Pierce County

Democrat Jamie Smith is challenging incumbent Paul Herrera for the Pierce County Council, District 2 seat. Smith has spent nearly two decades teaching high school at local public schools, and she works as a youth sports coach. Additionally, she serves as an elected executive board member with the Puyallup Education Association.

Smith has a progressive vision for a vibrant county with a strong community, a healthy economy, and a unique character. She wants to build bridges between law enforcement and mental health care professionals to create collaborative community safety. If elected, Smith would also build affordable housing so that people of all income levels can find a home, as well as invest in our school district to develop successful future generations and protect our local ecosystem. She has earned impressive support in this race, including from local city and county council members.

Republican incumbent Paul Herrera is running for another term on the county council. Herrera is an army veteran and served as a police sergeant for the Puyallup Tribe for more than two decades. In this campaign, he wants to bring his military and law enforcement expertise to the council. However, he places less emphasis on the things that we know keep our communities safe: affordable housing, health care, and good wages.

We recommend Jamie Smith in this race to bring community-focused progress to Pierce County Council in District 2.
 

Jeanette Twitty is the founder and partner of Homeward Bound, a program that provides life skills training for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. She is also a member of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, and a board member of the Washington League of Minority Voters, among other roles. 

Though Twitty has much experience in community service and leadership, her vision for the port is somewhat lacking. She states that she's running to bring good jobs and prevent pollution, bring more equity and diversity to the port, and sustainably invest, but her campaign website lacks detail about what policies in particular she advocates for or would do to change things. Her campaign materials, similarly, say that she will maintain and enhance partnerships that are critical to the port's success and address the port's impact on local communities, though again no specifics are provided. She has been endorsed by Pierce County Democratic Central Committee but has not earned as much support as her opponent in this race.  

Attorney Kristin Ang is running for re-election for Port of Tacoma Commissioner, Position 5 to continue building a sustainable vision for industry at the port. She seeks to protect community health and the environment by reducing noise and air pollution, improving water quality, and increasing shore power technology. Ang opposes the port's property tax and supports pressing businesses to clean up their share of pollution, developing a comprehensive public engagement plan, and working with tribes, businesses, and local government to create shared agendas for the port.

Ang is running against Dave Bryant, a Navy veteran. Voters may find this matchup familiar - Bryant and Ang also ran against each other in 2019, with Ang winning by about 3 percent. This year, Bryant's campaign is similar to his last run. He wants to optimize the loading and offloading of goods with surface transportation, update the port's infrastructure, and use his knowledge of operating deep draft ships to make the port more competitive. However, he still lacks Ang's knowledge and experience when it comes to environmental conservation and creating clean energy jobs.

Ang has worked hard as a member of the port’s tribal liaison committee, diversity, equity, and inclusion committee, and as a board member of the Central Puget Sound Economic Development District and the Washington Council on International Trade. She has earned your vote for Port of Tacoma Commission, Position 5.
 

Cheryl Rakes is running to retain Position 1 on the Auburn City Council. She was appointed to the seat in January of this year after Councilmember Chris Stearns was elected to the state House in 2022. 

As the executive director of the Downtown Auburn Cooperative, unsurprisingly, she stated that revitalizing downtown was her top priority when she was appointed. As a candidate, she seeks to advance local entrepreneurship and support workforce development programs.

Rakes states that she will work to improve public safety through community policing, like neighborhood watch programs, and would also invest in crime prevention. She also says she will address homelessness, though there's no mention of investing in more affordable housing, a key component of making sure that people don't fall into or remain houseless. 

Rakes faces a challenge from consultant Lisa Stirgus, who has worked in the financial industry for over 20 years and is now running for city council on a motto of clean and safe streets. She's running on a moderate angle that aims to support police officers, connect people to city resources, and support businesses. Stirgus does not have organizational endorsements as of mid-October. 

Rakes has been endorsed by several of the local district Democrats as well as five of her fellow council members. Rakes is the best choice for Auburn City Council, Position 1. 
 

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.
 

