Progressive Voters Guide

Running for Auburn City Council, Position 4 is Hanan Amer, a chemist for an aerospace company. Amer has been volunteering locally for years, including at food banks, the White River Valley Museum, the Auburn and Muckleshoot libraries, and with the police department. She has also volunteered as a tax preparer for United Way of King County in the Auburn and Kent areas. Amer is endorsed by Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus and the 47th Legislative District Democrats and is running to make sure everyone can feel empowered and engaged in their communities. 

Her opponents in this race are incumbent Councilmember Yolanda Trout and Andrea Niemeyer. Trout has been on the city council for seven years and previously served as the vice-chair of the local Domestic Violence Initiative Regional Task Force from 2014 to 2016 and on Auburn’s Planning Commission from 2010 to 2013. She does not have a campaign website as of mid-July but her re-election platform includes supporting Auburn’s businesses, affordable housing, social justice, and economic growth. Unfortunately, Trout has taken a couple of bad votes including opposing the B&O tax, which would help the city avoid a revenue crisis by 2023, and opposing hazard pay for grocery store workers in the pandemic.

The last candidate, Niemeyer, has not submitted an official voters' guide statement and does not have any campaign information available as of mid-July.

Hanan Amer is the best choice for Position 4 on the Auburn City Council.

Small business owner and former renewable energy executive Dexter Borbe is running for Bellevue City Council, Position 2. Born in the Phillippines, he moved to the U.S. to earn his MBA at MIT before going on to work at several technology companies.

Borbe is a political newcomer who wants to bring an outside perspective to the Bellevue City Council. His campaign is focused on transportation, affordability, and economic development. He supports building more housing, particularly in Factoria and Crossroads, along with making the transit and transportation investments necessary to reduce congestion. In addition, this would help alleviate a severe shortage of housing for low-income residents of Bellevue. If elected, Borbe would also push to improve transparency on the council by reducing voice votes so Bellevue residents have a record of how their representatives vote.

Borbe is challenging longtime incumbent Conrad Lee, who is running for re-election to the council position he has served in since 1994. Lee is a Republican who opposed the light rail expansion to the Eastside, which will begin service in 2023. More recently, Lee opposed efforts to expand shelter options for people experiencing homelessness in Bellevue. Lee is not a progressive choice.

Also in this race are Johan Christiansen and Christie Sanam Lo. Christiansen is a recent graduate and writing tutor who was born and raised in Bellevue. He wants to make sure that the arts, parks and public space, schools, and small businesses are not left behind with Bellevue’s growth. Sanam Lo is a program manager at Amazon and a Bollywood entertainer. Lo does not have a detailed platform but she has stated that she prioritizes social and economic justice, climate action, affordable housing, diversity and inclusion, and ranked-choice voting. Though Lo received an endorsement from a local Democratic group, she does not have a strong campaign presence yet.

Bellevue is a rapidly growing and changing city that deserves leaders who are ready to tackle a host of new challenges. Dexter Borbe is the best choice for Bellevue City Council, Position 2.

Matt Kuehn is running for Bothell City Council, Position 5. He serves as Rep. Davina Duerr's legislative aide and previously worked for Sen. Guy Palumbo. His platform includes expanding the park and trail systems, creating more walkable neighborhoods, and increasing affordable housing.

Also in this race are incumbent Ben Mahnkey and Galen Altavas. Mahnkey is an Amazon employee running on a platform that includes praising police officers without offering any mention of increased accountability or reform. He mentions minimizing tax increases but does not offer actual solutions for how to fund essential services in Bothell. Altavas has worked at King County Metro and at Panasonic Avionics as an IT manager. He currently works at the Snohomish County Public Utilities Department. Altavas does not have a detailed campaign platform and does not appear to be particularly progressive.

Kuehn is the best choice in the race for Bothell City Council, Position 5.

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 and Abdifatah Mohamedhaji. Barrett, the owner of Sozo Gifts who believes the affordable housing crisis can be solved by incentivizing businesses to build more affordable homes. Barrett opposes redirecting any police funding to community-based services. He states that he wants Burien to be a “wealth generator" without providing details. Mohamedhaji does not have a campaign website or any available information as of mid-June.

