Teamsters Joint Council 28 Endorsements

Incumbent Dave Somers is running for re-election for Snohomish County Executive. A former member of the Snohomish County Council, Somers has served as executive since 2016, where he manages twelve county offices, including Human Services, Medical Examiner, and Emergency Management.

As county executive, Somers has supported measures to create parks and open spaces, invest in alternative fuels, aid salmon recovery, and develop the Snohomish County Housing Task Force to help meet the affordable housing needs of the community. More recently, Somers announced the Snohomish County Outreach Team (SCOUT) to pair social workers with law enforcement on behavioral health calls. Somers has also awarded $500,000 in federal recovery dollars for two new youth and family resource centers: the South County Korean Community Service Center and The Clearwater School. These two centers will help provide culturally-appropriate health services, community workshops, food access, and support for LGTBQ youth and families.

Challenging Somers is Republican Bob Hagglund, who has served as the Snohomish County Republican Legislative District committee chairman and election integrity chairman since 2020. He also ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state in 2022. In an interview with The Everett Herald, Hagglund said that he voted for Trump in 2020 and hopes more Republicans will run on new ideas. Despite that, he touts tired old policies that have failed to address the root causes of homelessness and often end in cycling people through jail who may simply need more affordable housing or small amounts of support.

Somers is by far the best choice for Snohomish County Executive. 
 

Democratic Party activist and human rights advocate Jon Scanlon is running for At-Large, Position B on the Whatcom County Council. This seat is open following the retirement of Carol Frazey. Previously, Scanlon worked at the U.S. State Department and with OxFam America doing humanitarian work. In addition, he has been a consistent volunteer and elected leader within the Whatcom County Democrats. 

Scanlon is running for office with a focus on affordability and environmental conservation. In particular, he would work to strengthen protections against flooding, ensure access to clean air and water, and preserve the county's farmlands and forests. His two decades of public policy and advocacy experience would also be a welcome addition to the council.

Scanlon faces Hannah Ordos on the ballot this November. Ordos is a customer support manager at Vitamin Porfolio LLC and is a member of the North Sound Behavioral Health Advisory Board. Her website focuses on bringing people together and offers few specific policy details. In 2021, she endorsed Republican Tyler Byrd for Whatcom County Council and this February she was part of a group of "vaccine skeptics" nominated for the Whatcom County Health Board. 

Scanlon has earned an impressive slate of progressive endorsements and is the best choice for Whatcom County Council, At-Large Position B. 

Attorney and nonprofit founder Girmay Zahilay is running unopposed for re-election for King County Council, District 2. 

In his first four-year term, Zahilay has been a standout progressive on the council, focusing on equitable development, preventing gun violence, and fighting for justice at the county level. He has pushed for more funding and opportunities for Skyway, an unincorporated part of the county with the highest proportion of Black people of any community in the state that also faces immense disinvestment, childhood poverty, and a low median income. Zahilay has worked to increase funding for Metro transit, open a tiny home village, fund $5 million in affordable housing, and $10 million in seed funding for a community center. Finally, he played a lead role in amending the county charter to appoint the sheriff, as well as giving more investigational power to the county on cases of police brutality. 

Zahilay has earned your vote for King County Council.  

Claudia Balducci is running unopposed for re-election to the King County Council from District 6. 

First elected in 2015, Balducci previously served as the mayor of Bellevue during her 12 years on the Bellevue City Council. She is also the founder and chair of the Regional Affordable Housing Committee and a board member of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. 

Balducci is running on a platform of affordable housing, updating transportation options, and ensuring climate justice. A few of the policies that she and the council worked on this term include putting a fully serviced shelter on the Eastside for people experiencing homelessness, improving and electrifying buses, and passing gun violence prevention policies. Balducci spearheaded a successful effort to create a Sound Transit "starter line" to connect Bellevue and Redmond while work continues on the East Link Extension to Seattle.

Balducci is one of the brightest and most effective progressive leaders in our region. She has earned your vote for re-election to the King County Council.  

Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda is running for King County Council, District 8. Mosqueda was first elected to the Seattle City Council in 2017 and has proved a consistent and progressive policymaker. She previously worked at the Washington State Department of Health, Children’s Alliance, Community Health Plan of Washington, and the Washington State Labor Council, with a focus on workers' rights and childrens' healthcare. Among other community roles, she also served on the board of Fuse Washington, which publishes this guide. Mosqueda is a proud third-generation Mexican-American who would become the first Latina ever to serve on the King County Council if elected.

Mosqueda has distinguished herself as a progressive leader on the Seattle City Council. She championed the Jumpstart Seattle legislation, which funds affordable housing, childcare, and climate resilience through a tax on high earners and wealthy corporations. Mosqueda also helped secure paid sick leave and fair wage protections for working people that are often exploited by their employers - like gig drivers, domestic workers, and hotel workers. Her current goal is passing the 2023 Housing Levy, which will be on the ballot for Seattle voters this November and would provide funding for crucial affordable housing, childcare services, and communal and cultural spaces that are disappearing from the city.

If elected to the county council, Mosqueda hopes to use her experience to address new and pressing issues in the county. Some of her priorities include finding locations for the six new county behavioral health centers, building workforce housing outside of Seattle, increasing apprenticeship programs, and more. 

Mosqueda is the clear choice for King County Council from District 8. 
 

Jackie Dexter is a moderate Democrat running for Whatcom County Council in District 5. She works as an aquaculturist with Drayton Harbor Oyster Farms and lives on her family farm where she raises chickens and cattle. She serves on the Whatcom County Marine Resource Committee and is active with the Blaine Elementary PTO.

Dexter is committed to finding ways to balance the needs of the maritime, agriculture, and refinery industries, which all provide many good jobs in Whatcom County. As the mother of two children in public schools, she wants to expand access to childcare and improve early childhood development opportunities for all families. 

Dexter is challenging Republican Ben Elenbaas in District 5. Outside of the council, he works in the agricultural industry. Last year, Elenbaas ran as a Republican for state Senate and lost in the primary, earning only 19 percent of the vote. Even though working Washingtonians are struggling to pay bills and afford health care, Elenbaas prioritizes industry and corporations, especially oil interests in the region. Elenbaas is also poor at collaborating with his colleagues and often sticks to GOP talking points instead of working together to find solutions that work for everyone.

Dexter has earned impressive endorsements in this race because she understands the community's needs and will work together with her colleagues to get things done. Jackie Dexter is the clear choice for Whatcom County Council from District 5.
 