Incumbent Robyn Mulenga is running for re-election to Auburn City Council, Position 5. Before joining the council in 2020, Mulenga served as the District 2 director for the Auburn School Board where she advocated for both racial equity policies and funding for two new elementary schools and six replacement schools. Outside of public service, she works as a program analyst for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mulenga previously ran for this seat with a platform focused on bringing Auburn’s diverse stakeholders together to make the city a better place to live, work, start businesses and families, and call home. In office, she voted against an ordinance that would have criminalized homelessness and brought more people into our overpopulated incarceration system, and instead, she focused on generating more public revenue to connect those struggling the most with the resources they need. Mulenga also reduced barriers to creating more affordable housing to help people keep a roof over their heads. Though she has not released a campaign platform in this election, it is clear that Mulenga has progressive priorities and a successful track record of executing community policy plans.

Clinton Taylor is the other candidate in this race. He is the CEO and founder of a financial mentorship program, a board member of the Auburn Public School Foundation, and an army veteran. If elected, he wants to address the housing crisis, increase law enforcement budgets, cut funding from public services, and create more jobs. Unfortunately, Taylor recently posted a video on Facebook saying "the Bible said that homosexuality is an abomination", and when asked about it later, he responded with "What did I say that was wrong?" Taylor's harshly anti-LGBTQ views have no place in public service and only further divide our community against one another. 

Mulenga is the clear choice in this race to bring tested progressive leadership to the Auburn City Council in Position 5.
 

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.
 

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. 

 

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.
 

Joe Colombo is running for Puyallup City Council, District 2, Position 1. The seat is currently occupied by John Palmer, who is not seeking re-election. Colombo works in IT project management and is active in the community, serving as a precinct committee officer, a member of the city’s Design Review & Historic Preservation Board, and a founder of the Families of Puyallup Public Schools group.

Colombo is running to bring community-centric, local solutions to the issues facing Puyallup residents. If elected, he wants to preserve farmland, establish an independent ethics commission, and work to ensure everyone feels safe in our community. Colombo wants to utilize his background in finance to steward tax dollars responsibly and ensure investments are aligned with the community's needs. Colombo’s grassroots campaign approach has earned the support of educators, labor unions, and the local Democrats in this race.

Dean Johnson, the current mayor and city council member for the at-large position, is the other candidate in this race. Johnson’s campaign priorities are more conservative and not always aligned with the needs of local residents. Johnson priorities include pet safety and a narrow approach to the housing crisis that only addresses first-time homebuyers.

Puyallup residents deserve a council member who knows that our communities are strengthened through good schools, fair wages, clean air, and quality public infrastructure. Joe Colombo is the best option in this race for Puyallup City Council, District 2, Position 1.
 

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.
 

Jamika Scott is running for Tacoma City Council in District 3 to replace Councilmember Keith Blocker, who is retiring. She was born and raised in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood and has dedicated her career to organizing her community.

Scott has worked as a domestic violence advocate at YWCA Pierce County and mentored students with AmeriCorps at Peace Community Center. She is also a co-founder and organizer with the Tacoma Action Collective and a board member of the Tacoma Public Library Foundation and the Tacoma Arts Commission.

Scott is a community activist who is running to bring her lifetime of experience to the Tacoma City Council. If elected, she would prioritize improving community safety through alternatives to law enforcement. She wants to expand access to mental health advocates to respond to emergency calls instead of police. In addition, she supports utilizing a restorative justice model that attempts to repair the harm done instead of only punishing offenders. Scott has also endorsed the Tacoma For All campaign that would establish a tenant bill of rights for local renters.

We recommend Scott for Tacoma City Council in District 3 because of her broader support, very progressive campaign platform, and deep roots in the community.
 

Myrah Lyle Ballentine is running for Position 3 on the Tacoma Civil Service Commission in this relatively low-information race. Ballentine works in administrative and student support at Tacoma Community College. She is also a board member and the secretary of the Tacoma Central Neighborhood Council, one of the city’s recognized community councils. Ballentine’s track record in community service has given her strong insight into the issues facing people who work, study, and live in Tacoma.

Like her opponent, Ballentine does not have appear to have a campaign website as of early October, but her campaign statement in the local voters' pamphlet emphasizes her community relationships and desire to improve the quality of life for all Tacoma residents. She stands apart from her opponent in this race because of key endorsements from the local Democrats and county union leadership.

