Snohomish County

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

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

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

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

Cindy Gobel, a certification and training specialist with the Washington Secretary of State, is running for county auditor again after a narrow loss for the position four years ago. She previously served the public as a representative with the Women’s Law Caucus in Snohomish County from 2012 to 2015. Gobel states that she has spent 11 years working in records, licensing, and animal control with law enforcement, and several more years working in elections, including some in former Secretary of State Kim Wyman's office.

Gobel views the auditor’s office as a place where we all come together – to register a pet, apply for a marriage license, or register to vote. If elected, she has a progressive vision for strengthening our democratic systems, increasing transparency and community trust, and delivering efficient services for all residents. County auditors play an important role in upholding our election integrity, and Gobel wants to safeguard Snohomish voters from conspiracies and ensure every vote is counted. She also wants to implement accessibility measures to make sure that all Snohomish residents can make use of the auditor’s services, especially non-English speakers and residents of color who have historically been left behind by the office.

Gobel is challenging incumbent auditor Garth Fell, who has 24 years of county election management experience, including previously working as Snohomish County’s elections manager and as county auditor. If re-elected, Fell wants to continue to ensure accurate, transparent, and customer-focused elections and animal services. Fell’s leadership in the auditor’s office has been characterized as “steadfastly neutral” by the Everett Herald. However, with our democracy under attack from the right, it is imperative that our next county auditor has a bold, community-focused plan that seeks to improve the office rather than simply maintain the status quo. 

Gobel has earned an impressive list of progressive and community endorsements in this race. She is the best choice for Snohomish County Auditor.
 

Susanna Johnson, a 30-year veteran of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, is challenging incumbent Adam Fortney for Snohomish County Sheriff. She has worked in many roles across departments, including as a patrol deputy, detective sergeant, and SWAT Entry Team. Johnson was recently recruited by the Bothell Police Department to serve as a Lateral Police Captain and promoted to deputy chief. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, which is the most sought-after executive law enforcement leadership training.

In our interview with Johnson, she pointed to her vast executive and police experience compared to Fortney's and her desire to return the sheriff's office to steady leadership. She points to Fortney's rehiring of officers fired for dishonesty and improper use of force as well as the hiring of a Proud Boy as two reasons why the public has lost confidence in the office as a neutral body. She also points to internal issues, including the department's loss of accreditation, which costs taxpayers money in higher litigation and insurance fees, as well as increasing reports of PTSD for officers as other reasons for voters to be concerned. If elected, Johnson wants to see the office return to more community policing, building rapport among neighbors and businesses, reducing armed officer responses to calls when it's unnecessary, and using better analysis to prevent crime. 

Incumbent Adam Fortney has served as sheriff since a contentious run against former sheriff Ty Trenary in 2019, whom Fortney worked for as sergeant. Fortney is a so-called "constitutional sheriff" who has refused to enforce laws that he doesn't personally believe in, including public health laws. 

Fortney also used his position to publicly advocate against state laws on police accountability and high speed chases in a video he released from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. These types of communications may be illegal, as sheriff's offices and other public agencies are supposed to be limited to communications with constituents, not lobbying against lawmakers or public policy.

Fortney's term has been marred by endless controversies that have eroded confidence in his leadership and judgement. Johnson's clearheaded vision would return the office to a much healthier place, and her enormous amount of endorsements, from progressive elected officials to other sheriffs' offices, show the strength of her platform and personal character. Johnson is by far the best choice for Snohomish County Sheriff. 
 

Megan Dunn, the program director for the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, is running for re-election to the Snohomish County Council in District 2. Prior to being elected to the council in 2019, Dunn led the successful effort to improve representation on the Everett City Council by creating local districts and served on the Everett Community Streets Initiative Task Force, which helps address homelessness in downtown Everett.

Dunn ran for Snohomish County Council in 2019 to continue her work on community-building and environmental sustainability. She's met her campaign promises by using pandemic recovery funding for district organizations that are committed to helping neighbors, including the Interfaith Family Shelter, Everett Recovery Café, and Madres de Casino Road's meal program.

She's focused on voting for policies that would best uplift people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Dunn was one of three council members who voted to convert two hotels into low-barrier shelters for people experiencing homelessness. She correctly noted that putting up barriers like drug testing would have put 20 million federal dollars at risk of being lost and likely prevented the shelter from being built. 

Dunn faces a challenge from Georgia Fisher. a precinct committee officer for the Snohomish County Republican Party and district chair for the 21st Legislative District Republicans. In addressing the opioid and drug epidemic, she wants to see more people arrested for addiction, sending more people in crisis to jail. Much of her campaign platform follows a familiar path for conservatives this year, with promises to support business and pour even more funds into militarized police. For reference, the county already spends over 75 percent of its $288.5 million general budget on police and the criminal legal system. 