Wayne Fournier is running for Thurston County Commissioner, Position 4 - a new seat created this year. Born and raised in Tenino, Fournier served as a parole officer, firefighter, and city council member before being elected as Tenino's mayor in 2015.

Fournier's platform includes preserving Thurston County's natural beauty by opposing a new airport, providing better representation for south Thurston County residents, and funding infrastructure, first responders, and local culture.

During his years as mayor, Fournier doubled the city budget, renovated every city-owned facility, and obtained a $750,000 grant for playgrounds. He was named best mayor in Western Washington by KING5 in 2017 and gained national attention during the pandemic for starting a local currency program that gave residents wooden money to spend exclusively at businesses in the city.

Fournier has faced a few notable scandals. He served two years in a diversion program for allegedly slapping a phone out of the hand of a local bartender in 2019. In 2020, while under his mayorship, the city of Tenino was scammed out of $280,000, leading to a recall effort. However, the recall attempt was dismissed and Tenino ended up netting $70,000 when the city sued their insurance company over the scam.

The other candidate for this position is conservative Vivian Eason, who ran for county commissioner as a Republican in 2022. Eason is a retired army veteran who previously worked with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office. She blames the commonsense accountability measures that Washington placed on police for peoples' struggle with drug addiction and homelessness and would make funding police her top priority. She has also been present at events with far-right MAGA Republican Joe Kent.

Although his career is not free of controversy, Fournier's mayorship has shown his support for labor unions and funding the public infrastructure that helps our communities thrive. Fournier is the best choice in this race.
 

Hanan Amer is running for Auburn City Council, Position 7. The seat is currently held by Bob Baggett who is not seeking a third term on the council. Amer has a background in chemistry and works at a local aerospace company. She dedicates much of her free time to public service and has served on the city’s diversity council and on the planning commission. Amer also volunteers with the Girl Scouts.

Amer is running an optimistic, inclusive campaign to make Auburn a safe place to live and work for all. If elected, she wants to focus on social equity, environmental stewardship, community safety, and quality municipal leadership. In this race, Amer has earned endorsements from local unions, Democratic groups, and community leaders across multiple levels of government.

The other candidate in this race is Brian Lott, an administrative executive for a local food technology company. Though he says he disagrees with partisan politics, Lott is running on a conservative platform. He offers an uncompassionate and ineffective approach to the housing crisis and wants to use public funds to further militarize our police instead of investing in alternatives.

Auburn residents deserve a council member focused on community solutions instead of divisive policies. Hanan Amer is the clear choice in this race for Auburn City Council, Position 7.
 

Incumbent and progressive advocate John Stokes is running for another term in Position 1 on the Bellevue City Council. He has a long track record in public service. Before joining the council in 2012, Stokes served on both the Parks & Community Services Board and Eastgate/I-90 Citizen Advisory Committee, and he co-founded a nonprofit focused on providing resources, support, and opportunities for children to set them up for happy and healthy lives.

In office, Stokes has been a staunch voice for affordability in Bellevue. He led the Downtown Livability Initiative to allow the development of Bellevue’s vibrant downtown. Additionally, Stokes' dedication to parks and green spaces promotes a healthier, greener Bellevue, benefiting both residents and the planet. 

Throughout his tenure, Stokes has supported community safety efforts to ensure Bellevue remains a great place to live and raise a family. In this race, he has earned impressive endorsements, including from the King County Democrats and the Bellevue Firefighters. 

Business owner Paul Clark is the other candidate in this race. Clark has served on both the Civil Service Commission and Parks and Community Services Board. He is running on a typical conservative agenda this year that includes opposing policies that would reduce the cost of housing in Bellevue. He also would have made it harder to build more permanent supportive housing in Bellevue, which is necessary to alleviate long-term homelessness. Like fellow conservative candidate Betsi Hummer, Clark took a maximum donation from billionaire developer Kemper Freeman along with other prominent Republicans. 

We recommend John Stokes for Bellevue City Council because of his progressive track record and experience in community leadership. 

Mo Malakoutian is running for Bellevue City Council, Position 3, to replace Jeremy Barksdale, who chose not to run for re-election. Malakoutian received his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Washington. He now works at Amazon coaching and training employees, particularly those in warehouse and delivery roles, for higher-level positions. He also works part-time as an assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UW. 

Malakoutian has been active in the local community for many years. He is currently the chair of the Bellevue Planning Commission, where he has both worked on the city's plans for sustainable growth and helped develop guidelines for housing and facilities to support people experiencing homelessness. 

Malakoutian's top campaign priority is affordable housing. He wants to use his experience in civil engineering and on the planning commission to build more homes, reduce the cost of housing, and prevent seniors from being priced out of their homes. He would also work with partners in nearby jurisdictions to ensure we continue to address homelessness through a regional response. Malakoutian is also committed to acting on climate change and supports improving transportation and transit options throughout Bellevue. 

His opponent is Alex Tsimerman, who is best known for verbally abusing city council members at public hearings. He is an outspoken Trump supporter who regularly compares Democrats to Nazis and uses racial slurs during public meetings. Tsimerman has no place in elected office.

Malakoutian is a strong first-time candidate for office with extensive professional and community experience that will serve him well on the council. We recommend Mo Malakoutian for Bellevue City Council, Position 3.
 

Incumbent council member Janice Zahn is running for a second term on the Bellevue City Council in Position 5. She is the chief engineer for the Port of Seattle and serves on the city of Bellevue's Transportation Commission. Zahn emigrated from Hong Kong as a child and has dedicated her adult life to stewarding public infrastructure and services. 

Zahn serves with a strong vision for a safe, accessible, and more affordable Bellevue. Zahn states that community safety has always been a top priority for her. She worked to secure funding to ensure Bellevue has the public safety and mental health resources necessary to address the complex challenges facing our growing city. 

If re-elected, she wants to continue making strides in improving our transportation system, increasing affordable housing options, and planning to serve generations of residents to come. Zahn has consistently supported investments in public green spaces like the Downtown Park and has worked to protect our tree canopy, preserving Bellevue’s environment for a high quality of life. Zahn would also focus on the communication between the council and the community to build stronger relationships and increase understanding of municipal government. Zahn's strong community focus and efforts to keep our neighborhoods safe have earned her the sole endorsement of the Bellevue Firefighters. 