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

Mayor Jimmy Matta is running for re-election to Burien City Council, Position 3. Matta is the founder of Ahora Construction and serves on the Burien Airport Committee, Soundside Alliance Policy Committee, and Latino Civic Alliance Board. He was first elected in 2018 and has a deep understanding of the struggles that working families face. His family immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala, and by the time he was a teenager, Matta had dropped out of high school to support his family. He later started his construction business and went on to become a representative for the Carpenters Union for over 20 years.

As mayor, Matta worked during the early years of the Trump administration to pass a resolution making sure immigrant communities know they are welcome in Burien. Recently, Matta joined a majority of the council voting in favor of expanding affordable housing in downtown Burien. The new building will include units set aside for Burien residents and veterans.

Also in this race are Charles Schaefer and Mark Dorsey. Schaefer has laid out a large agenda of progressive positions on his website, but not to the same level of detail as Matta and without his level of experience working as a community advocate. Dorsey is running on a divisive conservative platform that scapegoats homeless residents. He opposes the downtown affordable housing project and uses a campaign slogan of "Burien first," which sounds disturbingly familiar.

Matta is the clear choice for Burien City Council, Position 3.

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 - Washington.

First elected in 2017, Marx has been a consistent progressive voice on the council. She takes a Housing First approach to homelessness 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 Stephanie Mora, John White, John Potter, Patty Janssen, and Elissa Fernandez. Potter, Fernandez, and Janssen, do not have campaign websites available as of mid-July. Mora is running on a more conservative platform that blames outsiders and nearby cities rather than offering solutions for Burien. White is running a campaign focused on his slogan of "Burien-Unite!" and connecting all 18 Burien neighborhoods without offering concrete policy details.

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

Incumbent Traci Buxton is running for re-election to Des Moines City Council, Position 5. Buxton has been a council member since 2018 and has worked on several committees including the Economic Development Committee, the Municipal Facilities Committee, and as the chair of the Environment Committee. Outside of the city council, she works in property management.

Buxton’s campaign priorities include the environment, community safety, and making Des Moines a destination city. She has proven her commitment to environmental issues through promoting the Green Cities Partnership and Urban Forestry Fund in her role on the council. If re-elected, Buxton wants to create more public green spaces and continue building partnerships on environmental issues. She is also an advocate for police reform through policies like de-escalation training, mandatory body cameras, and adopting the 8-Can’t-Wait reform steps.

Also running for Position 5 is Tad Doviak, a Des Moines resident who works in IT. Doviak is involved in the community through his positions as a block watch captain and a member of the Des Moines Police Foundation board of directors. He claims to have a strong interest in the issue of public safety but doesn’t offer policy recommendations or details of what that looks like. The rest of his campaign priorities are less clear. John Theofelis is also in this race, but he has no campaign presence. As of July 2021, Theofelis still lacked a campaign website or any sort of statement in the King County Voters Guide.

While Buxton is not the most progressive candidate, her strong support from local leaders and organizations make her the best choice in the race for Position 5 on the Des Moines City Council.

Yoshiko Grace Matsui has been involved with LGTBQ and anti-racism advocacy for many years. She was one of the first youth board members for Hands Off Washington, which between 1993 and 1997 sought to protect Washingtonians against discrimination based on sexual orientation. More recently, she served as the Director of Multicultural Student Services at the University of Puget Sound and currently works in the Workforce Equity Division in Seattle. She also serves as the King County Water District #54 Commissioner, ensuring that Des Moines’ water services are up-to-date.

Matsui's priorities for the council are aimed at elevating transparency and decision-making power for all communities in Des Moines. She notes that she wants to promote public and open discussions about the termination of city staff, such as the former police chief, who she states was let go despite a commitment to community policing. She also wants to focus on regional collaboration on housing instability and common infrastructure improvements in roads and intersections, stating that the council is planning a $50 million marina plan that focuses on the needs of the wealthy yacht owners only.

Katherine Festa is running for Federal Way City Council, Position 4. She has been a program manager with King County for 20 years and is the vice-chair of the King County Native American Leadership Council. Festa is endorsed by many Democratic elected officials and groups including Rep. Jamila Taylor and the King County Democrats.

