M. L. King County Labor Council, AFL-CIO Endorsements

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.  

Assistant Attorney General Sarah Reyneveld is running to bring her experience in government and policy advocacy to the King County Council. In her current role, she oversees a team that leads on protecting environmental and public health. 

Reyneveld has worked to help families and children through many volunteer roles, including as a board member of Washington’s Paramount Duty, an organization that advocates for more education funding, and as chair of the Women’s Advisory Board, which makes recommendations to the county for child care access and affordability. Reyneveld has also been a King County Democrats and 36th District Democrats executive board member, and vice chair of the Washington Conservation Action board of directors.

In our interview with Reyneveld, she pointed to her longtime advocacy as a sign of her readiness to hit the ground running on her three top priorities: equitable economic recovery, the environment, and housing. With an anticipated budget shortfall looming for the county, she emphasized the need for more progressive revenue to help build 17,000 additional units of housing every year to keep up with population growth. She also mentioned the possibility of a dedicated countywide housing levy, which would create a funding source to build more diverse housing options, from multifamily homes to affordable housing.

Reyneveld spoke about the need for prevention and helping meet people's needs to improve community safety. She believes that incarceration is not the answer for people struggling with addiction and other health issues. Scaling up gun violence prevention programs and addiction treatment hubs are two policies she would advocate for on the council, and she would also consider policies like a guaranteed basic income to help residents thrive. 

Reyneveld's longtime experience in Democratic politics, community organizations, and legal advocacy distinguish her in this race.  

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. 
 

Deputy Mayor James Jeyaraj is running for another term in Position 3 on the Auburn City Council. Jeyaraj made history as Auburn’s first Indian-American immigrant to serve on the city council when he joined in 2020. In his professional life, Jeyaraj has worked in the aerospace industry, and he serves in the community as a member of the city's Parks and Recreation Board as well as for the nonprofit Lighthouse for the Blind.

On the council, one of Jeyaraj's progressive accomplishments was bringing forward a resolution to affirm abortion access in Auburn after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Jeyaraj’s campaign priorities this year include creating more living-wage jobs, more affordable housing options, and progress on community safety. He has earned overwhelming support in this race from key progressive leaders, unions, and political organizations.

Former KIRO news reporter Tracy Taylor Turner is challenging Jeyaraj in this race. Taylor Turner currently serves as the vice president of the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation and works in communications for Kent’s municipal government. Her platform is not very detailed as of mid- October, focusing primarily on more policing in our neighborhoods and more governmental support for businesses and development. Her individual endorsements listed on her Facebook come largely from conservative elected officials, including House Republican Leader Rep. Drew Stokesbary.

Jeyaraj is the best choice for Auburn City Council, Position 3.
 

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.  

Cydney Moore is seeking re-election to Burien City Council, Position 2. Prior to winning her seat in 2020, Moore served as a lead organizer for ACLU Burien People Power and was a board member of the Burien Arts Association.

During her time as a council member, Moore passed a groundbreaking slate of renters' rights protections, upheld pandemic eviction moratoriums and hazard pay, and increased funding for mental health supports, food banks, and rent/utility assistance. She has additionally supported a new public safety model that integrates behavioral health experts alongside police.

Moore has proven to be a vocal proponent of public health and housing for all, even when controversial. Though eventually outvoted, she was one of the three council members who voted to renew and expand Burien's main affordable housing program.

She has recently been in the spotlight for helping to notify encampment residents of their right to shelter in a nearby city-owned lot ahead of a highly-publicized sweep. Burien made headlines this year for forcing people in the encampment to relocate three times, without being able to provide the bare minimum resources that would give them access to shelter beds. Although she did her outreach as a private citizen along with former Burien Planning Commission chair Charles Schaefer, Moore spoke about how the displacement highlights the need for more resources for people experiencing homelessness. Though outvoted, Moore was part of the minority of council members who wanted to accept King County's $1 million offer to support these residents, and voted against further criminalizing people who have been forced to turn to the streets for shelter.