Also in this race is Betsi Hummer, who previously worked in sales and marketing for a lumber company. She also served for three terms on the East Bellevue Community Council. Unfortunately, Hummer opposes policy changes that would make housing more affordable in Bellevue. Without these long overdue reforms, spiraling housing costs will continue to displace our seniors and prevent young people from buying their first homes. Hummer accepted the maximum campaign donation from billionaire developer Kemper Freeman, who has been a longtime opponent of light rail in Bellevue, and she has been endorsed by other prominent Republicans. 

Janice Zahn has been a thoughtful and strategic leader for Bellevue who is always willing to listen to the needs of the community. Zahn is the clear choice for Bellevue City Council, Position 5.
 

Dave Hamilton is running for Bellevue City Council, Position 7, to replace conservative Jennifer Robertson, who is not seeking re-election. 

Until late 2022, Hamilton was the CEO of Delivery Express, which specialized in health care and retail shipping and logistics. Hamilton is a longtime Eastside resident who is active in the community. He is currently serving his second term on the Bellevue Parks & Community Services Board and previously served on the board of The Sophia Way, which provides support for women experiencing homelessness. 

Hamilton is running for Bellevue City Council to improve housing affordability, keep our communities safe, and protect our parks and green spaces. He fully supports building more homes and increasing density in neighborhoods like Wilburton and Bel-Red. He wants his six kids to have the same opportunity he did to afford a home in Bellevue. Hamilton would work closely with King County and neighboring cities to ensure Bellevue is contributing toward a regional solution to homelessness. 

Hamilton has received some criticism from the left for his occasional support for conservative candidates like Reagan Dunn and Jared Nieuwenhuis. However, he has largely supported Democrats and progressives in the past and said he "will represent a change" on the city council from the conservative incumbent.

His opponent is Bill Hirt, a perennial, single-issue candidate who is fixated on blocking light rail, which is scheduled to begin service in Bellevue next spring. Hirt is not a credible candidate for office. 

Hamilton has earned a bipartisan slate of endorsements from organizations and elected officials, including all six Democrats that represent Bellevue in the state Legislature. Dave Hamilton is the clear choice in the race for Bellevue City Council, Position 7.  

Lisa Anderson, a program manager at Whatcom Community College, is running unopposed to continue representing Ward 5 on the Bellingham City Council. She is running to build more affordable housing, protect our clean air and water, and fund alternative support teams and support services to reduce incarceration.

Anderson has been a champion for the environment in Bellingham, voting to ban single-use plastics, preserve lands for wildlife and watershed protection, and increase infrastructure for electric vehicles and bicycles. She wants to increase sustainable, green energy jobs if re-elected.

A proud union member, Anderson has also supported hazard pay for grocery workers, apprenticeship programs for city workers, and grants for local businesses. Although we think she could have been a stronger voice in favor of the council raising the minimum wage, she has overall championed the interests of working people.

One of Anderson's top priorities is housing. She supported payment assistance during the pandemic, created new affordable housing that replaced an unsafe motel, and passed a tax to fund tiny homes with case managers that assist residents into permanent housing. She wants to create more zoning that includes homes that working people can afford, although she is concerned about how ADUs will impact historic neighborhoods.

Anderson has also stated her desire to reduce incarceration in favor of increasing support systems for addiction and mental health. However, we are disappointed that she voted in favor of making public drug use a misdemeanor punishable by jail time or a $1,000 fine. In the future, we hope that she will stand by her belief that we can't arrest our way out of residents' struggles with addiction.

Anderson is running unopposed, and has the support of a number of our progressive partners. She is the best choice in this race.

Former deputy mayor Krystal Marx is running for Burien City Council, Position 6, which is currently held by Sofia Aragon. She previously served on the council from 2017 through 2021. She is the former executive director of Seattle Pride and previously worked for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Washington. Currently, she is the vice president of business operations for the Seattle Seawolves rugby team. 

During her previous term, Marx was a consistent progressive voice on the council. She takes a housing-first approach to homelessness, which prioritizes getting people in crisis into stable housing, 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 frontline workers like grocery store employees. She also voted in favor of expanding affordable housing in downtown Burien that includes units designated for Burien residents and veterans.

Marx is running against small business owner Alex Andrade. Andrade runs the printing business Citlali Creativo and serves on the board of Discover Burien. she is running on a more conservative platform focused on policing and homelessness. Andrade recently told the B-Town Blog that she would support criminalizing people experiencing homelessness and repeatedly said she wanted to give police more power to enforce this law. Not surprisingly, she's been endorsed by some of the incumbents on the Burien City Council who have taken a hardline approach to criminalizing people who have been forced to turn to the streets for shelter. 

Marx has earned sweeping endorsements from our partner organizations, which is a reflection of her progressive values and positive vision for Burien. Marx is the clear choice for Burien City Council, Position 6. 
 

Adjunct professor Jacquelyn Belock is running for Cheney City Council, Position 6 on a progressive platform that seeks to improve life for all in the city. As a mom who serves as vice-chair of the Cheney Planning Commission, Belock has unique insight into how to engage the community with local government.

Belock's work on the planning commission has aimed to make sensible zoning reform that allows for more than just expensive single-family homes. Securing more types of housing, more affordable housing, and pushing back against big developers has been a huge part of her work in the community, including speaking up for residents of the threatened trailer park. 

If elected, Belock wants to lead the city in making improvements for people walking and rolling in our neighborhoods. She knows the community needs to update water infrastructure due to aging and outdated reservoirs. She's also excited to expand recreational spaces so that everyone can access spaces to thrive and play.

Her opponent, Ag Enterprise Supply worker Pete Montague, states that he's not running with a specific agenda and just wants to give back to the community. In comparison to Belock's strong pro-worker stance, Montague says that he is not pro- or anti-union, and believes that fighting or striking for better rights is sometimes "selfish." He lists no elected or community leadership experience in his official voter pamphlet statement and has no website or social media to take a closer look at his agenda as of mid-October.

Belock is engaged and excited to work for the community with her progressive platform. She is by far the best choice for Cheney City Council, Position 6.
 

Incumbent Mike Nelson is running for re-election as mayor of Edmonds. He served one term as a city council member before his election as mayor in 2019. He also serves as chair of the Public Safety Committee and on the city's Youth Commission, which he created to help young people get involved in the community.

Nelson is a strong proponent of making the city more affordable for all families, improving pedestrian safety, and protecting Edmonds’ natural environment. If re-elected, he wants to carry out the city's Climate Action Plan and continue the Human Services Program, which provides a dedicated social worker to meet residents' needs for a different response to public safety issues. Nelson's vision for Edmonds includes childcare tax credits, property tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities, small business incentives, and federal and state grants to improve infrastructure. In his 2023 budget message, Nelson called for the creation of an in-house prosecuting attorney, which led to the abrupt departure of the legal firm that currently provides Edmonds with prosecutorial services. 

