City of Redmond

King County Assessor John Wilson is running unopposed for re-election. He worked as the chief deputy assessor for four years before being elected by the public to lead the office in 2015. Wilson has also worked in the county’s Department of Information Technology and in public affairs consulting. 

In office, Wilson has focused on housing affordability, making sure our tax code is balanced, and improving the efficiency of assessor services. One of his top priorities has been to ensure that property taxes don’t push our senior neighbors out of their homes. Wilson also revamped the office’s web services and instituted the Taxpayer Transparency Tool so county residents can easily calculate how policy changes impact their upcoming taxes. In this race, Wilson’s platform emphasizes similar values of accessibility, innovation, and efficiency in the office while working on community issues like housing and immigration.

With his years of experience and strong community focus, John Wilson deserves your vote to serve another term as King County Auditor. 

Incumbent Julie Wise is running for her third term serving as King County Director of Elections. Wise has worked in elections since 2000 and as the county’s director since 2015. During her two terms, she has brought innovative community services to the offices that have advanced civic education and voter participation.

Wise has led progress in the county elections office, instituting the Voter Education Fund (a public-philanthropic partnership), providing prepaid postage on ballots, introducing new language options, and adding 65 new ballot drop-off locations. Her past term included successfully navigating the storm of election misinformation and conspiracy theories about the democratic process. Wise has won numerous awards for her leadership in the office.

Wise’s campaign reflects her continued commitment to reducing barriers to voting, protecting elections from infringement, building community trust in the accuracy of election results, and making sure every vote is counted. Her biggest priorities for a third term are continuing progressive efforts to increase accessibility while investing in security to protect voters and elections offices from intimidation.

Republican Doug Basler is challenging Wise in this race. Basler runs a digital video and marketing services company, and he has previously run for office. His campaign platform dangerously promotes far-right fictions of election fraud that fueled the 2020 criminal conspiracy to overthrow the will of the people. Basler has also previously questioned the integrity of county elections, and even participated in lawsuits aimed at overturning the function of our democratic institutions. 

King County voters deserve an elections director who is focused on delivering quality and accurate services rather than someone who wants to overturn our votes and stoke chaos in order to elevate their position and that of their party. Julie Wise deserves re-election for another term as King County Director of Elections to continue bringing strong leadership to the office. 

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.  

Sam Cho is running unopposed for re-election for Seattle Port Commissioner, Position 2. Before his election in 2019, he served on Gov. Jay Inslee’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and previously worked on trade issues for a member of Congress. Aside from his work on the commission, Cho also serves on the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Council on International Trade.

Cho has been a standout on the commission in his first term. When Cho became commission president in 2022, he was the first Asian American to serve in the role in port history. As the son of South Korean immigrants and a fluent Korean speaker, Cho has led several international trade efforts with Korea, including creating a green trade corridor with the Port of Busan and working with Hyundai and KIA to make the Port of Seattle the exclusive importer of their cars.

Cho deserves your vote for Position 2 on the Seattle Port Commission. 

Incumbent Fred Felleman is an environmental consultant and marine biologist. He is running for re-election to the Seattle Port Commission, Position 5, as the senior member of the commission, having served since 2016. With his science background, Felleman has pledged to continue supporting environmentally friendly reforms at the port.

As commissioner, Felleman has focused on fighting climate change and increasing the port's green energy jobs. He has been a leader on the commission when it comes to protecting orcas, publicly opposing the dangerous Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, and advocating for well-paying jobs. Elected commission president in 2021, he has recently supported more efficient and greener policies at the port to reduce pollution, including adding solar panels to the Fishermen's Terminal's net shed and powering new docks so ships don't have to idle and burn additional fuel. Felleman often supports social causes as well, including condemning Trump's Muslim ban and government agencies’ response at the airport, as well as welcoming Ukrainian refugees, with Washington hosting 16,000 refugees, the third most among U.S. states.

Challenging Felleman is Jesse Tam, the managing director for Mega Pacific Investments, a strategic development consulting firm. He is a former parks commissioner for the city of Newcastle, as well as past president and current board director for the Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce, among other roles. 

Tam states that he's running to use his business experience to source well-paying union jobs, negotiate business deals, and lead on climate change. While we agree with Tam's listed priorities, Felleman has been an excellent environmental advocate and scientific mind on the board, and we don't see a strong case for how Tam would bring progressive change to the port. 

Felleman has earned your vote for re-election to the Port of Seattle, Position #5. 

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.
 

Incumbent Councilmember Jessica Forsythe is running unopposed for re-election to Position 3 on the Redmond City Council. Before joining the council in 2019, she served on the executive committee of the League of Women Voters Seattle-King County and executive board for the 48th Legislative District Democrats. Forsythe has been exceptionally active in the community, co-founding the Seattle Symphony PRIDE contingent, joining campaigns for Washington’s most progressive initiatives, and participating in a global network to donate her creative skills where needed. Outside of public and community service, she serves as a creative director for her own studio, Little Hinka Design.

Forsythe brings an important voice to the council as a renter and younger elected official. Some of her greatest policy achievements in office have been equity-related; honoring Black history by recognizing Juneteenth, addressing islamophobia within the Redmond community, and working to uproot systemic racism through action and community engagement. Forsythe has four top priorities in this race including protecting the environment, supporting local small businesses, fostering a sense of community, and upgrading infrastructure. As Redmond grows, Forsythe is committed to making sure that the economic benefits of that growth are felt by all, not just a privileged few. She also believes that sustainable growth must take our climate and local ecosystem into account, and Forsythe wants to set green guidelines and promote LEED building standards. 

Forsythe has earned an impressive list of the most progressive leaders and organizations in Redmond and Washington broadly. We recommend her for another term on the Redmond City Council in Position 3.
 

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.
 

Incumbent director Eric Laliberte is running for a third term serving in Lake Washington School Board, Director District 1. First elected in 2015, Laliberte now serves as the vice president of the board. Outside of public office, he is a civil litigation attorney at a Seattle firm.

In office, Laliberte has worked hard to prepare Lake Washington students for careers and futures in our changing world. He is proud of the district’s rising graduation rate, which now hovers just above 94 percent, and the recent investments in career and technical training programs. In this campaign, his top priorities include academic success, equitable opportunities, inclusive community, and student wellbeing. Laliberte also wants to strengthen community engagement, expand mental health resources, invest in student services, and upgrade school infrastructure to ensure that students are learning in sustainable spaces. In this race, Laliberte has earned an impressive roster of endorsements from Democratic groups, elected leaders, and community organizations.

Andy Markert, an engineer at Dell, is challenging Laliberte for this seat on a conservative platform. If elected, Markert wants to restrict funding for our district while prioritizing the vague concept of safety. His campaign has some fear-mongering language and does not represent the needs of Lake Washington students, staff, or families.

We recommend Eric Laliberte in this race because of his progressive track record and strong endorsements.

We believe Lindsey Yocum is the best choice for Lake Washington School Board Director from District 5 based on her impressive endorsements from our progressive partners and trusted community leaders. She currently works as the director of a non-profit sustainable farm and services as the PTA co-president for the Environmental and Adventure School. 

She is a former teacher in the district who is passionate about providing opportunities for students with special needs. If elected, she would also work to improve communications and transparency between the board and parents and students. She also wants to find ways to involve students in identifying solutions to the challenges facing the district. 

Yocum's opponent, Janel Schermerhorn, has also earned some endorsements from local Democrats and advocacy groups. However, Yocum's experience in the classroom and advocating for students with special needs would be a welcome addition to the Lake Washington School District Board of Directors. 

We recommend Lindsey Yocum for District 5. 
 

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.