Festa's campaign is focused on improving transportation and addressing homelessness. She wants to use her position on the city council to push Sound Transit to stay on schedule reaching Federal Way, as well as to advocate for more parking at the Federal Way Transit Center. In addition, she is dedicated to reducing homelessness, particularly among veterans, and wants to increase local supportive housing at a scale that is sustainable for the community.

Also in this race are Daniel Miller and incumbent Hoang Tran. Miller is running to oppose both police accountability reform and efforts to reallocate funding to community safety services. Councilmember Tran was elected in 2017 and previously spent over 20 years as an administrator in public assistance programs for the state Department of Social and Health Services. He shares a conservative platform with Miller.

Festa is the best choice in the race for Federal Way City Council, Position 4.

Renae Seam is running for Federal Way City Council, Position 6. She works for Boeing Employees Credit Union utilizing her Masters in Business and Data Analytics and is running on a strong progressive platform. 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-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 Adrienne Obregon, Martin Moore, and Jack Dovey. Obregon is involved with the Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) and used to work at a child care center where she worked to found a union and hold the corporation accountable when they fired her for doing so. Her platform includes calls for more police officers and disregards community calls for police accountability. Incumbent Moore was first elected to the city council in 2013 and also works as the director for Audiobook Ministries. While he previously ran as a Republican, he has taken some good votes more recently, including supporting hazard pay through at least July 6 for Federal Way's grocery store workers. Dovey is a marketing manager for GPSLockbox whose campaign website is not functional as of mid-July.

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

Russell Joe, a municipal relationship manager, is seeking to fill Position 5 on the Issaquah City Council, which was left vacant by Stacy Goodman. Joe is an attorney who has served as a prosecutor for Eastside cities as well as a former council member for the city of Issaquah from 2000 to 2007. Previously, Joe was the chief administrative officer of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington. While Joe hasn't released a detailed platform, he has earned the endorsements of local leaders.

Joe is facing Rose Zibrat and Jason Voiss. Zibrat, a software developer and Issaquah resident, boasts a very progressive platform that includes tenant rights, police reform, workers’ rights, public transportation, and social equity. She has never held elected office but notes herself as a volunteer in the King County voters' pamphlet.

Voiss is the vice president of his family’s construction company based in Issaquah. Voiss serves on both the Issaquah Planning Policy Commission and the city’s COVID Recovery Task Force. Like his challengers, Voiss does not have a campaign website and shares the least information about his platform.

In this low information race, we recommend Joe for Position 5 on the Issaquah City Council because of his support from elected officials.

Nigel Herbig is running for re-election to Position 4 on the Kenmore City Council. Herbig has served on the city council since 2014 and was appointed deputy mayor in 2018 and again in 2020. He also works in the state House of Representatives as a legislative assistant.

During his time on the council, Herbig has worked to improve government transparency and improve transportation options and pedestrian safety. He helped develop the Walkways and Waterways projects, which have already added three miles of new bike lanes and sidewalks to Kenmore.

Recently, Herbig played a lead role in extending Kenmore's eviction ban through September 30 to ensure that renters can access federal assistance before potentially facing eviction. If re-elected, Herbig plans to continue building progressive momentum in Kenmore towards improving transportation, maintaining affordability, acting on the climate crisis, and making Kenmore a welcoming city for all. He has also expressed support for a proposal to provide direct cash payments to low-income Kenmore residents.

Also in this race is Bob Black, a former operating engineer and aviation inspector who has run for Kenmore City Council twice before. Black does not have a campaign website and his statement in the King County Voters Guide is copied directly from his 2015 race in some places. In both past and current statements, Black prioritizes conservative economic policy that would drag Kenmore backward.

The third candidate in this race for Position 4 is Abby London, a singer/songwriter who moved to Kenmore last summer. She is running on a hard-right platform full of scare tactics and language demonizing people experiencing homelessness. London's divisive rhetoric and extreme policy positions would be damaging to the Kenmore City Council and the broader community. 

Nigel Herbig is the clear choice for Kenmore City Council, Position 4.

