Thurston County

Sen. Patty Murray has been a consistent and strong progressive voice in the U.S. Senate. She's seeking re-election to continue fighting for our basic rights and a higher quality of life in Washington and beyond.

Murray was first elected in 1992 and has been a champion for veterans, working families, women, and economic opportunities for all. Before her tenure in the Senate, Murray worked as a preschool teacher, on the Shoreline School Board, and in the Washington state Senate.

During her time in Congress, Sen. Murray has worked hard to keep our communities safe from gun violence, pass abortion rights at the federal level so that everyone has reproductive freedom, and expand access to affordable childcare. This year, she voted in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and a slate of other progressive bills that invest in working communities so that our country is a place where everyone can thrive. Murray has earned an impressive and diverse coalition of endorsements from local and national organizations, elected leaders, and unions.

Sen. Patty Murray is a national leader on many of the most important issues facing our country. She has earned your vote for re-election.

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler to represent Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. Perez identifies as a working-class Washingtonian and she co-owns a family auto repair shop with her husband. She also serves as the executive director of the Stevenson Downtown Association, which is a part of the Main Street America coalition to bring economic vitality to all communities. Additionally, Perez serves as an elected member of the Underwood Soil and Water Conservation District board.

Perez is running on a progressive platform to champion the needs of working families and improve the quality of life for all her constituents, particularly those in rural areas. As a working mom and small business owner, she is especially passionate about making health care and child care more accessible to all Americans. If elected, she also wants to protect reproductive freedom, represent the needs of rural residents, invest in clean energy, strengthen workers’ rights, and address the rising cost of living so that we can all afford the basics like rent, gas, and groceries.

Perez is the clear choice in this crowded race. She deserves your vote to represent the 3rd Congressional District and fight for progressive change at the federal level.

Rep. Marilyn Strickland is seeking re-election to continue serving Washington’s 10th District in the U.S. House. Strickland previously served as the mayor of Tacoma and on the city’s council before joining Congress in 2021, when she became the first African American and Korean American representative from Washington. She also formerly led both the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Pierce Transit.

In her years serving the public, Strickland has been a champion for working people in Washington and beyond. She has worked to lower the cost of prescription medicine, recover social security and veterans' benefits, and make corporations pay their share. Strickland also advocated for strong investments in public infrastructure like clean water, broadband, roadways, and parks. If re-elected, she will continue to fight for reproductive freedom, accessible health care, stable housing, and voting rights. Strickland has broad support in this race including endorsements from news publications, progressive organizations, community groups, and elected leaders across Washington and the country.

Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson is running as a nonpartisan candidate to bring an independent voice to the secretary of state's office. Anderson served on the Tacoma City Council before running for county auditor in 2009 and winning re-election three times. As Pierce County auditor, which is a nonpartisan position, she has administered dozens of elections while also overseeing licensing and public record-keeping.

Anderson is running as a nonpartisan candidate because she believes political parties shouldn't be involved in running elections they are simultaneously trying to win. Her campaign priorities include supporting more local races becoming nonpartisan, increasing access to voting and election information, and improving election security. She wants to translate the voters' pamphlet into 10 languages, going beyond what is mandated by the Voting Rights Act. She also wants to conduct risk-limiting audits in all 39 Washington counties and "pre-bunk" rumors to increase confidence in our state's election systems.

While Hobbs spoke more about using cybersecurity to protect our elections, Anderson leaned on her professional expertise to describe ways to expand our democracy. She believes, for example, that the state should redouble its efforts to reach voters with disabilities. By using a secure, expert-vetted electronic ballot similar to those used for overseas military voters, Anderson sees a path forward to reach those who don't always have access to vote.

During our interview, Anderson expressed support for ranked choice voting because she believes it will allow candidates to break through our two-party political system. She supports grants for local jurisdictions that are interested in trying ranked choice voting so that it's not unduly expensive for local governments, and so that auditors can learn more about how to manage and implement it.

Anderson offers voters an experienced option if they are looking for an independent to administer our state's elections.

Kelli Hughes-Ham is a high school teacher and Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Jim Walsh for 19th Legislative District, Position 1. Hughes-Ham serves both on the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum board of directors and as an elected Democratic precinct committee officer. She has also worked on the union bargaining committee and as a building representative for the Ocean Beach Education Association.

Hughes-Ham is running on a progressive platform focused on making the district a more sustainable place to live and work for everyone. She would prioritize climate solutions to protect our ecosystems, our local industries, and our communities for future generations. Hughes-Ham also wants to increase affordable housing options to make sure that everyone can access a roof over their head.

Rep. Walsh has been one of the most extreme MAGA Republicans since joining the Legislature in 2017. In 2021, he generated immense criticism when he wore a Star of David to protest COVID-19 vaccine rules, likening the state’s science-backed pandemic response to the Holocaust. He thinks criminalizing drugs further, rather than investing in prevention and treatment, will directly help those struggling with addiction.