Moore's advocacy for her unhoused constituents stands in sharp contrast to many of the other council members, who responded to Moore and Schaefer's outreach to the encampment by removing Schaefer from his position. This event generated significant backlash, including the resignation of 11 other members of city boards and commissions.

Linda Akey is challenging Moore for Position 2. She is the owner of a small business that assists nonprofits and is the current chair of the Burien Business and Economic Development Partnership. She moved to Burien from Colorado in 2019.

Although her platform states her support for housing and services for Burien residents experiencing homelessness, her approach to issues of safety overall centers the needs businesses over people. Akey was also more supportive of a controversial sweep that displaced residents camping in front of Burien City Hall and was recorded on video questioning the group that was doing outreach to campers in front of her condominium (a group that included the incumbent Cydney Moore). Her statements on the encampment demonize people experiencing homelessness instead of offering real solutions to help residents find a warm, safe place to live. 

Cydney Moore has been a standout progressive voice on Burien's City Council, and deserves your vote for Position 2.
 

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. 
 

Roger Flygare is running for Federal Way City Council, Position 6. He has run eight times for various offices since 2010 including fire commissioner, state senator, and state representative. Though he does not have detailed policy information available, he aims to work regionally on homelessness, advocate for more affordable housing, and more. 

He is running against incumbent deputy mayor Susan Honda. First elected in 2011, Honda has spent her time on the council focusing on criminalizing homelessness by banning pushing shopping carts on sidewalks, an idea Honda brought to the council that passed 5-2 and will cost taxpayers $250,00 annually. It does nothing to solve the underlying causes of homelessness and punishes the poor by subjecting them to a $50 fine. She tends to vote more on the moderate-conservative side of the council. 

We lean toward Flygare because of his endorsements from unions and local Democrats. 

King County program manager Katherine Festa is running for Position 5 on the Federal Way City Council. A dedicated community advocate, Festa is the founding member and chair of the Native American Leadership Council and chair of Federal Way's Human Services Commission FUSION transitional housing. She's also the president of Soroptimist International of Federal Way. If elected, she'd be the first Native American to serve on the council in the city's history.

Festa wants to leverage her many years of advocacy and deep knowledge of what community members need to thrive on the council. In her work as a housing coordinator, she has helped people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live successfully in their communities. She wants to see more regional solutions to the issue of homelessness, protect parks and green spaces, and find funding for more local projects through the state. Festa has received an impressive slate of endorsements, including from labor unions, elected officials, the Native American Caucus of the Washington State Democrats, and more. 

Festa is challenging incumbent Jack Walsh, a former newspaper reporter who currently owns a local ice cream business. Walsh's last campaign in 2021 emphasized a refusal to consider investing in community safety alternatives as well as spreading damaging misinformation about people experiencing homelessness. His current politics are no more progressive than before, with Facebook posts asking constituents to push back against a legislative bill on gender-affirming and reproductive health care for youths. He also voted to pass an ordinance to ticket people $50 for pushing shopping carts, a measure unlikely to actually challenge the root causes of homelessness in the community.

Festa is the clear choice in the race for Federal Way City Council, Position 5.

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. 

Incumbent Marli Larimer is running for re-election to Kent City Council, Position 1. Larimer was first appointed to the city council in 2018 and was later retained by voters. Outside of the council, she works for a customer experience consulting company. Larimer is also highly involved in the community, volunteering for a number of local organizations that range from the Evergreen City Ballet to her kids’ sports teams to the King County Affordable Housing Committee and more.

Larimer has distinguished herself as a progressive leader on the Kent City Council. If re-elected, she wants to continue engaging perspectives at all regional and state levels to bring innovative, effective solutions to the housing crisis in Kent. Larimer is also dedicated to uplifting workers through workforce development and expanding access to early-career opportunities in Kent Valley. She is proud that Kent is the nation’s 7th most diverse city and she wants to continue building policy that supports equity, public health, and cultural understanding. Larimer is also running to promote public safety and supports climate mitigation efforts, local ecosystem protections, and de-escalation training for local police.