Max J. Heller III, a security guard for the Tacoma Dome and Democratic precinct committee officer, is also running for the civil service commission. He has previously run for local and statewide seats and has volunteered with community services that help our unhoused neighbors. If elected, he wants to be a voice for workers.

In this low-information race, we believe Myrah Lyle Ballentine is the best choice because of her endorsements and community leadership experience.
 

Alecia Cunningham is the best choice for University Place City Council, Position 7 based on her endorsements from our progressive partners and trusted community leaders. She has served her community on the University Place Park Advisory Commission and on the Northeast Business District Advisory. While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we encourage you to visit her website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.

Erasmo Ruiz is running for Bethel School Board from District 2. He has worked for the last four years as a social worker and mental health professional in the state foster care system. He is also a member of the Bethel School District Career and Technical Education General Advisory Committee. 

Ruiz is running to ensure every student has the resources they need to thrive. His top priority would be to advocate for more state and federal education funding to improve education without raising more regressive taxes. In addition, he wants to provide more support for teachers, improve student safety, and expand dual-language education programs. 

Ruiz is challenging longtime incumbent John Manning. Despite his many years on the board, Manning has not released a website or any campaign platform as of mid-October. Manning and other incumbents recently faced significant criticism from parents and bus drivers over major staffing shortages that have left kids stranded at bus stops. Manning blamed the crisis on the pandemic and didn't directly address drivers concerns about being overworked and underpaid, as well as frequent route changes that leave parents and drivers confused. In a public letter, bus drivers said the district's "leadership is floundering" and said parents should be concerned. 

Erasmo Ruiz is the clear choice for new leadership on the Bethel School Board from District 2. 
 

Janet Caldwell is running for Clover Park School Board, Director, District 5. The seat is currently held by Paul Wagemann, who is facing evidence-based allegations that he both sexually harrassed a school employee and also made racist remarks at a school board meeting. Caldwell has been a public school educator in the Bethel School District for the past 29 years and currently serves as the Bethel Education Association president. She can relate to many district families as a longtime Lakewood resident, military spouse, and parent of district students.

Caldwell is running on an inclusive platform to improve education opportunities and resources for all Clover Park students. Her top priorities include ensuring that students are safe at school and attracting quality educators to Clover Park schools. She also wants to ensure public education is accessible to students of all learning needs. Caldwell has earned an impressive slate of endorsements from community leaders and local educators. 

Caldwell’s opponent in this race is Noa Bunting, who is aligned with the far-right group Moms for Liberty. Bunting is a 24-year-old conservative whose campaign platform promotes the agenda of right-wing groups that want to ban books from school libraries, eliminate comprehensive sex education, and change school curriculums to match their political agenda. Our students deserve a quality education free from the politicization of a small group of far-right activists and candidates like Noa Bunting. 

Janet Caldwell's decades of experience as an educator and strong community support make her the clear choice for Clover Park School Board, Director, District 5. 
 

Trish Crocker is challenging Republican incumbent Joseph Romero for Puyallup School Board, Director Position 2. Crocker has worked in health and human services for nearly 25 years, including in grants management for the county. She currently serves on the executive board for the local district Democrats and volunteers with the Waller Road Parent Teacher Organization. Through both her professional and volunteer work, Crocker has dedicated herself to bringing resources and services to community members who need them the most.

Crocker is running a community-focused campaign to bring the best opportunities and learning environments to Puyallup students. If elected, she would focus on creating a positive work environment for teachers that results in a better education for students; in this vein, she wants to raise wages, limit class sizes, and ensure adequate levels of staffing. As a parent and volunteer with the school district herself, Crocker’s campaign ideas are grounded in community needs, and she has earned endorsements from many community leaders.

Real estate broker and incumbent Joseph Romero is the current president of the Puyallup School Board where he has been serving since 2019. Romero is associated with Moms for Liberty, a far-right group that seeks to impose their agenda on our schools and take away parents' decisionmaking ability for their families. He attended a Moms for Liberty event this summer when attendees applauded being labeled a hate group. The extent of his conservative beliefs is not readily apparent in his vague campaign platform, though he prides himself on challenging Gov. Inslee’s leadership during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and re-opening public schools in Puyallup early.