If elected, Dunn will continue to advocate for those who need it most in the country. She is by far the best choice for the Snohomish County Council in District 2. 
 

State House Rep. Strom Peterson was appointed to the Snohomish County Council last year. He is now running unopposed to retain his county council seat. In less than a year on the council, Peterson has joined his colleagues to bolster rental assistance funding and secure funds for Civic Park. As a member of the council's Housing Affordability Regional Task Force (HART), he has also worked to make low-barrier shelters available to help people struggling with homelessness.

Peterson enters election season with a large slate of endorsements from progressive and Democratic leaders from state, local, and county governments. Peterson has earned your vote for Snohomish County Council representing District 3. 
 

Judge Patrick M. Moriarty is running to retain his seat on the Snohomish County Superior Court in Position 17. Moriarty was appointed to this position by Governor Inslee in 2022 to fill a newly-created seat on the court. Before his appointment, Moriarty worked as a court commissioner for the county’s superior court, spent almost two decades as a judge pro tem in the county, and practiced law for almost three decades. In his law career, he has served as the assistant city attorney of Seattle, a public defender, and a private attorney in criminal defense and family law.

The superior court is where Snohomish community members have important criminal, civil, and family matters adjudicated. Moriarty recognizes the important role judges play for the Snohomish community and wants to continue utilizing his extensive legal expertise to bring fair and experienced leadership to the court. In this race, he has earned an impressive roster of progressive endorsements from community organizations, labor groups, local Democrats, and elected officials. Moriarty has also been endorsed by every sitting judge at all levels in Snohomish County.

In this race, Judge Moriarty faces Mary C. Anderson, a private attorney who started her own firm and has a strong background in civil cases. Anderson was driven to a career in law after her family suffered injustice. Now, she serves as her clients’ unwavering advocate in a range of matters, offers pro bono legal support and volunteers with the community’s most vulnerable, and serves as a pro tem judge. One of Anderson’s priorities as a lawyer and as an aspiring judge is to ensure that all Snohomish community members know their rights and have their rights respected in the courts.

Moriarty has the most judicial experience in this race and has earned the broadest set of endorsements. We recommend Judge Patrick Moriarty to retain Position 17 on the Snohomish County Superior Court.
 

Mayor and incumbent council member Mason Thompson is running for another term for Bothell City Council, Position 2. Prior to joining the council in 2020, Thompson worked in account management for a number of companies and he has served on the city’s parks and recreation board.

In office, Thompson has worked to implement a progressive vision of efficiency in both public services and city planning. He believes this approach can create a more livable, accessible, and climate-friendly Bothell. Some of his accomplishments on the council include leading RADAR (a bridge between law enforcement and mental health services), pedestrianizing Main Street, tripling human services funding, and securing Bothell’s first federal grant for the Bothell-Everett Highway. Now, Thompson is running to make strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, to build diverse housing options to meet a variety of needs, and to invest in public spaces like Main Street and parks. 

Fellow city council member James McNeal, who currently serves in Position 4, is challenging Thompson in this race. McNeal spent nearly three decades in the construction industry and served as the former president of an organization dedicated to preserving the Wayne Golf Course. He joined the council in 2016 and is running in this race without a detailed platform, updated social media, or a campaign website as of mid-October.

Thompson has been an exceptional leader for Bothell and has helped make the city a hub of innovation for the entire region. Mason Thompson has earned your vote for Bothell City Council, Position 2. 
 

Carston Curd is a natural resources planner and licensed geologist running to bring a progressive and sustainable vision to the Bothell City Council in Position 4. He currently serves as vice chair of the Bothell Planning Commission, Sound Transit Community Oversight Panel, and third vice chair for the First Legislative District Democrats. Curd is also a volunteer for a number of grassroots and community initiatives within the Northshore area.

Curd is an advocate for green spaces and educates the community on complex topics that impact the solutions to the lack of affordable homes. As a progressive environmental advocate, his platform priorities include increasing the number of affordable homes, making transit accessible, and building resilience to urban flooding. As a current public servant in Snohomish County, Curd brings valuable experience and has garnered the support of many local leaders including Bothell Mayor Mason Thompson.

Curd's opponent is retired engineer Mark Swanson. Swanson has stated in local interviews that he's "not actively campaigning," though he made it through the primary election. Unfortunately, he has no website available with policy proposals, though he denies there is an affordable housing crisis in Bothell, despite much evidence to the contrary. Much of his platform seems to be anti-growth, and in a League of Women Voters forum he stated that he will curb growth in the city by preventing the building of affordable and family apartments in the area.

Carston Curd will work to fight climate change, improve housing affordability, and expand transit access in Bothell. He is the best choice for Bothell City Council, Position 4.  