In this race, Larimer is challenged by far-right candidate Jessie Ramsey, whose campaign slogan is “ABC” which he states stands for “Another Black Conservative.” Ramsey is a veteran and currently works as a security guard. His extreme conservative bent is evident in his campaign platform where he advocates for a return to the failed War-On-Drugs Era policing ideas and offers vindictive critiques of progressive leaders. Ramsey characterized the Black Lives Matter movement, which many Washingtonians of all backgrounds participated in, as a group of “urban terrorists.”

Kent residents deserve a representative on the council who will focus on bringing the community together with the resources we all need to thrive, rather than an elected leader who uses fear-mongering to divide us. With strong endorsements and a progressive track record, Marli Larimer is the clear choice for Kent City Council, Position 1. 

Incumbent council member Amy Falcone is running for another term on the Kirkland City Council in Position 6. Falcone previously served as a founding member and co-chair of the Kirkland Human Services Commission before being elected to this seat in 2019. She was called to public service when she started advocating for safer sidewalks in her neighborhood. Now, she also serves as the PTO co-president at her daughter's middle school and on the City of Kirkland/Lake Washington School District Coordinating Committee.

Falcone focuses on both inclusivity and sustainability lenses in order to build a future for Kirkland that provides opportunities for everyone. She has been an advocate for community funding to support everyone’s needs preventatively before people face housing or food insecurity. If re-elected, she hopes to continue fostering collaboration and engaging resident voices, particularly those that have been historically silenced or ignored by city leadership. Falcone has earned a diverse set of endorsements in this race, including from the local Democrats, the state’s leading community organizations, and progressive elected officials.

Also in this race is "Ryan James" Turok who owns and operates a small art gallery. Turok is running without party affiliation or endorsements. He serves on the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and the board of the Bellevue Arts Museum. In this race, he has emphasized economic development, workforce housing, and neighborhood upgrades.

We recommend Amy Falcone in this race because of her clear vision for improving Kirkland and the impressive support her campaign has earned.
 

Osman Salahuddin is running for Position 1 on the Redmond City Council after Councilmember Varisha Khan declined to run for re-election. Salahuddin works as the communications and community engagement manager for King County Councilmember Sarah Perry. He is currently on the board of directors for the Muslim Association of Puget Sound and previously served as student body president at the University of Washington. 

Salahuddin is running to reduce the cost of housing in Redmond and ensure everyone feels safe in their community. If elected, he would improve neighborhood walkability and invest more in affordable housing solutions like the Together Center. In addition, he would work to modernize Redmond's building codes to encourage green construction and promote energy efficiency. 

Salahuddin is facing Nate Niederhausern in the general election. Niederhausern works in digital streaming and online learning for corporations. He is active with the Redmond LDS Boy Scout troops, particularly on environmental conservation. Niederhausern appears to be newer to politics. While he made it through the primary election himself, he had not voted in a primary in 15 years. In addition, he supported Republican Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign against President Obama. 

Salahuddin is the clear choice for Redmond City Council, Position 1.
 

Vanessa Kritzer is running unopposed to continue serving in Position 5 on the Redmond City Council. Kritzer was first elected in 2019 and now serves as council vice president. Outside of elected office, Kritzer is the executive director of the Washington Association of Land Trusts, which connects conservation efforts across Washington to protect local ecosystems for generations to come. She has also served in community leadership roles including as a student appointed by Governor Inslee to serve on the UW Board of Regents, as a board member of OneRedmond (the city’s chamber of commerce), and as the current vice chair of the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council.

On the council, Kritzer has been a tireless progressive advocate. She established the city’s first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-focused staff, advocated on behalf of the Redmond Senior and Community Center, and invested in public recreational spaces like parks, trails, and pickleball courts. Now, she is running on an inclusive platform to continue making investments that strengthen Redmond’s public services, infrastructure, and community identity. In this race, Kritzer is supported by a long list of progressive elected leaders, community organizations, and local unions.

Vanessa Kritzer has earned your vote for another term on the Redmond City Council in Position 5.

U.S. Navy veteran and insurance agent Angie Nuevacamina is running for Redmond City Council, Position 7. She serves on the Redmond Planning Commission and has been a committee member with the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County for the last 5 years. 