Debra Srebnik is running for re-election to Kenmore City Council, Position 6. Srebnik was first elected to City Council in 2017 and is a human services program manager at the University of Washington. She has served on the Kenmore Planning Commission and is a member of both Friends of St. Edwards State Park and the Northshore School District nutrition and the fitness advisory council. 

In her time on the council, Srebnik has worked on Kenmore's Climate Action Plan, overseen shoreline and habitat restoration in local parks, and supported the completion of hundreds of new affordable housing units. She also made an effort to engage the community in the civic process.

Also in this race are Jon Culver and Stacey (Sam) Valenzuela. Culver, a civic technologist and small business owner, is running with a focus on climate action, affordable housing, and proactive civic engagement. Valenzuela is a community advocate and retired course coordinator and sales representative. Her platform includes environmental stewardship, affordable housing, Accessory Dwelling Unit zoning, and fiscal accountability.

Srebnik is the best choice for Kenmore City Council, Position 6.

Incumbent Brenda Fincher is running for re-election to Kent City Council, Position 6 to continue her work on economic recovery and affordable housing. Fincher has served on the council since 2014, and in that time has voted to approve funds for youth mental health and supported community discussion on providing a mental health co-response model to law enforcement. She states that if re-elected, she will build on current renter protections, advocate for businesses owned by people of color, and work to ensure that housing stays affordable for working families.

She is running against Larry Hussey and Bradley Cairnes. Hussey does not have a campaign website available as of mid-July, but his candidate announcement states that the city needs more motels and less 5G, and that he is anti-marijuana. Similarly, Cairnes is running a conspiracy-filled campaign and does not have a policy agenda.

Fincher is the best choice in this race.

Kate Akyuz is a Senior Capital Project Manager with the King County River and Floodplain Management Section, where she manages large flood safety and habitat restoration projects for endangered species. She wants to use her experience in wildlife and natural resource management to create a parks conservancy for Mercer Island. By protecting forested areas and wetlands, Akyuz points out that the island can simultaneously create natural stormwater infrastructure and erosion protection. If elected, she would also prioritize middle-income housing and work to secure funding for mental health services by increasing the designated reserves for Mercer Island Youth and Family Services. She has been endorsed by officials such as King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci and Rep. Tana Senn.

Akyuz is running against Adam Ragheb and incumbent Lisa Anderl. Anderl has not been a progressive voice on the Mercer Island City Council. Unfortunately, Anderl joined five of her fellow council members voting to make it illegal to camp or even sleep in their car. Anyone on Mercer Island found in violation of this law now faces up to 90 days in prison or a $1,000 fine. In addition, Anderl opposed a 2018 levy that would have increased local funding for mental health counseling, first responders, parks, and youth and senior services.

Adam Ragheb, an aerospace systems engineer, does not have detailed or progressive policy proposals available on his website. He says that he will focus on beautiful parks and neighborhoods, the island's "residential character," likely in the same way that Anderl has, and will prioritize funding the police.

Akyuz is the clear choice for Mercer Island City Council, Position 6.

Melissa Stuart is running for Redmond City Council, Position 4 to bring her advocacy for the environment and education to the council. She is the Director of Individual Giving at Boys and Girls Club of King County, has served on the board of Zero Waste Washington and South Transit, and as an Eastside Climate Justice Steward with the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy. She has also worked at Youth Eastside Services to help provide behavioral healthcare for families.

She is running against Dennis Ellis and Jackson Fields. Finance analyst Ellis' campaign site is inactive as of July 13, but he states that he will bring his corporate background to the council. His candidate statement implies a more conservative campaign that will prioritize the needs of businesses over the community. Jackson Fields has no website or campaign presence as of July 13.

Stuart has been endorsed by several leading Democratic representatives and elected officials. While her campaign platform is not fully fleshed out on her website, her long record of community and professional service speaks to a candidate who is ready to contribute meaningfully to the council.

Stuart is the best choice for Redmond City Council, Position 4.

Joe Todd is running for Renton City Council, Position 1 to bring new solutions and community perspectives to city hall. He currently works as the King County Deputy Chief Technology Officer.