His opponent is Mike Rosen, who has served on the Edmonds Planning Board and Center for the Arts. He states that he's running to restore the community's confidence in city government. His campaign website lacks substantive answers to the issues facing Edmonds and each category is instead filled with questions instead of policy solutions. 

Rosen acknowledges that Edmonds is growing but seems to be more concerned with the city's charm than ensuring that housing is affordable and available for all. In an interview with the Edmonds Beacon, he said the city will never have enough resources to do what it wants to do, and that there aren't enough resources locally to deal with homelessness, food insecurity, or crime.

Nelson has provided Edmonds with steady leadership over the last four years and deserves your vote for re-election.  

Demi Chatters is a working mom and progressive activist running for Everett City Council, Position 6. She is a long-time Everett resident who has served on the Everett Planning Commission and Snohomish County Human Rights Commission. She also volunteers with organizations that center youth, Black, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Chatters is running for office to center the needs of the working people of Everett. One of her top priorities is increasing housing options for people with lower or middle incomes who are struggling to keep a roof over their head. Her platform also prioritizes workers' rights, accessible green spaces, and a public safety approach that relies on social supports over policing. She points to several concrete ways she will work towards her goals, including reforming zoning laws to allow the building of more homes, requiring fair wages and working conditions on city-funded projects, increasing transit routes, creating mini-parks, and expanding the team of social workers that respond to emergencies.

Chatters' opponent, conservative Scott Bader, was an obstacle to progress on important city reforms during his time on council. Bader supported inflating the police budget by $6 million while cutting the funding for services that we know actually keep our communities safe, housed, and healthy. He also proposed expanding the controversial "no sit, no lie" ordinance that criminalizes homelessness rather than seeking real solutions. 

Chatters has earned the support of many progressive leaders and organizations. Because of her community involvement, dedication to racial justice, and concrete plans for progress, she is by far the best choice for Everett City Council, Position 6.
 

Judith Martinez is challenging Judy Tuohy for the Position 7 seat on the Everett City Council. Martinez has worked for the Snohomish County Public Utility District for over six years to deliver Snohomish residents safe and reliable utilities. She is an IBEW Local 77 union member and an active community leader, volunteering with Everett Public Schools, the local Boys & Girls Club, and the Downtown Everett Association Flower Program. Martinez believes that as an immigrant and working mother with strong community ties, she could represent an important voice for the council.

Martinez is running on a progressive and detailed platform to make Everett a more affordable, prosperous, and equitable place to live. If elected, she wants to strengthen the relationship between the council and residents through open communication, engagement, and accessibility. Her top policy priorities include creating more living wage jobs, addressing the housing crisis, and protecting our environment so that Everett is a safe place to live for generations to come.

Incumbent Judy Tuohy was born and raised in Everett and has served on the council since 2014. Although Tuohy's top priority is addressing homelessness and public safety, she has taken a more conservative approach to these issues during her time on council. Martinez was inspired to challenge Tuohy partly in response to two recent disappointing votes.

Tuohy was part of the conservative majority that voted in favor of the "no-sit, no-lie" ordinance that criminalized sitting or lying down in city zones near service providers. Martinez is concerned that the expansion of these zones punishes both the people who are struggling, as well as people providing mutual aid to people on the streets. Martinez would take a more humane and compassionate approach that focuses on root causes, rather than merely forcing people to move from place to place.

Tuohy also voted against the project labor agreement ordinance, which would have empowered workers on city projects to bargain for fair wages and working conditions. As a long-time union member who has advocated for worker safety at the state level, Martinez would be a stronger voice for the wellbeing of working people.

Martinez is the best choice for Everett City Council, Position 7 because of her impressive list of endorsements and broadly progressive platform.
 

Denise Yun is a nurse running for Federal Way City Council, Position 7. Her three-part platform includes public safety, homelessness, and economic development. With her experience as a mental health nurse and an addiction nurse, Yun says the city can do more to promote medical treatment and getting people back into homes and reunited with their families. As someone who is formerly homeless, Yun also wants to see a multifaceted approach to the problem that takes into account whether people are suffering from untreated mental health issues, affordability, or more, and make sure they can get the help they need. 

Yun's endorsements by many Democratic elected officials and progressive organizations, including local Democratic organizations, point toward the hope that she can turn around the conservative votes taken by the incumbent. 

Her opponent is current council member Linda Kochmar, who has served for nearly 20 years on the Federal Way City Council. She is the current council president and has also been mayor, deputy mayor, and a former Republican state representative. Kochmar ran and lost a campaign for state senate in 2022 on an agenda of overturning police accountability laws that passed in recent years. If Kochmar is re-elected, there's no reason to believe that she would not continue to be a conservative force on the city council. She opposed hazard pay for essential grocery store workers in 2021 and would likely continue to oppose efforts to meet the needs of the most economically vulnerable in the community. 

Yun is the best choice for Federal Way City Council, Position 7. 

Community organizer Bryan Yambe is running to retain his seat on the Fife City Council, Position 1. Yambe is a lifelong volunteer and movement-builder. He has worked with the Pierce County Young Democrats, 25th Legislative District Democrats, and the Washington State Labor Council, as well as multiple other boards and progressive organizations. When he was elected in 2013, he became only the second Japanese-American person and one of the youngest people to ever serve on the Fife City Council.

Yambe is running to improve public safety and accountability measures, increase funding for transportation, reduce homelessness, and make living in Fife more affordable for youth, seniors, and working people. During his time on council, he has helped connect residents experiencing homelessness to housing and services, secured more than $100 million for transportation projects, and provided utility payment relief and living wage career options to young people in the city.

Yambe faces a challenge from Barry D. Johnson, who previously served on the Fife Planning Commission and Parks Board. He is running to improve transparency and collaboration on the council, but his campaign platform is otherwise thin on details. 

Yambe is endorsed by many progressive groups like Planned Parenthood, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, and many local unions. Because of his dedication to inclusion and creating opportunities for the young people in our community, Yambe is the best choice for Fife City Council, Position 1. 

 

John Boyd is running for Kent City Council, Position 3. Boyd is a retired quality assurance inspector for Boeing and a Navy veteran. 

Boyd's campaign priorities include developing a comprehensive plan to address homelessness that involves wrap-around services, sustainable development, rebuilding trust in law enforcement, and responsible budget spending. He highlights his certification in chemical dependency and experience as a volunteer at Therapeutic Health Services as important for addressing some of the root causes of homelessness, like substance abuse. Boyd supports increasing access to mental health services and job training programs. 