Nuevacamina is running to make housing more affordable, keep our communities safe, and improve transparency in local government. As a proponent of the "Nothing About Us Without Us" principle, she would ensure decisions in Redmond are made more equitably and every voice is heard. As Redmond continues to grow, she also wants to make the city more welcoming for all residents. 

Nuevacamina is facing incumbent David Carson. Carson, a software test lead, is a business-oriented candidate running to push for the completion of infrastructure projects in Redmond. Carson has an antagonistic approach to homelessness, stating that he wants to prosecute people found with shopping carts off-premises. He has been cited in the Washington Post and elsewhere stating that those suffering from addiction must hit "rock bottom" before seeking treatment.

Nuevacamina's lived experience and deep experience in the community makes her the clear choice for Redmond City Council, Position 7.
 

Ed Prince is running for re-election to Renton City Council, Position 5. Prince is executive director of the WA State Commission on African American Affairs, and is currently serving his third term on the council after a term as council president in 2019. Prince also serves on a multitude of other positions, including as president of the Sound Cities Association, on the board of directors for Sound Transit, and as vice-chair of the Growth Management Policy Board. 

Prince joined fellow councilmembers Carmen Rivera and Ryan McIrvin last year, along with local leaders across the region, in signing an open letter to end the reliance on the endless cycle of prosecution and incarceration, noting that public safety issues stem from long-term causes like lack of educational opportunity, behavioral health crises, and financial inequities. Some of the policies that Prince is proud to have worked on in his time on the council include an ordinance to prevent income discrimination for renters and the healthy housing ordinance. 

Prince's opponent is Marvin Rosete, who serves on the city's Municipal Arts Commission. Rosete is running again for a position on the council after a run in 2021. 

In his previous run, Rosete's campaign priorities, while not detailed, included funding parks, police, and roads. He stated that he would also focus on more responsive human services, but he was shown in the Spokane Spokesman-Review collecting signatures for an initiative to cut taxes on multi-billion-dollar corporations in 2018, the funds of which would have been used to help fund affordable housing programs. 

Rosete's website was recently updated to include campaign priorities, though a large portion of these issues seem to be pointing fingers of blame at Seattle or the state legislature for the city's issues. His Facebook page and campaign announcement say that he will support law enforcement, protect the Cedar River, and be proactive about community engagement, though he has no further policy details available at this time. 

Prince has been a solid council member and is the best choice 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. 

Progressive Elizabeth Greninger is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 3. With more than 15 years of social work experience, Greninger has helped people who have faced domestic violence, sexual assault, and housing instability. 

Greninger has a comprehensive plan to deliver safe, affordable, and accessible housing to all SeaTac residents. For example, she would make it easier for homeowners to convert or build accessory dwelling units on their properties. Along with advocating for higher minimum wages, Greninger also wants to ensure SeaTac uses union contracts whenever possible. If elected, she would expand local initiatives helping women, queer people, and people of color start their own businesses.

Greninger also has the most complete vision for protecting the environment and residents’ well-being. She advocates protecting the North SeaTac Park and preventing it from being developed by the Port of Seattle. Moreover, she would expand farmer’s markets and leverage the recently passed Crisis Care Levy to build behavioral health resources in the city. Finally, Greninger is focused on reducing air traffic noise pollution and aviation emissions. Overall, her policies would lead to a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for SeaTac.

Greninger is challenging incumbent Peter Kwon, who has been a council member since 2016. Kwon was the deputy mayor of SeaTac from 2020 to 2022. Professionally, he is a systems engineer, president of the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials, and founder of the Neighborhood Locking Mailbox Program. 

Kwon focuses his campaign on his non-partisanship. His main priority during his tenure has been reducing SeaTac’s debt position while trying to not cut services. SeaTac has been successful in this aim as it now has a budget surplus without a reduction in city services. Another priority for Kwon was the adoption of a lockable mailbox program in SeaTac to address rising mail theft. Recently, Kwon has also initiated talks with the Port of Seattle to acquire the 220-acre North SeaTac park.