Puyallup students, teachers, and families deserve school board leadership that trusts science, invests in all students, and keeps extremist ideas out of public curriculums. Trish Crocker is the clear choice in this race for Puyallup School Board, Director Position 2.
 

Early learning coach Amanda Cuthbert is running for Puyallup School Board, Director Position 3. Cuthbert works for an early learning organization focused on providing a kid-centric, inclusive education. She also currently serves on the Puyallup Public Library board, as board secretary for the Washington Child Care Centers Association, and as a member of the Two-Way Racial Healing Project board. 

Cuthbert has been involved with the school district as a parent, PTA member, and parent volunteer. With her professional background in early learning education and her extensive public service experience, Cuthbert is strongly qualified to bring community solutions to the school board that help students, teachers, and families thrive.  

Cuthbert is running on a platform focused on creating safe and welcoming schools. If elected, Cuthbert hopes to continue rebuilding a positive relationship between district teachers and the school board. She recognizes that all students deserve to learn in environments free from gun violence, and she wants to focus on safety measures that address persistent fears of school shootings.  

Cuthbert is facing Gretchen Miles, a social worker at a nonprofit and a Moms for Liberty candidate. Like other far-right candidates running for school board this year, she would try to impose a top-down political agenda on our kids' education. She would prevent parents from deciding which books their children should read or what health information is available to students.  

Our schools need leaders with local experience who will put the needs and safety of students before politics. Amanda Cuthbert is the clear choice in this race for Puyallup School Board, Director Position 3. 
 

Educator and community leader Davida Haygood is running for Puyallup School Board, Director Position 5 to replace Turan Kayaoglu, who is not seeking re-election. Haygood has more than 25 years of experience in education and currently works at Pierce College as the interim director of education programs. She is also a community leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion and previously organized the Two-Way Racial Healing Project. Now, Haygood also serves on the Design Review & Historic Preservation Board.

As both an educator herself and a parent, Haygood would bring an important perspective to the school board. Her priorities are centered around connecting both students and teachers to the resources they need to succeed. Haygood wants to lead with an equity lens and is determined to make sure that every student, regardless of their background, has the same support and opportunities at school. She wants to invest in student mental health and special education, while also strengthening the pathways to college and vocational schools for all students. Haygood has received an impressive slate of endorsements in this race including from elected leaders, local educators, unions, and local Democratic groups.

Haygood is running against Shannon Burch, who works in sales and analysis in the private sector. Burch is a parent to students in the district and has served as an active PTA and PTSA member. Her platform aligns with a sharply more conservative agenda in school board leadership. Burch and some fellow Puyallup school board candidates are running as a slate associated with Moms For Liberty, a far-right group that's trying to impose their agenda on public schools. They would take away the freedom for parents to choose what's best for their kids and have sought to ban books in school libraries. Burch even joined an event over the summer hosted by Moms for Liberty, which created serious concerns about what agenda she would pursue if elected. 

Davida Haygood is the best candidate in this race and deserves your vote for Puyallup School Board, Director District 5.
 

Rocca Lamanna is running for Sumer-Bonney Lake School District Board of Directors, District 2. He is an associate vice provost for Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Born and raised in Washington, he returned to Lake Tapps in 2020 after earning a master's in Organizational Development and an EdD in Educational Leadership and Management. Lamanna has two adopted sons who attend school in the district and has worked with local administrators to advocate for them and increase a sense of inclusion in the district for all students.

Lamanna's top three priorities are school safety, building community, and finding common ground to advance student outcomes. He wants to work with the district to improve the recruitment and retention of diverse school staff and ensure that the local curriculum stays historically accurate.

His opponent in this race is incumbent Paul Williams, a Republican Party-endorsed candidate. His top priorities are parent engagement and academic growth. Williams vaguely alludes to the politicization of schools on his website. However, he doesn't commit to keeping schools inclusive of all students and forgoing conservative trends of attempting to ban books and whitewash curriculums of different cultures and stories.

Lamanna has been endorsed by the local Democrats and education advocates who believe in his vision for education in the district. He is the best choice in this race.

Incumbent Kevin Lewis is running for Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, Board Director 3. Lewis' reelection campaign aims to continue his work in ensuring that schools remain safe, inclusive, and high-functioning. He has served in the community on the Donald Eismann Elementary and McAlder Elementary PTAs, as well as on the district's Equity Advisory Committee, among other leadership roles.