His opponent is litigation paralegal Kelly Wiggans-Crawford. Despite stating that she will prioritize addressing the homelessness crisis and creating a safe community, Wiggans-Crawford has been an active advocate for Kent's punitive encampment bans. Wiggans-Crawford's campaign website lacks substantial plans to effectively tackle homelessness and other challenges confronting Kent, and in an interview with the Kent Reporter stated that she does not feel she needs to have the answers for community issues, but is excited to connect with those who do. This does not give us confidence that she will be ready to hit the ground running if elected. 

Boyd has picked up a large number of organizational endorsements, including from local Democratic organizations and unions. He is the best choice for Kent City Council, Position 3.
 

Spencer Zeman is challenging incumbent Lenny Greenstein for Position 2 on the Lacey City Council. He is a disabled Army veteran and local business owner whose platform represents a much more progressive take than Greenstein's.

Zeman believes in working wages and stable housing for all. On homelessness, he points to how incarceration has failed to solve the root problems of people needing to live on the streets in the first place. He would act with civic mindedness and follow the science on housing to work regionally on creating more affordable housing options and homes with smaller footprints. He acknowledges that growth is coming to the city, and wants to manage it sustainably by creating an environmentally sustainable plan. Zeman believes collaborating regionally is the best way forward on big problems, pooling resources and expertise so that the residents of Lacey can thrive.

Lenny Greenstein has served on the council for three terms already. He touts his advocacy for a "business-friendly environment" and the new $40 million police station as two points of pride and accomplishment of his service so far, part of a conservative platform that doesn't recognize the needs of all Lacey residents.

Greenstein was one of two councilmembers, including fellow conservative Ed Kunkel, who voted against flying diverse flags through the year to celebrate the Nisqually and Squaxin Tribes, as well as Juneteenth and Pride Flags. In February of this year, Greenstein voted against an agreement with the Regional Housing Council, a process that seeks to bring Thurston County and its cities together to solve issues with homelessness and housing. Greenstein has been an impediment on the time-sensitive issue, stating that Olympia has too much representation of the council despite the majority of services being located there.

If elected to a fourth term, Greenstein will continue to be a roadblock to progress on several fronts. Zeman has the endorsement of local Democratic groups and is the best choice in this race.

Nick Coelho is challenging incumbent Jim Smith for Position 4 on the Lynnwood City Council. Coelho is a local small business owner who co-owns a board game pub and serves on the city’s board of Parks and Recreation to advocate for public green space. He has served on a number of community boards, volunteers regularly, and previously ran for local office.

If elected, Coelho wants to respond to the rapid changes in Lynnwood by ensuring that city growth benefits all residents and doesn’t leave anyone behind. He also wants to be a voice for the city’s working class in Lynnwood leadership. Coelho names public safety, direction, and opportunity as the guiding priorities of his campaign. He wants to invest in public infrastructure, build a strong city center, support local businesses, and make use of public space in innovative and creative ways. 

Incumbent council member Jim Smith has pushed a more conservative agenda during his time on the council. He was first elected to his seat in the 1980s and now runs a music entertainment company outside of his council work. If re-elected, he wants to cut revenue that funds for public services and social programs. Last year, an independent investigation conducted at the behest of the city validated claims that Smith racially and sexually discriminated against city staff members.

We recommend Nick Coelho for Lynnwood City Council, Position 4 because of his strong endorsements and more progressive vision for the city. 

David Parshall is running for Lynnwood City Council, Position 7 to replace retiring council member Shannon Sessions. Parshall is a former local teacher, youth sports coach, and Democratic precinct committee officer. In his community roles, he has personally observed the challenges facing Lynnwood’s diverse, working families.

Parshall is running to improve equity, safety, livability in Lynnwood. If elected, he wants to promote development that puts the community first by investing in public transportation upgrades to connect Lynnwood better. He would also work to reduce traffic and support seniors, veterans, and students. Parshall has earned has the lion’s share of progressive and community endorsements in this race, including from the local labor council, elected officials, and community leaders.

Derek Hanusch, an intern at a global NGO, is the other candidate in this race. Hanusch has a campaign website but it lacks any information aside from a contact form as of mid-October. In this campaign announcement video, he shared no issues but he confusingly referred to Lynnwood’s “all are welcome” slogan as “controversial.” Hanusch is not progressive; he publicly supported a Republican legislative candidate last year and has a strong bent towards criminalization instead of community investment. Lynnwood residents deserve a council representative who takes community needs seriously and has a plan to make the city better for everyone.

Though he is not a strong progressive, David Parshall is the best choice for Lynnwood City Council, Position 7 because of his community experience and impressive endorsements.
 

We believe Andrew Vander Stoep is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we encourage you to visit their website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.
 

Dontae Derrell Payne is a U.S. Army veteran and Olympia City Council member running for Mayor of Olympia. He has national experience as a staffer in the U.S. House and currently works as a policy advisor for civil rights and racial justice in the office of the governor. He became the first Black man to serve on the Olympia City Council when he was elected in 2016.

Payne was first motivated to run for office because of the lack of representation for Black and brown people in city government. He says his experience as a gay, Black, former military member will bring the voice of marginalized people to the table. In his bid for mayor, his main goals are to increase affordable housing, provide community safety outside of law enforcement, and create financial wellbeing for all Olympia families.

During his time on city council, Payne has supported renters' rights legislation that capped move-in fees and required landlords to give more advanced notice of rent increases. He also voted to create a tiny home village and build more than 100 units of affordable housing. Unlike his opponent, Payne knows sweeps and criminalizing encampments just shuffles people around. As mayor, he would focus on meeting peoples' basic needs, funding case workers, and creating more types of housing that working people can afford.

Payne has a nuanced opinion on public safety. Although he has a personal negative experience with a patrol officer and wants to get systemic racism out of policing, he sees the discussion of the budget as "a convenient distraction from white supremacy" when there is still a need for officers. He supported implementing police accountability measures like body and car cameras, and wants to increase non-law enforcement resources for people experiencing mental health crises or substance abuse issues.

Payne's challenger is David Ross, a conservative-leaning candidate whose platform focuses on increasing policing and labeling everyone without a home a criminal by making homelessness itself a crime. Despite having a background doing social work and outreach to homeless residents, Ross calls approaches to homelessness that prioritize housing first "wrong-headed." He believes in enforcing penalties for living in public spaces, even though sweeping people from place to place and criminalizing homelessness would only add to peoples' struggles. While Ross has some progressive suggestions to tackle the issue, such as increasing density downtown and sending social workers alongside police, his single-minded focus on eliminating visible homelessness should be a red flag for voters. Unlike his opponent, Ross’ platform does not address any of the other issues that Olympia faces.