Unfortunately, Kwon has also been quoted as stating that SeaTac already has "enough" affordable housing, which disregards the pressing need for accessible and affordable housing options in our community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kwon voted to ban the effective strategy by King County to convert unused hotels into housing with on-site services within SeaTac, leaving people without shelter in a time of crisis.

Elizabeth Greninger's progressive values and impressive record of community service make her the choice for SeaTac City Council, Position 3.
 

James Lovell is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 5 which is currently held by retiring council member Takele Gobena. Lovell is a human services professional who worked in a number of sectors and boasts ample community leadership experience. He is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and has volunteered with the urban Native community in King County. Lovell is also involved with the Highline School District's Native Family Advisory Committee and serves on the King County Children & Youth Advisory Board. He has participated in local community efforts like clean-ups, emergency refugee resettlement support, and more.

Lovell is running on a progressive platform to make the city safe, enjoyable, and accessible to all. One of his top priorities is addressing the housing crisis so that every SeaTac resident has access to a roof over their head and the resources they need. He will do this by providing emergency shelter needs as well as instituting policies to increase housing affordability for everyone. If elected, Lovell also wants to improve local infrastructure like walkways and roads, uplift local small businesses to diversify the economy, and support SeaTac’s immigrant community.

Lovell is running against Brian Millican, who works in case management for an insurance company as well as holding the president role at a local auto repair shop. Millican has only shared a thin platform as of early October that fails to mention any campaign priorities other than supporting business. He does not offer any progressive ideas for SeaTac.

James Lovell is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote for SeaTac City Council, Position 5.
 

Damiana Merryweather is running for SeaTac City Council, Position 7, which is currently held by retiring council member Erin Sitterly. Merryweather works for the Greater Burien Area Urban Farmers Group in administration and is the operations lead and CFO of a local restaurant group. She also serves as a commissioner on the SeaTac Planning Commission.

Merryweather is running to bring her operations leadership, business savvy, and community vision to the school board. If elected, she wants to improve public safety by working with different stakeholders like community organizations, law enforcement, and residents. Merryweather also wants to work on housing affordability, especially for SeaTac’s working families, traffic and speed safety on the roads, and community/airport relations. In this race, Merryweather has earned an impressive list of endorsements including local elected officials, progressive organizations, and some unions.

The other candidate in this race is Joe Vinson, who works as a maintenance manager. Vinson’s top priorities for office include public safety, housing affordability, and climate protection. He wants to bring a combined data-driven and community-focused approach to the council in order to make SeaTac a safe city full of opportunity and unity.

We recommend Damiana Merryweather for Seatac City Council, Position 7 because of her strong endorsements from our partners and other progressive organizations.
 

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.  

Former King County Superior Court Judge Cathy Moore is running for the District 5 seat on the Seattle City Council.

Moore has worked in public service for decades, including in public defense, as chair of the Seattle Human Rights Commission, and as governor of the Washington State Bar Association. If elected, Moore supports social and workforce housing, improvements to bus services and other transit, and investments in public services such as on-demand substance use treatment and before-and-after school programs. She wants to see more tiny homes villages built to prevent people from needing to live on the street, and believes that rental subsidies should be expanded as well to prevent homelessness. Moore wants to see the city also create a department for climate resiliency that would focus on providing resources like air conditioning at libraries, community centers, and more as climate change drives hotter summers.

While Moore has many years of public service and shares many progressive values, ObeySumner would be a stronger advocate on the most important issues facing Seattle. Moore supports a slightly more cautious approach when it comes to building desperately needed housing than ObeySumner. The two candidates diverge more when it comes to how best to keep our community safe. Moore supports Mayor Harrell's goal of hiring more than 400 officers, despite a nationwide hiring challenge and anticipated budget shortfalls. Moore states that when the new police guild contract is written, she will ensure that accountability measures are in place, though the city has struggled in the recent past to hold the police department accountable to reforms like investigating complaints against officers.

During her interview, we were somewhat disappointed with the lack of depth in Moore’s answers given her longtime public service. In contrast, ObeySumner’s advocacy experience came through in their detailed, thoughtful responses to our questions. 
 

