Fegan first joined the council in January of this year when she was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Ramon Llanos. She works as an immigration paralegal with Boundary Bay Law and serves as an adjunct faculty and advisor in paralegal studies at Whatcom Community College.

If retained, Fegan wants to center the community's needs by making Ferndale more affordable while attracting new businesses and creating new jobs. Fegan would also seek to handle growth responsibly and invest in infrastructure updates to keep the community safe. She supports bold action on affordable housing, especially as the eviction moratorium lifts, as well as accessible broadband access. In this race, Fegan has earned endorsements from local progressive organizations.

Former mayor and pastor Jon Mutchler is challenging Fegan for Position 7. He served on the city council himself from 2010 to 2015 and then served one term as mayor from 2016 to 2019. In 2019, Mutchler was found guilty of an ethics violation when he displayed personal campaign materials at City Hall. He is running a more conservative campaign to advocate for cutting social services and promoting fear-based public safety ideas. Mutchler lists affordability as a top priority, but unfortunately, his solution is just to decrease costs for developers instead of addressing the roots of the housing crisis.

Fegan is the best choice in this race. She deserves your vote for Ferndale City Council, Position 7.

Incumbent and current school board president Jenn Mason is running to retain Position 4 on the Bellingham School Board where she has served since 2017. Outside of her role as a school board director, Mason is a parent, certified sex educator, lifelong Democrat, and small business owner. Previously, Mason was an education and trauma counselor in schools.

Since joining the board, Mason has supported a race and equity policy, addressed the poverty gap in the student population, and co-authored a Student Safety Resolution. Her campaign priorities in this race include serving marginalized students, expanding mental health support, and focusing on equity and inclusion at all levels.

GOP candidate Philip Stockton is challenging Jenn Mason for the school board seat. Stockton is a conservative political organizer and former sales and marketing professional. Recently, he stated at a conservative rally that “for 100 years,” public schools in the United States have been trying to “take our children, indoctrinate them, and turn them basically into little leftist zombies.” If elected, he would bring a divisive, right-wing agenda to the school board.

Jenn Mason will continue to bring progressive and inclusive values to the school board. She is the clear choice for Bellingham School Board, Director Position 4.

Incumbent Douglas W. Benjamin is running to retain Director Position 5 on the Bellingham School Board. Benjamin first joined the board by appointment in 2014 and has since been elected for terms in 2015 and 2017. Outside of school board work, Benjamin is a licensed mental health counselor who runs his own practice. Additionally, he chairs the Whatcom County Public Health Advisory Board and serves on a task force related to the Whatcom Alliance for Healthcare Access.

In this race, Benjamin is prioritizing executing the school board’s strategic plan, The Bellingham Promise. He has also focused on modeling equity and inclusion and keeping the administrative operations of the board running smoothly. Benjamin wants to build on the board’s recent accomplishments like upgraded bus facilities, athletic infrastructure improvements, and new schools in Sehome and Happy Valley.

Challenging Benjamin is Jeffrie Ford, who runs a cleaning service. Ford has no public service or community leadership background, and he lacks a website with detailed policy proposals. His official voters' guide statement says that he is new to Bellingham and wants to make sure that inequities between school districts are addressed.

We recommend Douglas Benjamin for Bellingham School Board, Director Position 5 because of his public service experience and his commitment to an equitable and inclusive school district.