Incumbent Amanda Dodd is running for re-election to Position 6 on the Bothell City Council. Dodd first joined the council in October 2022 when she was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Davina Duerr’s resignation. Before that, Dodd served on the city’s planning commission, to which she was appointed in 2020. Outside of government service, she works for Salesforce in account management and volunteers her time as a board member for the Snohomish County Transportation Coalition.

Dodd is running to make Bothell a welcoming, affordable, and vibrant place to live. If retained, her priorities include growing a strong small business community, creating more attainable housing options, and investing in environmental protections to safeguard Bothell’s ecosystem for generations to come. Her progressive vision for the city has already earned her an impressive array of endorsements in this race.

Former city council member and veteran Thomas Agnew is challenging Dodd. Last year, Agnew was considered alongside Dodd for the council appointment. His platform is not very detailed as of mid- October, focusing primarily on more policing in our neighborhoods and preserving car parking over making streets safer. In past elections, Agnew has run on a more conservative platform, advocating for cutting some critical community funding while directing more money to police and making some infrastructure investments.

Amanda Dodd is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote for Bothell City Council, Position 6. 

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Eck is running for Position 1 on the Edmonds City Council to create a welcoming community for the people she serves in the nonprofit sector. Position 1 on the council is being vacated by Dave Teitzel, who was appointed last year to complete the term of the late council member Kristiana Johnson.

Eck is the chief operating officer at Volunteers of America Western Washington, a Christian organization that runs food banks, crisis care, homeless prevention, and youth programs. She also brings experience in neighborhood planning from the Lynnwood and Snohomish County planning commissions.

Eck's platform is driven by her work in the human services sector, where she sees young families being priced out of neighborhoods, lower-wage workers with high rents and long commutes, and others struggling to get by. Her top priorities are providing more affordable housing, making neighborhoods more sustainable and walkable, and including the diverse voices of all Edmonds residents in decision-making. Her stance on public safety starts with empathy and respect - she knows how important it is to have non-police professionals create pathways for people struggling with homelessness, substance use, or domestic violence.

Roger Pence, former chair of the Edmonds Planning Board, is also running for Edmonds City Council, Position 1. Pence started his career as a clerk in the Washington Legislature and went on to do community outreach with King County Metro Transit.

Pence focuses on very general goals like organizing town halls, updating the website, and doing outreach for the city's next comprehensive plan. He also wants to undo the neglect of the Highway 99 corridor and protect Edmonds' natural environment. However, though he agrees that Edmonds will have to plan for growth, he opposes allowing for more density in single-family neighborhoods, something we know is necessary to address the lack of affordable homes for lower- and middle-income families.

Pence's attendees to his campaign launch include several conservative members of the current city council, and he overall lacks support from the progressive community. Chris Eck has a much more comprehensive platform that is in line with our values, and has earned the support of many progressives. Eck deserves your vote for Edmonds City Council, Position 1. 

Mackey Guenther is running for Edmonds City Council, Position 4, to develop neighborhoods with affordable, climate-adaptive homes that will allow every family in Edmonds to thrive. A young college student studying urban planning and economics, Guenther has an impressive resume that showcases his passion for housing and the environment. During his internship at the City of Edmonds Planning and Development department, he did outreach to many residents who are often underrepresented at public hearings. He also has volunteer experience building homes for people experiencing homelessness, helping people navigate the legal system as a small claims counselor, and protecting salmon ecosystems.

Both Guenther and his opponent, Michelle Dotsch, are running on platforms that almost entirely focus on housing growth in Edmonds, but they have very different visions for the city. 

Dotsch wants to keep the single-family zoning that is prolonging residents' struggle to find affordable homes and increasing urban sprawl. Dotsch is a semi-retired dentist and the current president of the Alliance of Citizens for Edmonds, an organization that opposes housing solutions that would create the affordable, plentiful homes that Edmonds needs. Dotsch sees changing zoning rules as a threat to Edmonds' "small town charm," even though the lack of affordable, multifamily homes is pricing families out of the neighborhoods where they work and is fueling homelessness.

In contrast, Guenther believes that building more affordable, green housing will create a healthier climate, and provide more choices and stability for residents who are struggling to afford rent. He supported state legislation that will allow more housing for people with middle-incomes near public transit, and would push the council to follow the Edmonds Housing Commission's 15 recommendations to improve housing affordability and opportunity in Edmonds.

Guenther would bring a fresh perspective and a dedication to housing solutions that work for all of our neighbors. He deserves your vote for Edmonds City Council, Position 4.
 

