Distrito Legislativo 37th

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos is running for re-election to the 37th Legislative District, Position 1. Santos formerly worked in banking, politics, and nonprofit management before joining the Legislature in 1998. She is a moderate Democrat and the longest-serving representative of color in Washington’s history.

Though she took a disappointing stance against comprehensive sex education in 2020, Santos has been an advocate for economic justice, civil rights, and environmental action. This year, she took important votes to advance gun safety, set new environmental goals, and create a more equitable criminal legal system. If re-elected, Santos wants to invest in education, health care, and housing so that all Washingtonians have an equal opportunity to thrive.

Her opponent is Republican John Dickinson, who does not appear to have significant elected or community leadership experience. His platform is somewhat confusing, but two of his main goals are to "legalize cannabis" and restore the Comet Lodge graveyard. If elected, Dickinson promises to only serve one term.

Rep. Tomiko Santos is the best choice in this race.

Chipalo Street is running for 37th Legislative District, Position 2 to improve education, expand economic opportunity, and close the digital divide. He works in Microsoft's office of the CTO as a senior leader on emerging technology. He also serves on the board of the Institute For A Democratic Future, which trains up-and-coming civic leaders, and he is the co-founder of the Teacher Scientist Partnership at Technology Access Foundation Academy, which teaches a computer science curriculum in south Seattle.

Street is running on a strong progressive platform that includes supporting reproductive rights, delivering affordable housing, strengthening tenant protections, fighting for clean energy and environmental justice, expanding early education and childcare access, and strengthening laws that reduce gun violence.

In our interview with Street, he was very passionate about education with an emphasis on technology. Street believes that Washington can lead the nation in STEM education and that the Legislature can do more for students by funding free two-year college. He also spoke extensively about his experience being a small landlord and how he believes that tenants and owners should work in partnership. Street emphasized that during the pandemic he was able to keep all his tenants housed despite a third of them losing work. He supports tenant protections, rental assistance, housing vouchers, and ending exclusionary zoning in transit areas, which would bring more housing options like triplexes and duplexes.

Street's notable individual endorsements include Port Commissioners Hamdi Mohamed and Sam Cho, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, and Tukwila City Councilmember Mohamed Abdi, who all emphasized Street's work with small businesses, civic leadership, and his values around housing.

If you are looking for a candidate who is pushing to bridge the digital divide through education in the 37th Legislative District, Street would be a good choice.