Incumbent Dan Strauss is seeking re-election to the Seattle City Council from District 6. Strauss was first elected in 2019 and previously served as a senior policy advisor to Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and worked for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. 

Strauss is running for a second term to continue bringing community-focused leadership to District 6. On the council, Strauss has prioritized creating more affordable housing options and strengthening tenant rights. With investments of $250 million in 2022, permanent supportive housing was purchased in Green Lake, Ballard, and Greenwood. As the land use chair, he also points to how he has cleared encampments without sweeps by connecting people to services. Unfortunately, Strauss recently voted in favor of allowing Republican City Attorney Ann Davison to prosecute people for drug use. In addition, Strauss disappointed many advocates by pushing for larger police budgets, which would increase the presence of militarized police in our communities instead of making us safer. 

If re-elected, Strauss will continue to develop Ballard Commons Park as a community green space, support the local small business economy, and ensure corporations and the wealthy pay what they owe. While he has not been the progressive leader some had hoped for, his opponent would be a step backward for the district and the city overall.

Pete Hanning is challenging Dan Strauss for this city council seat. Hanning owned Red Door in Fremont for twenty years and is currently the executive director for the Fremont Chamber of Commerce. Hanning's platform was one of the most conservative in the primary race for this seat. Hanning does not want to increase revenue from large corporations through the Jumpstart tax. His questionnaire with The Seattle Times states that he does not want the city to raise any additional revenue at all, leaving voters to wonder how he intends to pay for proposed infrastructure revitalization on the West Seattle Bridge or continue the expensive and inhumane practice of sweeping homeless encampments. 

Strauss has earned the majority of endorsements from progressive leaders and organizations and is the clear choice for city council from District 6.
 

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. 

Kate Kruller, a current Tukwila City Council member, is running to be the city’s next mayor. Kruller was first elected to the city council in 2011 and also serves on a number of community boards, including chairing the Transportation and Infrastructure Services Federal Advocacy Committee. Outside of public service, she has spent more than three decades in IT and communications (primarily for municipal government offices), and she currently works for the county as a senior IT project manager. 

Kruller is running on a community-focused platform focused on affordable housing, safety services, public transportation, and responsible budgeting. She recognizes that Tukwila has seen major changes in the past few years and she wants to continue working on solutions to the rising cost of living, gentrification and rapid development, and the displacement of local, small businesses. In this race, Kruller has been endorsed by an impressive list of progressive elected officials, labor groups, and nonprofit organizations.

Fellow city council member Thomas McLeod is running against Kruller for Mayor of Tukwila. McLeod is a tax accountant who first joined Tukwila’s city council in January 2016. He previously served on the city’s planning commission for five years. If elected mayor, he wants to build on some police accountability measures and secure upgrades for roadways and sidewalks. He also wants to create more affordable housing and steer Tukwila’s growth in a responsible way.

We recommend Kate Kruller for Tukwila mayor due to her strong track record of city leadership and numerous key endorsements in this race.
 

Armen Papyan is running unopposed for Tukwila City Council, Position 2. Papyan is a lifelong community leader and advocate. He has been involved in student leadership at his local Tukwila high school to leading University of Washington’s student government where he championed higher financial aid and a campaign to secure 52 affordable housing units to address homelessness in the school community. Papyan credits his commitment to structural change and advocating for the most marginalized members of our community with his experience as a child watching his father be separated from their family and deported.

If elected, he wants to work on environmental protections, budget sustainability, community safety, and the housing crisis. He has earned strong endorsements in this race from a number of unions, progressive organizations, and elected leaders.

We recommend Armen Papyan for another term on the Tukwila City Council in Position 2.

Dr. Jennifer Jones is running for another term serving Director District 2 on the Federal Way School Board. She is a professor at Highline College, where she has worked for 25 years. She has a long track record serving the community including as a social worker for public housing, as a member of an elementary school PTA, and as a guest lecturer for senior centers.

In Jones’ first term, she worked hard to make the school district a welcoming place where all students gain the skills they need in our modern world. Now, she is running with a focus on bringing the community together and delivering a high-quality education to Federal Way students. Jones has earned a strong slate of progressive endorsements from elected leaders, community organizations, and local unions.