Lewis is proud that the district's enrollment and financial stability are strong, and that graduation rates continue to rise. Workforce programming has also helped students land jobs across different industries post-graduation. Lewis' progressive foundations drive him to continue looking for full funding for the resources our schools depend on, including bus drivers, technology, and more.

Lewis' opponent is right-wing candidate Denis Caron, who was recently outed by The News Tribune as a Moms for Liberty-supported candidate. Caron was caught on audio stating that he would "devise a way to bring our family values and our community values into the schools... We've spent a lot of years trying to dive away from bringing things like God into schools, we've spent a lot of time sort of sweeping him away, I don't think that's okay."

Washington schools don't need religious, hyper-polarizing politics interrupting our students' ability to receive a modern education. Vote Kevin Lewis for Sumner-Bonney Lake School Board.

William "Bill" Gaines is running for the Sumner-Bonney Lake School Board of Directors, District 4. Gaines worked as a classroom teacher for 15 years, as a building principal for 21, and as an assistant superintendent for another 5. He also worked with the Renton Teacher's Association and was the negotiation lead for the Sumner Principal Association.

Gaines is aiming to continue his passion for education and advocacy in this role, using his extensive school experience to elevate student success, listen to community members, and create a respectful environment for students and staff. He has been endorsed by local Democrats and teachers for his unifying vision for the district.

Running against Gaines is Paul Monsen, whose conservative campaign is supported by the county Republicans, far-right religious groups, and Moms for Liberty, an organization looking to ban books from school libraries and eliminate comprehensive and age-appropriate sex education. He has worked as a plumber and a mechanical company superintendent. 

The school board is no place to push divisive agendas that alienate students and prevent them from achieving a modern education. Vote Gaines for Sumner-Bonney Lake School Board, District 4.
 

School board vice-president Korey Strozier is running unopposed for re-election to the Tacoma School Board in Director District 3. Strozier was first appointed to the school board in 2020 and retained by voters the following year. He is the director of King County Youthsource, a public program to help youth further their education and employment opportunities. 

Strozier is the only Black school board member currently, and he has been a strong advocate for disenfranchised students and equity in our school district. His accomplishments in office include leading the school district through the coronavirus pandemic and earning a statewide award for his work on developing anti-racist policy and closing opportunity gaps. Now, he is running on a community-responsive platform to bring more transparency and engagement to the school board as well as implementing financial literacy programs. If re-elected, Strozier will continue to ensure students from all backgrounds have the same opportunity for success in Tacoma schools. His re-election is supported by an impressive and long list of elected and community leaders.

Strozier has been a staunch progressive on the board, and he deserves your vote for another term in Tacoma School Board, Director District 3.
 

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.
 

T'wina Nobles is an educator and community leader running to retain her seat on the University Place School Board. Nobles is a current board member of the University Place School Board, and was previously a teacher at Stadium and Lincoln High Schools. Nobles is also the CEO of the Tacoma Urban League and the Black Future Co-op Fund, organizations that build cooperative power in the Black community. Nobles made history in 2020 when she was elected to as a senator for the 28th district, becoming the first Black state senator to serve in over a decade.

As someone who has worked in education for more than 15 years and has experienced foster care and homelessness firsthand, Nobles became an extremely effective champion for our students in the state senate. She passed bills to mandate 45 minutes of recess per day, expand our state financial aid for college, and require school supports for students experiencing foster care. She also introduced a bill that would have required schools to make school lunches free.

During her time with the University Place School Board, she has lead efforts to make sure every student can thrive, regardless of their zip code, family's income, or the color of their skin. She supporting funding school planners, homecoming events, and college tours to historically Black colleges and universities. 

Nobles' opponent is Linda Wojciechowski, a conservative Christian who is running for a seat on the University Place School Board. In her role as a volunteer jail chaplain, Wojciechowski made inappropriate and harmful comments about LGBTQ+ members of the community. She used similarly incendiary language in her multiple testimonies before the school board where she used fearmongering to divide us, rather than presenting real solutions for all students and families. 

Nobles would continue to ensure that every student has access to an honest, inclusive, quality education, and she deserves your vote for the University Place School Board.