King County

Sarah Perry is a small business owner, non-profit fundraiser, and Democratic activist who is challenging incumbent Kathy Lambert for King County Council in District 3. Perry has years of experience building financial support for non-profits and universities in the Puget Sound area.

Perry is running on a platform of supporting small businesses, protecting farmlands and the environment, and improving transportation. In particular, she wants to provide more support for the 40% of the district in unincorporated King County that can't rely on city leadership for investments and infrastructure. In our interview with Perry, she presented a detailed overview of her campaign as a strong advocate for growth management. She wants to promote urban forests, preserve the district's natural areas, usher in alternative energy sources, and improve wastewater and storm runoff in open spaces. Perry also wants to see an equity lens brought to COVID recovery, ensuring that new modes of transit are brought to the district, supporting behavioral health, and assisting those struggling with affordable housing.

Perry's extensive civic engagement in the district has earned her overwhelming support from local and state elected officials and progressive organizations. Vote for Perry for new progressive leadership on the King County Council from District 3.

Federal Way Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson is running for King County Council in District 7. Assefa-Dawson is a family self sufficiency coordinator at King County Housing Authority and a financial educator at the YMCA for survivors of domestic violence. She was the first person of African descent to serve on the Federal Way City Council and is a strong community leader in roles such as the co-chair of the Regional Law, Safety and Justice Committee and the vice president of the Ethiopian Community Center.

Assefa-Dawson brings a strong record of progressive advocacy to this campaign. Her priorities include affordable housing, a living wage, criminal justice reform, and social equity and inclusivity work. Assefa-Dawson’s policy priorities are in the effort to bring economic stability and reliable government services to King County residents.

Also in this race is incumbent Republican Pete Von Reichbauer, who has held the District 7 seat on the council for 28 years. Reichbauer has remained a conservative voice on the council and mostly focuses on issues of public spaces such as the construction of the Federal Way Transit Center and the recent Hylebos Wetlands protection project.

There are two other candidates in this race. Dominique Torgerson is a brewery owner with a limited campaign platform. She is primarily criticizing business and zoning regulations and doesn't address most of the important issues faced by the communities in King County. Saudia Abdullah is the Community Corrections Division director for King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention. Her campaign priorities include economic recovery, education, and community safety, which for Abdullah, unfortunately, does not involve meaningful police reform.

Lydia Assefa-Dawson is the most progressive candidate in this race and is a good fit to represent District 7 on the King County Council.

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.

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.

Jacqueline McGourty is running for re-election to Northshore School District, District 1. She has worked in the biotechnology industry for three decades and was elected to the school board in 2017. McGourty's strong campaign platform includes ensuring students are able to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, closing opportunity and outcome gaps, and making more progress on inclusivity and access to education for all students.

McGourty is being challenged by a slate of conservative candidates: Elizabeth Crowley, Brian Travis, and Michael Albrecht. Crowley is a Boeing employee who does not have any elected experience or a detailed campaign platform. Travis does not have a campaign website or any detailed information available. Albrecht is a recent graduate of Northshore schools after attending for 14 years. His campaign platform is not detailed.

McGourty is the best choice in the race for Northshore School District, District 1.

Incumbent Director Sandy Hayes is running for re-election to represent District 4 on the Northshore School Board. Hayes first joined the school board in 2009, and has also served as a leadership consultant for the Washington State School Directors’ Association since then. Outside of public service, she runs a restorative justice practice.

Since joining the board, Hayes has led school district improvements such as building of both Ruby Bridges Elementary and North Creek High School, creating one-to-one access for all students to laptops for learning, and purchasing three electric buses to reduce the school district’s carbon footprint. In this race, she is prioritizing digital equity including universally accessible broadband, expanding arts programming, and building adaptable curriculum to support career paths that may not yet exist. Hayes defines her campaign against the reactionary politics of some conservative school board candidates, and she has been widely endorsed by progressive elected officials and organizations.

Aerospace professional and consultant Chris Roberdeau is also in this race. He has corporate and nonprofit board experience, and is parent to two current District 4 students as well as a 2020 NSD graduate. Though Roberdeau has some good ideas, like funding mental and emotional health services and looking at the budget with an equity lens, he unfortunately participated in a reactionary rally to unseat board members for not going back to in-person learning sooner, despite science-based health concerns.