Jones faces a challenge from Daniel Kukhar, who works as a manager at his own general contracting company. Kukhar is running on a typically Republican agenda that does not reflect the needs of local students and families. Compared with Jones, Kukhar's lack of experience in education shows in his failure to understand the nuances of the school district and the curriculum. 

Dr. Jennifer Jones has been a strong leader on the Federal Way School Board and deserves your vote for another term serving as Director, District 2. 

Educator and district parent Luckisha Phillips is running for re-election for Federal Way School Board, Director District 3 where she has been serving since 2018. Phillips is a faculty member at Highline College and has previously worked for nonprofits providing direct services to children, families, and community members. Phillips is also a very involved community leader on equity and inclusion in our schools, and has served on the OSPI Dyslexia Advisory Council, worked with the Hamlin Robinson School for Children with Language Learning Impacts, and joined the King County Youth Community Accountability Committee.

Phillips has worked tirelessly to ensure that all Federal Way students can access the education and support they need to thrive. Combining the perspectives of a parent and an educator herself, Phillips has a strong understanding of the various community needs at stake in school board decisions. If re-elected, she wants to continue making investments in mental health resources and special education programs. Her progressive and community-oriented platform has been endorsed by a number of elected leaders, unions, and community organizations.

The challenger in this race is Christopher Dowllar, who has submitted no information to the voters' pamphlet. He is associated with the far-right Moms for Liberty group and is endorsed by one of the most conservative organizations in school board politics. With no public platform but strong ties to far-right movements that want to impose their political agenda on our kids, it is clear that Dowllar would be a step backward for Federal Way students.

Luckisha Phillips is clearly the best choice in this race and deserves your vote for another term in Federal Way School Board, Director District 3.

Public school teacher and librarian Gavin Downing is running for Federal Way School Board, Director, District 5, the seat currently held by Hiroshi Eto, who is not seeking re-election. Downing has worked in public education for 17 years and is a union member. He has advocated against conservative censorship movements and received a 2022 award for fighting book bans. Downing also serves as vice-chair of the Washington Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Section.

Downing has an optimistic vision for the school district where every student can access the resources and education they need to thrive. One of his top campaign priorities in this race is to ensure that our school district is a safe, equitable place both to learn and to work. Downing believes that student success comes from having the best possible staff and faculty, which he wants to attract through competitive wages. If elected, he would also invest in libraries, including staffing and curriculum development, so that students are both prepared for the digital age and gain literacy in identifying misinformation. 

Joan Marie Murphy, a former special education teacher in the school district, is running against Downing. Murphy is running on a broad platform that includes specific curriculum ideas such as an emphasis on STEM, strategies to engage students, and changes to school board procedures like making meetings more accessible to the public. Unfortunately, she appears to oppose the inclusion of some LGBTQ+ stories in public libraries. We know our children are the safest and have the best opportunity to grow when their stories are represented in history curriculums and on library shelves.

Gavin Downing is the clear choice for Federal Way School Board, Director, District 5. 

Carlos Ruiz is running for Highline School Board in District 4 to improve the health of our schools. He has worked in technology and consulting and has been very active in the community. He has served as the board chair for the Seattle Credit Union, a board member for the affordable housing organization Southeast Effective Development, and as part of Marvista Elementary PTSA, where his two daughters attend school. 

Ruiz is running to increase community engagement, which is especially important given the diverse community and its equally diverse student needs. He feels it's urgent to address the loss of educators from the district by giving teachers the tools they need to do their jobs. Lastly, because the district is so close to the airport, Ruiz wants to create funding to study local air quality and see if improvements can be made. Ruiz has earned a large number of endorsements, including from several education associations, labor unions, and local Democrats.

Ruiz's opponent in this race is self-described stay-at-home mom Melissa Petrini, who previously ran the Bay Area nonprofit The Friend Tree Autism Center, and who currently serves on the board for Love is My Religion. While her campaign page aims to place herself as an independent who is not taking endorsements from outside groups, she has been recommended by the Family Policy Institute, a far-right religious group often aligned with the book-banning Moms for Liberty organization. 