In our interview with Todd, we were impressed by his thorough knowledge of city affairs and his dedication to serving the community. Todd pointed out that the city cannot reasonably solve the issue of homelessness on its own, and that a regional approach and improved relationship with the county would create better outcomes for all residents. He wants to use his technological expertise to help law enforcement track the issues they are responding to so the city can allocate resources most effectively. Todd also wants to launch something similar to the CAHOOTS program in Eugene, OR, which can dispatch trained caseworkers instead of police officers to help those experiencing mental health challenges. He supports both thorough police training and redirecting some funding from policing to human services to build stronger communities and prevent crime.

Todd is running against James Alberson and Sanjeev Yonzon. Alberson has served as a Renton Planning commissioner since April 2020 and is a former board chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. Alberson states that if elected, he will prioritize ensuring a strong business climate, reducing homelessness, and increasing housing affordability, among other priorities. However, in our interview with Alberson, we were disappointed that part of this proposal to address homelessness was mandatory participation in city programs. This focus on putting people in jail or building a new regional facility is a costly proposal that fails to address the root causes of homelessness and further isolates people from their support networks.

Yonzon is a civil service commissioner of the Renton Regional Fire Authority. A former civil contractor with the U.S. military in Iraq, Yonzon states that his harrowing journey escaping civil war in Nepal has led him to a life of assisting others. He wants to represent those who are less fluent in English see that they can better the community, expand affordable housing, and improve traffic, though he does not have more concrete policy proposals on his website as of mid-July.

Todd's in-depth insight and commitment to Renton would be an incredible benefit to the city. We enthusiastically recommend Joe Todd for Renton City Council, Position 1.

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 Washington State 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 youth 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.

She is running against incumbent Angelina Benedetti. Benedetti was appointed to the council unanimously in February 2020 by the current council members after Armondo Pavone was elected as mayor. She is the former chair of the Renton Planning Commission. We were disappointed that, against the strong disapproval of housing advocates, Benedetti took a vote last December to limit and later remove unsheltered people from the Red Lion Hotel by January 2022. This move will end what advocates pointed out was a successful method for helping those with disabilities or mental health challenges who have nowhere else to go.

Rivera's greater support from our progressive partners earns her our recommendation in this race.

Tarik Hassane is running for Sammamish City Council, Position 1. He works as a program manager at Microsoft and is committed to maintaining the quality of life as Sammamish grows. In particular, he wants to reduce traffic and improve transportation options by upgrading infrastructure and expanding bike lane options. Hassane has been endorsed by the King County Democrats and other local progressives who support his vision for a better Sammamish.

Hassane is facing Josh Amato and Amy Lam. Amato is the former communications director for the Washington State Republican Party who later worked as a political consultant for conservative campaigns. During his previous campaigns, he worked to oppose a ballot measure that would have expanded badly needed transit access in King County. Lam is a first-generation Asian American and graphic designer. She identifies as a Democrat and is running on a platform that includes municipal broadband and expanding local recycling and composting options. 

Hassane is the best choice in this race.

Jake Simpson is an organizer and cook running for SeaTac City Council, Position 2. He wants to make SeaTac a city that welcomes everyone and serves all people equally, and he wants to work with employers to find outcomes that benefit both workers and businesses. Simpson wants the city to focus on delivering basic services as well, including emergency responses, efficient transportation, and helping small businesses thrive. As the father of a young daughter, he wants everyone in SeaTac to be able to enjoy quality parks and walkable neighborhoods.

Also in this race are incumbent Stanley Tombs, EL'ona Kearney, and Tiniell Cato. Tombs is conservative and re-joined the council in June 2020 after Councilmember Amina Ahmed passed away. He said upon rejoining that he would be a placeholder until the next election but is now running for re-election. Neither Kearney or Cato have campaign platforms or policies available on their websites as of mid-July. 

Simpson will bring needed progressive change to the SeaTac City Council and is the best choice for Position 2 on the council.

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 almost 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.

Also in this race are incumbent Councilmember Pam Fernald and Kong Lefeau. Lefeau does not have a strong platform or campaign presence as of mid-July. Fernald is conservative and her campaign website has not been updated since 2013.

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