City of Bellevue

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.

Joyce Shui is an attorney and founder of the Purple School who is running for the Bellevue School Board in District 3. Shui is currently the lead senior legal counsel for a software company and has previously served on the boards of the Washington Women Lawyers and the American Lung Association of Washington. She has also volunteered at a legal clinic in the International District providing legal services to community members with low incomes.

Her campaign is emphasizing equity and empathy, as well as increasing opportunities for all students. She wants the community to be involved in school board decision-making and pledges to be a transparent leader on the board. Shui is endorsed by progressive leaders including Rep. My-Linh Thai and groups including the 41st and 48th Legislative District Democrats.

Shui is facing Faye Yang and Leo Novsky. Yang is a dietician and nutrition service director who is not running on a progressive platform. Novsky is the community director of Keiretsu Forum Northwest who does not have a strong campaign presence or any endorsements.

Shui is the best choice in the race for Bellevue School Board in District 3.

Jane Aras is running for the Bellevue School District Board of Directors in District 5. She has experience teaching special education has spent the past 19 years advocating and volunteering in Bellevue schools. She is active in the PTSA, created a math and reading club for students, and introduced before-school computer programming for 4th- and 5th-grade students. 

Aras understands the toll COVID-19 has taken on students and staff. She wants to prioritize bringing students back with proper support while addressing pre-pandemic issues including closing academic gaps and encouraging everyone to consider a variety of options after graduating. Aras’ campaign also focuses on equitable access to high-quality education for all, giving every student the tools they need to thrive.

Aras is facing Gregg Smith, Caroline Smith, and Valeri Makam. Gregg Smith owns a broadband business and has been a Parent Student Teacher Association vice president. His main priority is bringing in-person learning back without any mention of health, safety, and consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Caroline Smith owns a data consulting firm and her campaign platform as of mid-July is not robust. Makam is a community advocate and manager at T-Mobile whose platform includes prioritizing mental health for students and transparency in communication.

Aras’ experience, strong platform, and endorsements make her the best choice for Bellevue School District Board of Directors, District 5.

Dustin Lambro, president of the King County Labor Council and political director for Teamsters Local 117, is running to be Public Hospital District No. 1, Commissioner 2. Lambro has extensive community leadership experience and is a staunch workers’ rights advocate. He is running to restore final decision authority to the hospital commissioners elected by voters instead of trustees selected by the University of Washington. Lambro wants to make sure that the community has a voice in the governance of its hospital system and health care.

Lambro is facing incumbent commissioner Jim Griggs, who currently serves as the president of the Board of Commissioners as well as the chair of the Finance & Audit Committee. Griggs formerly worked as an audit manager for the Washington State Auditor’s Office, and he is a certified public accountant. In this campaign, Griggs has pointed to his military background to demonstrate his ability to provide effective oversight as commissioner.

The third challenger in this race is Reyna Maria Kaut who provided no information in the King County Voters' Guide and has no campaign presence.

With his demonstrated progressive values and experience organizing for the public good, Dustin Lambro is the best choice for Public Hospital District 1, Commissioner District 2.

Monique Taylor-Swan is running for King County Hospital District 1, Commissioner Position 4. Taylor-Swan is a community leader who serves as a board member of the Caregivers Union SEIU 775 and a member of the Renton Inclusion Task Force. She currently works as a home care aid with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

Taylor-Swan is running for commissioner in order to work towards more accessible, quality care in Renton. She wants to focus on proper staffing and making pay more equitable between the highest-paid executives and underpaid nurses and staff. If elected, Taylor-Swan will use an inclusion and equity lens to make sure that everyone who needs it can access culturally competent care at Valley Medical Center.

Taylor-Swan faces several candidates in this race, including incumbent commissioner Lawton Montgomery, who first assumed the role after being elected in 2015. Montgomery also works as a captain with the Kent Regional Fire Authority. In this race, he has not shared any campaign priorities and does not have a notable presence.

There are four more candidates in this race. Winter Cashman is a software engineer and technology consultant who serves as the founder and president of the Renton LGBTQIA+ Community group. Cashman has progressive priorities in this race and has earned the endorsements of some local Democratic groups. Katie Bachand is a birth and postpartum doula who is also hoping to serve as a hospital commissioner. Like most of her challengers, Bachand is running to restore decision power to the elected commissioner seat, as opposed to this power sitting with University of Washington-appointed trustees. Max J. Heller III is a ramp service worker and Democratic precinct committee officer who wants to fix equity and staffing problems at the hospital but lacks clear policy recommendations or experience. Finally, real estate broker Parminder Bhatti is running with a vague platform to fix the health care industry.

In this crowded race, we recommend Monique Taylor-Swan because of her direct background in health care and her clear, progressive vision for the role.