Last session, Walsh voted against a slate of progressive bills including legislation to keep our communities safe from high-capacity firearms and to reduce the state’s carbon emissions. If re-elected, he will continue opposing efforts to rebalance our upside-down tax code and make corporations and the wealthy pay their share.

Residents in the 19th Legislative District deserve a representative who will take the most pressing community issues seriously and seek solutions that benefit all of us. We recommend Kelli Hughes-Ham for House Position 1.

Maria Siguenza is running for office to center the needs of marginalized people and communities in state decision-making. After starting in a call center for the Health Care Authority, she moved up to a position as an agency director in the governor's cabinet. Aside from directing the State Commission on Hispanic Affairs, she also serves on the Poverty Reduction Work Group and the Social-Emotional Learning Advisory Committee.

As a first-generation American from a working family led by a single mother, Siguenza wants to represent those in the district who are living paycheck-to-paycheck. When addressing the climate crisis, she wants to center low-wage workers and communities of color that stand to be the most affected. In our interview with her, she stated that her top three priorities would be helping small businesses, supporting education, and a holistic approach to homelessness. She would support her district mate Rep. Bateman's middle housing bill, which would expand housing options near transit. Siguenza would also work to expand apprenticeship and employment programs.

Rep. Jessica Bateman is running for re-election to the state House after a standout first term of supporting housing solutions and Washington families. Before her election to the House in 2020, Bateman served on the Olympia City Council, on the city's planning commission, and as deputy mayor. This year Bateman was the prime sponsor of the 'middle housing' bill, which sought to improve affordability by expanding housing options near transit. She was also a sponsor for accountability on ghost guns and prohibiting open carry in government buildings where city councils and school boards meet.

Bateman has two opponents this year - one Democrat and one Republican. Democrat Kevin Young also ran for this position in 2020. He has no website and very few policy details available for this year as of mid-July, but in his previous campaign, he supported universal health care and encouraged community oversight of the police. Republican Kate Plager is running on a vaguely conservative platform that lacks detail. She states that she will reduce "wasteful" spending and continue to provide the same level of services, without evidence of what is wasteful or would be cut. Like other Republicans this cycle, she references being a law and order candidate in a fear-driven attempt to garner votes without a foundation of what she would improve for the community.

Bateman's housing affordability bill was one of the most important pieces of legislation debated during the 2022 session. While it came up a few votes short, her leadership - particularly as a new legislator - was very impressive and filled a much-needed gap on this critical issue. We're excited to see what she can accomplish in her second term in the state House. Jessica Bateman has earned your vote.

Progressive Julianne Y. Gale is running for the Washington state Senate in the 35th Legislative District, the seat currently occupied by the retiring Sen. Tim Sheldon. Gale currently manages the Skokomish Indian Tribe’s youth program and has previously worked as a union construction worker, teacher, and grassroots climate advocate. She identifies as a queer, American-Chinese Jew and believes both her personal and work experiences of bringing people together will allow her to represent all the residents in her district if elected.

As a co-founder of Mason County Climate Justice, one of Gale’s top political priorities is climate justice. If elected, she would pursue regenerative foresting and clean water to ensure sustainable environments and jobs for generations to come. Having lost stable housing herself for a time, Gale also wants to make sure that Washington is a place where all people can access housing security and affordable health care.

Gale is running against Republican Rep. Drew MacEwen, who has represented the 35th Legislative District in the House since 2012. Now, he is running for the state Senate to prioritize the private sector while cutting funding to social services. In the last session, MacEwen voted against commonsense gun safety legislation and opposed a bill to put Washington on track with better energy code standards.

We strongly recommend Gale to represent residents of the 35th Legislative District in the state Senate with her vision for putting the community first.

James DeHart is running for the 35th Legislative District in Position 1. DeHart has worked for a variety of state agencies in his career in public records management, such as the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Transportation, and more. He is also involved with community orchestras and served as the musical director for a 2019 Broadway Olympia production.

DeHart is running on a progressive platform to invest in public infrastructure including school buildings, roads and bridges, transportation, meal programs, and high-speed broadband. If elected, he will also focus on climate solutions and specifically wants to look at energy alternatives that will benefit both residents and our environment. DeHart identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and wants to make sure that people of all marginalized communities, especially Washingtonians of color, have equal access to jobs, housing, and voting.

Also in this race is Republican incumbent Rep. Daniel Griffey who is running to remain in the seat he was first elected to in 2014. Outside of the Legislature, Griffey works as a lieutenant firefighter in central Mason County. This session, Griffey voted with the majority of conservatives to block commonsense measures to protect our communities from gun violence and to institute environmental protections. He wants to further militarize our police, even though our communities are actually safer when we have access to good schools, jobs, and housing.

James DeHart is the clear choice for House Position 1 in the 35th Legislative District.

Former American diplomat Sandra Kaiser is running for the 35th Legislative District 35, Position 2 seat as a Democrat. Kaiser served the Department of State for almost 30 years with many presidential administrations, leading public affairs and directing U.S. embassy operations. In Washington, she has worked for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Evergreen State College, and she currently works for serves as the vice president of the Capitol Land Trust board.