Because of his extensive experience, proven track record, and dedication to racial justice, Payne is the best choice in this race.
 

Yến Huỳnh is running unopposed for re-election to the Olympia City Council, Position 2. She was first appointed to the council in early 2021 and won her election in November of that year to serve the final two years of her term. She is an equity and social justice consultant at the Washington State Department of Corrections, where she aims to reduce recidivism, and is a former Olympia planning commissioner. She is one of two people of color currently serving on the council and is the youngest member representing Olympia.

Over the last two years, Huỳnh has prioritized public health, economic resiliency, and climate justice. The council member wants to see public safety reimagined through the input of the community and wants to see first responders and diverse community members included as part of the city's public safety decision-making process. Huỳnh joined her colleagues voting in favor of increased protections for renters that will help keep costs down. The legislation capped move-in fees and pet fees, and required landlords to provide more advanced notice for rent increases. In addition, she voted for $4 per hour hazard pay for frontline grocery store workers early in the pandemic. 

Huynh's solid track record on the council and support from the progressive community make her the best choice for Olympia City Council, Position 2. 
 

Shellie Willis is running for Puyallup City Council in the At-Large Position which is currently held by Mayor Dean Johnson. Willis is the Senior Director of Collective Impact at a local nonprofit that supports Pierce County workforce development. She is an army veteran and serves as the CEO of her own organization that provides services and support to servicewomen, women veterans, and military spouses as they transition out of service. Additionally, Willis is a Women Veterans Advisory Committee member for the state’s Department of Veteran Affairs and serves on the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce as the chair-elect.

If elected, Willis wants to bring Puyallup to its full potential as a city where people want to settle down, work, raise families, start businesses, and visit. She is motivated to bring resident voices to the table, collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and deliver efficient leadership. Willis is running on an inclusive platform that places people above party and emphasizes connection and ensuring everyone feels safe in the community. She has impressive endorsements in this race including from local unions, progressive organizations, and The News Tribune.

Renne Gilliam, a career and technical education teacher for the Puyallup School District, is the other candidate in this race. Gilliam has emphasized her family’s longstanding ties to Puyallup throughout this campaign, however she has yet to share a detailed campaign platform and has no campaign website as of early October.

We recommend Shellie Willis for the Puyallup City Council, At-Large Position because of her vision, proven leadership, and strong community support in this race.
 

Kim-Khanh Van is running for re-election to Renton City Council, Position 7, where she has served since 2020. After her family escaped Vietnam as refugees and settled in King County, she went on to earn her law degree and become an attorney. Van is now an active member of the community, volunteering with groups that serve veterans, protect the local environment, and provide legal aid to immigrants. She also is a board member of the PTA at Kennydale, where her child attends school, and is the co-founder of AAPI Against Hate.

Van has been a relatively progressive voice during her time on the city council. She supported allocating pandemic funding to homeownership programs, human services, and small businesses. She also advocated testing for toxic "forever chemicals" in our water systems and denounced the construction of an asphalt plant on the Cedar River. She was also one of only two members of the Renton City Council who voted to maintain the Red Lion Hotel as a source of housing for residents experiencing homelessness.

Van has been an outspoken advocate for immigrants and communities of color and has earned impressive support from our partners in this race. 

Former Renton City Council member and Boeing engineer Randy Corman is challenging Kim-Khanh Van for Position 7. Corman retired from the council in 2021 after 24 years in office. Corman's platform has a few progressive goals, like building more affordable housing for people with middle incomes, supporting sustainable development, and expanding public transportation.

However, he also has concerning stances on some of the top issues affecting Renton today. Corman blames crime on the commonsense police accountability laws, despite evidence they make our community safer. He supports criminalizing homelessness and addiction in Renton rather than supporting proven solutions to our community's challenges. 

Kim-Khanh Van's strong endorsements and more progressive platform make her the clear choice for Renton City Council, Position 7. 

Maren Costa is the progressive candidate in the race to replace Lisa Herbold on the Seattle City Council from District 1. A former Amazon principal designer, Costa advocated for a climate action plan that eventually became the company's official Climate Pledge. In 2020, Costa was illegally fired from the company after sending out an email to rally her coworkers around poor warehouse conditions for workers. With the backing of an open letter from nine U.S. senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Costa won her case against Amazon and continued advocating for workers and her community.

Costa is now running to bring her tenacity and experience in management to city hall. In our interview with Costa, she spoke about the importance of raising more money to maintain services as the city faces a $100 million dollar budget shortfall. Her proposals, including a vacancy tax, were squarely aimed at making the wealthiest pay their share. 

Costa wants to look out for working people as well as the vulnerable to make Seattle more livable for all. She spoke to a desire to improve affordability by allowing more mixed-use developments and “four floors and corner stores” in neighborhoods. She believes well-designed, denser neighborhoods are critical as the state faces a severe housing shortage, making living here hard for teachers, nurses, and other working professionals. On homelessness, Costa wants the city to take a housing-first approach, working on getting people into secure housing instead of criminalizing them for sleeping outside. On public safety, Costa offers a vision that funds gun violence prevention, community policing, and alternative response models. 

The other candidate in this race is Air Force veteran and cybersecurity lawyer Rob Saka. He formerly served on the county's charter review commission, which helped move the county sheriff from an elected position to an appointed one. However, Saka's campaign is somewhat low on specific details that make it unclear exactly how he would vote if elected to the council. In his interview with the Stranger, he said that the city needs more police officers, but declined to say how many or how the city could increase the number of unarmed officers, which he has also proposed. Saka was a no on increasing the JumpStart tax on businesses grossing over $8 million to pay for affordable housing and rent control, but a yes on continuing sweeps of people experiencing homelessness according to the Seattle Times. 

In addition, since the primary election, every one of the six candidates who ran in this race endorsed Costa over Saka, many citing her experience, management skills, and growth during the campaign.

Costa's experience managing million-dollar budgets and successfully advocating for corporate climate action makes her stand out as a progressive among the top candidates in the district. That experience plus an impressive set of endorsements, including every other candidate who ran in this race in the primary, make her the best choice for Seattle City Council in District 1. 
 