Highline schools need an advocate who can work with teachers, community organizations, families, and students to help youth thrive in the district. Ruiz is the best choice for the Highline School Board from District 4. 
 

Challenging Rankin this year is Debbie Carlsen, a consultant, former NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Washington Interim Policy Director, and co-founder and executive director of LGTBQ Allyship. She serves as advocacy chair of both the Olympic Hills Elementary PTA board and the 46th Democrats as a Co-Policy & Advocacy Chair, as well as fundraising chair for the National Women's Political Caucus.

As a nonbinary person with a diverse family, Carlsen wants schools to be welcoming to all, especially in a climate of conservatives passing anti-LGTBQ laws. Carlsen lists transparency, family engagement, and representation in schools as her top three policy priorities. In her interview with the 36th Legislative District Democrats, she also emphasized robust special education and regaining the confidence of Seattle parents and families.

On the issue of the budget, Carlsen was hesitant to say that closures were inevitable. Closures in the past have been disastrous, she said, and more community meetings would need to happen in District 1 before she made a decision. She proposed a 15 percent cut to staff in the central office, though it seems very unlikely that this alone would cover a budget gap of this magnitude. 

On school safety, Carlsen and Rankin were somewhat similar. Both agreed that students had been clear that more surveillance and policing in schools was not the way forward, and both felt that gun violence education and community lobbying for better gun violence legislation were needed. Carlsen felt that directors could and must do more to meet with community members and parents, especially right after the tragedy at Ingraham.

If voters are looking for an experienced advocate hoping to bring change and improve transparency for parents and students, Carlsen could be a good choice. 

Gina Topp is running for the open seat vacated by incumbent Leslie Harris, who isn't running for re-election. She is the chief legal counsel and policy advisor to King County Executive Dow Constantine and served on the boards of the 34th Legislative District Democrats and the Seattle Sports Complex Foundation. 

If elected, Topp aims to cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for all students, empower educators, and engage parents. In her interview with The Seattle Times, Topp stated that her plan for the budget crisis is to advocate for more money at the Legislature - an idea that incumbent Liza Rankin has said was unlikely to succeed because of the recent increase in funding already coming from the state. Despite this, we believe that Topp has the strongest experience and most detailed platform in the race. 

Topp's opponent is Maryanne Wood, who does not appear to have extensive education advocacy experience. Wood states that her childhood on a dairy farm made her value hard work, and she has six grandchildren in the district. Wood's top message is "no to school closures, and she also says that she will "dial back the mega schools that are already planned at Alki, Rogers, and Montlake."

Topp's experience and progressive endorsements make her the best choice in District 1 for Seattle School Board Director.
 

Anthony Berkley is running for King County Public Hospital District 1, Commissioner District 1. Berkley is a nurse, small business owner, nursing home operator, and proud union member. He has also been active in the community as a youth football coach.

Berkley is running on a progressive platform to care for the entire community. If elected, he wants to ensure healthcare for women, support at-risk populations, strengthen working conditions for frontline health care workers, and increase information about available services. He believes that as a health care worker, he would bring a practical and important perspective to the board of commissioners. His campaign is endorsed by some of the region’s most progressive leaders, unions, and organizations.

Incumbent commissioner and former surgical care nurse Erin Smith Aboudara is running for another term on the hospital board. While Adoubara has been a voice for South King County’s diverse health needs, she does not share the progressive vision or the widespread support that Berkley has earned in this race.

We recommend Anthony Berkley for King County Public Hospital District, Commissioner District 1.

We believe Amber Wise is the best choice in this race based on her impressive endorsements from our progressive partners and trusted community leaders. Wise previously worked at Harborview Medical Center as a preschool teacher for patients' families. She is running to support frontline workers and to build stronger connections between staff, patients, and hospital leadership. She is committed to improving staffing levels to ensure patients continue to receive top-quality care. 

Wise is challenging longtime board member Jeff Cashman, who previously ran a retirement plan administration and recordkeeping firm. 

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. Based on her sweeping endorsements in this race, we recommend Amber Wise for Public Hospital District 2, Position 6.