Kaiser is running to improve economic security for working families, invest in social services and public infrastructure, and improve our kids' classrooms. She wants to leverage her past government and communications experience with her hometown knowledge to build economic, social, and environmental sustainability in the 35th Legislative District.

There are three Republicans in this race: Patti Case, Travis Couture, and Tiffany Sevruk. Patti Case has spent the last 25 years doing public affairs work for a logging company that has faced criticism for its environmental practices. Like her fellow MAGA Republicans, she has criticized Inslee’s science-based, mask mandate which has helped us fight the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safer. Case is running to weaken police accountability measures while continuing to put militarized police forces into our communities. She joins other far-right candidates by opposing curriculums that teach our children both the good and bad of our country’s history so they are prepared for the future and better understand the cultures and experiences of others.

Navy veteran Travis Couture works for a manufacturing corporation that focuses on aerospace, arms, and defense, and he previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Legislature. In this race, he sets himself apart with an endorsement from Rep. Jesse Young, one of the most extreme MAGA Republicans in the Legislature. Though Couture claims to prioritize public safety, he opposes policies to keep our communities safe from gun violence and efforts to hold police accountable for their actions. If elected, he would cut funding for community investments that help all Washingtonians access quality schools, housing security, and affordable health care.

Tiffany Sevruk, the final candidate in this race, was elected to the board of directors for North Thurston Public Schools last year on a conservative platform. Outside of the school board, she works at a financial services firm and serves as the president of the Thurston County Women's Republican Club. Sevruk is running for the state House on a vague platform to weaken renters’ rights and cut funding for the services and resources that our communities rely on.

We recommend Sandra Kaiser in this crowded race for Position 2 in the 35th Legislative District. She is the clear choice to bring thoughtful leadership and progressive values to the House.

Steven Drew is the Democratic incumbent running for re-election to Thurston County assessor. Drew’s work in this role has been recognized by the Washington State Association of County Assessors and the International Association of Assessing Officers. Before being elected to the assessor’s office in 2011, he worked as an insurance adjuster and small business owner. In 2018, Governor Inslee appointed Drew to the South Puget Sound Community College Board of Trustees.

In the assessor’s office, Drew worked to eliminate a backlog of appeals that had been left by the predecessor and finally have the office begin meeting statutory deadlines. If re-elected, he wants to expand on equity, accessibility, and efficiency while continuing to meet the needs of the county with timely services.

Intercity Transit employee Dave Kolar is challenging Drew for the assessor position as an Independent on a more Republican platform to cut funding to the office’s services and functions. Kolar has never held public office, lacks a campaign website, and shared little about qualifying experience in his voters’ guide statement. He is supported by local conservatives in this race.

Steven Drew has delivered quality public services in his time as the county assessor, and he deserves your vote for re-election in this race.

Democrat Mary Hall is seeking re-election as Thurston County auditor, where she has served since 2013. The Office of the Secretary of the State named her the 2020 Auditor of the Year and she serves on the National Association of Election Officials board. Before joining Thurston County’s auditing office, Hall worked as an elections manager for Pierce County and as the president of an imaging and document management software company.

Hall oversaw safe and fair elections through the height of the pandemic and right-wing misinformation campaigns about election security. She is a trusted community leader who has focused on safeguarding our democracy both by ensuring election security and by expanding voting access. If re-elected, Hall also wants to continue making the auditor’s office as efficient and accessible for Thurston residents as possible. She has earned a number of progressive endorsements in this race from elected officials at state, county, and city levels.

Sal Militello is a Republican challenging Hall for the auditor position. He runs his own IT consulting firm and is campaigning on a vague and typical conservative platform in this race. Militello’s website is not functional as of mid-July.

Mary Hall is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for another term as Thurston County Auditor.

Democrat Tye Menser is running for re-election as Thurston County commissioner for District 3. Menser is an attorney, chair of the Thurston County Board of Health, and commissioner with the Thurston County Water Conservancy board. He was elected as county commissioner in 2018 and has been a champion of climate action, criminal justice reform, and small business support since then.

As a commissioner, Menser has helped pass a Climate Mitigation Plan, invested in affordable housing, and created more criminal justice diversion programs. His re-election priorities include protecting our natural environment for generations to come, ensuring residents can access stable housing, creating solutions outside of policing and prisons to address social issues, and continuing to help small businesses rebound from the pandemic. Menser has earned impressive and widespread support in this race including endorsements from local unions, elected progressives, and community organizations.

Republican Vivian Easer is challenging Menser. Easer serves on the Washington State Emergency Management board and has worked in emergency preparedness and within the criminal justice system. She is running on a conservative platform to cut funding from essential community investments in housing, education, and health care while pouring more money into militarizing and expanding police forces in our neighborhoods.

Menser has earned your vote for Thurston County Commission in District 3 to continue bringing sustainable, community-focused leadership to the county.