Community organizer and incumbent Councilmember Tammy Morales is running for her second term serving District 2 on the Seattle City Council. Morales was first elected in 2019 and has been a vocal, progressive advocate for this diverse district. Previously, she worked with the Rainier Beach Action Coalition to advocate for affordable housing, food security, and other pressing community needs. Beyond the city council, Morales has also served as a legislative director and city budget analyst.

In her current role, Morales has pushed for safe and walkable streets, corporate accountability, social and other affordable housing measures, and climate crisis emergency responses such as extreme heat and smoke shelters. She is running to build on her previous term to push for Green New Deal funding and environmental protections that will keep Seattle a healthy place to live for generations to come. If re-elected, Morales will continue to champion affordable housing policies, neighborhood revitalization investments, and tenant rights. She has received an extensive and diverse list of endorsements in this race including from fellow city council members and other local progressives.

Chinatown-International District (CID) small business owner Tanya Woo is challenging Morales in District 2. Woo’s family ran the Mon Hei Bakery and later renovated the historic Louisa Hotel to have 84 units of workforce housing. She is a longtime advocate for the CID, including starting the CID Community Watch volunteer group in 2020 that walks the neighborhood to provide support and diffuse conflicts. Unfortunately, last year, Woo led a series of rallies against King County's proposal to expand a homeless shelter near the CID. County Executive Dow Constantine eventually canceled the project, which would have included 150 shelter beds and a tiny house village, because of the "community feedback." Woo is now running for Seattle City Council to give a voice to CID residents who don't feel heard by elected leaders. She would focus on improving public safety, expanding community outreach in more languages, and protecting the neighborhood from gentrification.

Morales has the proven track record and the progressive vision necessary to advocate for District 2 on the Seattle City Council. She has earned your vote for re-election.
 

Ron Davis is running for Seattle City Council, District 4 as an outspoken progressive for affordable housing, community safety, and more. Davis has served in the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association and has been a board member at Futurewise, which advocates for sustainability and livable communities. In our interview with Davis, he emphasized that he's running to be the opposite of retiring incumbent council member Alex Pedersen, who stood in the way of many progressive policies, including efforts to build more housing that's affordable to middle-income Seattlites. 

If elected, Davis would focus on housing supply, subsidizing housing so that everyone has more affordable access, and increasing stability for renters. Many policies are on the table for Davis to achieve this, including prohibiting rent price gouging, funding social housing, expanding midrise housing, ensuring the "right to return" for people displaced by developers, and offering square footage and height bonuses. Davis is also rigorously pro-science when it comes to treating homelessness as a housing problem. He points out that many challenging and displacing life events like domestic abuse, addiction, and job loss are less catastrophic when people can afford rent and stay off the streets. Aside from the many housing policies above, Davis wants to see 3,500 permanent supportive housing units built. 

In the primary election, Davis was one of the few candidates, not just in the district but citywide, to acknowledge that even Seattle's own police don't think they can hire 400 more officers during a nationwide shortage. Rather than lowering standards on hires and pouring more money into bonuses, he wants to see aggressive expansion into alternatives to policing for people in crisis. Other top priorities for Davis are worker's rights, including subsidized childcare, closing minimum wage loopholes, and more.

Davis' opponent, Maritza Rivera, works in Mayor Bruce Harrell's office as Deputy Director of the Department of Arts & Culture. Her number one campaign priority is public safety, specifically in the form of getting 5-minute response times to 911 calls, taking "home and car break-ins seriously," and aggressively targeting drug users. The lack of details on how she would achieve this or any of the city's many other needs does not instill confidence. Rivera doesn't support rent control and wants the city to continue its expensive and inhumane sweeps of encampments. She has no firm stance on increasing revenue for all the 400 additional officers she wants to hire, despite a projected city budget shortfall in the years to come.

Rivera was also highlighted in a Stranger article around the contents of a letter that the majority of the staff at the Seattle Arts and Culture Department (ARTS) signed, citing "defensive, hostile, and condescending interactions with Rivera." She has taken a large number of donations from corporations and conservatives, including those who often donate to Trump and other Republican campaigns. 

Vote for Ron Davis for progressive change on the Seattle City Council from District 4.  

Councilmember Andrew Lewis is running for re-election to the Seattle City Council from District 7. Lewis was first elected to the seat in 2019 and previously served as an assistant city attorney, including working on the Seattle Human Rights Commission. He also serves as the president of the Seattle Metropolitan Park District where he has worked to create jobs, ensure the cleanliness of public green space, and advance environmental goals for the city.

In his first term on the council, Lewis prioritized funding affordable housing programs, ensuring community safety, and achieving greater climate protections to make Seattle a healthier place for all of us. He secured funding to fully renovate the Queen Anne Community Center and expanded the JustCARE program, which offers outreach, shelter, and wrap-around services to Seattleites without housing. In this race, he is running on a progressive platform to expand crisis support services, invest in social and transitional housing options, and improve the city’s public transit infrastructure to reduce both traffic and greenhouse gas emissions.

Navy veteran Bob Kettle is challenging incumbent Lewis for the District 7 seat. Kettle is not running a progressive campaign. He would ignore the public call for policing alternatives and community investments that would actually keep our neighbors safe. If elected, Kettle also wants to criminalize addiction and increase inhumane sweeps that don’t alleviate our housing crisis. 

Lewis has earned an impressive list of endorsements from elected officials and key community leaders and is the most progressive choice in this race. Vote Andrew Lewis for Seattle City Council from District 7. 

Incumbent and retired teacher Tim Hattenburg is running for re-election to the Spokane Valley City Council, Position 6. Prior to his election in 2019, Hattenburg served on the Spokane County Library District Board for a decade. 

Hattenburg ran last time on a platform of dealing with rapid growth, increasing transparency on the council, and improving public safety. During his first term, he secured a seat on the Spokane Transit Authority board, where he advocated for new electric buses and new routes. The council has also doubled the city's park space and hired a full-time housing and homeless director. Hattenburg has earned broad endorsements from the county and district Democrats, as well as several labor unions. 

Challenging Hattenburg is former state representative Rob Chase. Chase is an outspoken COVID-19 conspiracy theorist, QAnon advocate, and secessionist. He had a 93 percent rating from a conservative organization for his votes while representing the 4th Legislative District. He also supports the continued lie that Trump won the 2020 election. 

Spokane Valley doesn't need a person with a dangerous disregard for the truth and community well-being in office. Hattenburg is the clear choice in this race.
 