Katya Bautista, a consultant in the energy sector, is the other challenger for the the District 4 position. She is a more conservative candidates who wants to promote U.S. nationalism in the curriculum and characterized pushes for representative diversity as divisive.

Hayes is the best choice to represent District 4 with her background in law, community leadership, and direct school board experience. She deserves your vote to continue bringing positive change to the school district.

Incumbent school board director Amy Cast is running to retain her seat representing District 5. Cast has served the Northshore school district since first being elected in 2013. Outside of elected office, she runs her own website design company and serves as a leadership consultant for the Washington State School Director's Association. In this race, Cast has earned widespread support from Democratic leaders and organizations in her district.

Cast has helped Northshore to become one of the highest performing school districts in the state through work like adding language immersion programs, investments in alternative career paths through the Career and Technical Education class, and implementing social emotional health curriculum for kindergartners and up. If elected, she has detailed suggestions on equity including incorporating Universal Design for Learning, expanding cultural competence curriculum, and investing in student services like social emotional learning, mental health supports, and wrap-around financial need programs. Cast is also prioritizing careful budgeting after a 20% increase in the student population, and she wants to fund programming for modernized skill building.

Jasmine Lee Fry is a local business owner and mother to two students in NSD schools. She has been a part of many PTA groups, including facilitating the national PTA arts program, Reflections. In addition, Fry volunteers on the HiCap Parents Council and as a Girl Scout co-leader. She is running to improve equity in the school district. While NSD has over 40% students of color, the board has no racial diversity. As an Asian-American who immigrated to the U.S., Fry believes she would be the first person of color to serve on the school board. She also wants to update school infrastructure, responsibly manage the budget shortfall, and work on environmental sustainability. Fry has earned some local Democratic support in this race.

Also in this is race is Angela Chapman who works in fundraising for a mental health-focused nonprofit and is a parent to three NSD students. Unfortunately, Chapman was one of the parents who attended a May rally to open schools before safety guidelines supported it and recall the school board. If elected, she wants to focus on COVID-19 recovery. mental health student support, and improving programming for students with disabilities.

The final candidate in this race is Amy Felt, an attorney, NSD parent, and PTA member. Felt wants to amplify student voices while improving relationships between all school stakeholders including parents, administrators, teachers, unions, and board directors. She supports spending to close learning gaps between students and funding mental health resources.

Cast is the best choice in this race because of her widespread support from local leaders and organizations as well as her clear plan for bringing positive change to the school district.

Michelle Sarju is running for Seattle School Board in District 5. Sarju is a former midwife, social worker, and PTA member who currently works with King County Public Health.

Sarju is running to make sure that all children in the Seattle Public School system have a chance at a quality education and has earned strong progressive support in this race. Her campaign platform includes closing the racial gap in student opportunity, valuing alternative evidence-based metrics for success above standardized tests, providing social and emotional support for students, and investing in anti-racist curriculum. She believes that re-entry to in-person learning must be accompanied by increased vaccine access for both faculty and students. She also believes that in order to care for students during re-entry, schools must provide more mental health support. Sarju is committed to not simply going back to normal post-COVID, but instead addressing root causes to make our school system stronger and more equitable than ever.

Sarju is running against Crystal Liston and Dan Harder. Liston, who identifies as a disabled lesbian parent of two children in West Seattle school, wants to bring a new perspective to the school board. She has been highly involved with the school system, volunteering at 20 of the district’s 103 schools. Liston’s vision for the position is to bring an equity lens to the curriculum and resource distribution, support teachers and staff, and improve access to mental health resources for students.

Harder, a Boeing engineer, is running on a reactionary, Trump-style agenda focused on a conspiracy theory about critical race theory. Harder would use this excuse to walk back progress made in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Seattle Public School system. He lacks a vision for the role beyond Trump politics and has no community or elected experience.

We recommend Michelle Sarju for Seattle School Board in District 5 because of her clear, progressive vision and the broad support she has earned from our partners and local leaders.