Olgy Diaz is running to retain the At-Large position on the Tacoma City Council. Appointed to the position in the summer of 2022, Diaz is the first Latina to serve on the council. Diaz has deep roots in advocating for the community, including with groups like OneAmerica and Planned Parenthood, in the state legislature, and alongside local candidates. Reflecting her commitment to protecting our clean air and water, she serves as the deputy legislative director for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and serves as the vice chair of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition.

Diaz has hit the ground running as a council member. In her first year, she has passed ordinances to protect gender-affirming healthcare and the right to abortion. She is excited to continue work on the city's climate action plan, which has so far funded wildfire smoke filter fans for low-income households and a city litter crew, among other priorities. When it comes to community safety, Diaz supports the city's overhaul of police use-of-force policies, the body camera program, and a community trauma response team. She also supported investments directly in the community through more affordable and accessible homes and shelter, increasing the tree canopy, and more. Diaz's work has earned her a huge slate of endorsements, including from Tacoma City Council members, state representatives, and many progressive organizations. 

Diaz is being challenged from the right by Kristen Wynne, an event venue owner and former King County deputy prosecutor. She is running to represent the business community, in her words, and wants to make Tacoma more business-friendly. But her method of doing so has failed time and time again - by pouring more money into law enforcement to tackle the issues of public safety. 

Relying on police, penalties, and prisons to tackle the addiction crisis, lack of affordable housing, and dealing with people having mental health crises has yet to work here or elsewhere in the country. Wynne takes issue with the 30 vacant officer positions in the Tacoma Police Department, but this isn't just a local issue - cities across the state and nation have seen a deficit of qualified individuals seeking to become police officers. This is yet another reason that relying on traditional law enforcement is unlikely to solve issues of addiction, mental health, or homelessness.

Wynne is closely aligned with the downtown business community and would likely pull the council to the right if elected. Diaz has been a principled and proactive member of the Tacoma City Council, and she has earned her vote to continue her work on the council. 
 

Deputy Mayor Kristina Walker is running for re-election for At-Large Position 8 on the Tacoma City Council. Prior to serving on the city council, Walker spent nine years as the executive director of Downtown on the Go, a Tacoma-based transportation advocacy organization that aims to encourage the use of biking, walking, and transit. 

During her first term in office, Walker has prioritized addressing racial disparities, expanding shelter options, and investing more in affordable housing. She supported the Home in Tacoma initiative to promote a greater range of housing options in more neighborhoods and reduce the cost of housing. She has also used her experience in transportation advocacy to improve access and keep our streets safe, including supporting legislation to lower the speed limit to 20 mph in residential areas. Unfortunately, Walker was part of a 6-3 majority on the city council that banned people without a home from sleeping outside near services. 

If re-elected, Walker would prioritize creating jobs, improving transportation access, and preserving local green spaces for all Tacoma residents. In addition, she is committed to reducing gun violence and improving public safety.

Walker faces a challenge this year from Todd Briske. Briske is a web developer who ran for state legislature last year against Speaker Laurie Jinkins as part of the Forward Party. He does not appear to have much community or political leadership experience. He states that he would focus on paving potholes, hiring more police officers, and building more shelter beds, though he doesn't say how he would accomplish this. 

Walker's track record on the council and strong support from our Progressive Voters Guide partners makes her the clear choice in this race.
 

John Hines is running unopposed for Tacoma City Council, District 1. He is the Instructional Facilitator for Academic Acceleration for Tacoma Public Schools and has served on the Tacoma Library Board and the board of the YWCA, among other community service roles. 

His campaign priorities this year include continuing a comprehensive approach to the homelessness crisis. This strategy includes connecting people with the resources they need, using deterrence and "hot spot" policing, and upgrading city infrastructure. Hines is endorsed by five of his fellow council members, Mayor Woodards, as well as several unions and county council members.
 

There are no progressive candidates running in this race. Holly Cousens is running for re-election to the Yakima City Council in District 7. Cousens has served on the council since 2016, and was named assistant mayor in 2020. She currently works full-time as a business technology professor at Yakima Valley College.

Cousens is running on a moderate conservative platform that focuses on increasing police presence, reducing spending, and benefitting downtown businesses. Her voting record trends conservative as well - she voted against a sales tax that would have funded much-needed affordable housing, and she voted in favor of allowing ICE to continue deportation flights into Yakima.

Reedy Berg is a Trump Republican who is challenging incumbent Cousens. Berg readily acknowledges that he lacks political experience or business expertise, and his platform only contains vague suggestions for how to address homelessness, crime, and economic issues.

On social media, Berg has re-shared videos of Donald Trump's speeches where he criticizes "wokeness" in schools, and he claims that the city is cutting policing to fund Pride Month.

Although we disagree with Cousens on many important issues, her political experience and more moderate stances than Berg make her the better choice for Yakima City Council, District 7.
 

School board president Elizabeth Bonbright is running for another term for Tacoma School Board, Director Position 5. Bonbright originally joined the board by appointment in November 2019 and was retained by voters two years later. She spent her professional career in early childhood policy as an expert with over 30 years of experience. Bonbright served as the executive director of Child Care Aware of Washington for more than 20 years, improving the statewide child care resource and referral system. She currently volunteers with two PTAs and the Emergency Food Network.

Bonbright is running to continue serving the holistic needs of students in the district to ensure that graduates have had a strong education, social and emotional learning, and resources to grow into healthy adults with bright futures. She helped lead efforts to adopt an anti-racist policy within the district and is a strong advocate for policy to create equitable schools. Her top priorities in this race include investing in youth mental health resources, continuing to heighten academic quality, dismantling systemic racism, and ensuring student safety. Bonbright has earned a remarkable set of progressive and community endorsements in this race.

The candidate running as Brian'na Wolk (also known online as Brine Wolk and Brian Wolk) is challenging Bonbright on a very far-right platform. One of Wolk’s campaign websites is dedicated to the tired, conservative 'anti-woke' campaign which only serves to distract from the real issues facing our students and our district. Wolk has voiced some of the most extremist views in this election cycle, including advocating for installing misinformation in our students’ curriculums and circulating conspiracy theories about the district.

In this race, Wolk has claimed to be “a trans lesbian two-spirit indigenous woman of color.” Unfortunately, this appears to be a deeply offensive joke and not a reflection of Wolk’s identity and experiences. When asked about taking “the opportunity to create an identity that could move [Wolk] into a marginalized group” in an interview with The News Tribune, Wolk replied, “Why wouldn’t I do that?”

Elizabeth Bonbright is a strong advocate for students. She is the clear choice in this race for Tacoma School Board, Director Position 5.