Susan Paine, one of the few progressives on the Edmonds City Council, is running this year to retain Position 6. Paine comes to the council with years of experience as an employee for the city of Seattle, former president of the Edmonds School Board, and the vice chair of AtWork!, a nonprofit serving people with disabilities. She holds a master's degree in public administration from Seattle University.

Paine has not been afraid to vote against her conservative colleagues, especially when it comes to housing. Although Edmonds has around 450 people experiencing homelessness, the city has no shelters, and does not allow affordable multifamily housing to be built on 94 percent of its land. Paine is the only council member who does not want to keep these exclusionary rules - she was the sole vote in favor of accepting a grant to study ways to provide more middle-income housing options.

Paine was also one of only two council members to oppose the decision to ban living outside within 35 miles of a shelter, a move that she said effectively "criminalized poverty." Unlike her colleagues, Paine believes that Edmonds should increase housing options, shelter space, and much needed services instead of punishing people who are struggling.

Despite being outnumbered on the council, Paine has managed to accomplish much for the people of Edmonds. During the pandemic, she funded relief for local businesses without cutting staff for essential programs like the Edmonds Food Bank. She made changes that kept kids safe from traffic around their schools, introduced a local human services program for families, and protected Edmonds' environment through initiatives that introduced more solar power, electric charging, and protections for city trees.

Kevin Fagerstrom is challenging Paine for Edmonds City Council, Position 6. He is a retired police sergeant who was one of the officers who shot and killed a civilian, Eugene Culp Jr., in 2006. Fagerstrom is a conservative who is running for office to resist Washington's efforts to build more housing that people with lower or middle incomes can afford.  Although we know that most people who lose their housing are lower-income locals who have experienced an emergency like losing their job, Fagerstrom spreads the myth that "drug addicts and mental patients" are moving into Edmonds to receive services. He would use the fear of helping "nonresidents" to justify the lack of services for people who are struggling to afford the limited housing available in Edmonds.

Paine is one of the few council members who consistently champions environmental stewardship, homes for working people, and services that help our communities thrive. She deserves your vote for Edmonds City Council, Position 6.
 

Business attorney Jenna Nand is running unopposed to retain her seat on Edmonds City Council, Position 7. Nand was appointed to the council in the fall of 2022 after the resignation of Laura Johnson. She arrived with extensive political experience after serving as the first vice chair of the 32nd District Democrats, a pro bono lawyer with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and a member of the city's climate protection committee. Nand is the first woman of color and the first Asian American woman to ever serve on Edmonds' city council.

Nand's platform in 2022 focused on affordability, environmental protection, and inclusivity. This year, she says she wants to continue to focus on beautifying the city, including building a new library and community center on the Highway 99 corridor. However, two of her priorities are not progressive. Nand is an outspoken opponent of a state law that requires cities to build more housing near transit access. This law is a critical step toward reducing the cost of housing and preventing the displacement of seniors. Nand also would prioritize building a new police substation on Highway 99, which will likely be an expensive and divisive project for the city.

Although Nand is more moderate on some issues, she still stands out as a relatively progressive voice on the otherwise conservative Edmonds City Council. She has proven her dedication to her community and deserves your vote.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Incumbent George Hurst is running unopposed for Lynnwood City Council, Position 6. Hurst was first elected in 2015 and recently served as the president of the council. He volunteers as a liaison for the City of Lynnwood Arts Commission and as a member of the Alliance for Housing Affordability Board, amongst many other community leadership positions. Outside of public service, Hurst spent more than three decades running his own electrical and commercial lighting business.

In office, Hurst has worked to improve the efficiency of the county’s 911 system and to establish the South County Regional Fire Authority. If re-elected, he states his top priorities are addressing the housing crisis, investing in holistic public safety, protecting the local environment for generations to come, and championing Lynnwood’s parks as green spaces for all. Hurst has earned a number of endorsements in this race including from community organizations, progressive elected officials, and local Democrats.

We recommend Hurst for a third term in Lynnwood City Council, Position 6.

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

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

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

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

In this somewhat low-information race, we recommend Tannis Golebiewski for Mill Creek City Council, Position 5. She serves on the Mill Creek Parks and Recreation Board, which she chaired last year. She's also a leader for the Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts and helps plan city events like the graduate parade.

Her campaign has been endorsed by the Snohomish County Democrats and the district Democrats for its forward-looking appeal. She wants to ensure that the city's green spaces are preserved and that newcomers are welcomed while growth is properly managed.

She is challenging incumbent Vincent Cavaleri, who has served on the council since 2015. Cavaleri is running on a conservative platform that emphasizes making the city business-friendly, criminalizing the addiction public health crisis, and preserving the status quo of single-family home zoning, which keeps housing unaffordable and out of reach for working people.

Golebiewski is a more progressive choice than Cavaleri. Vote Golebiewski for Mill Creek City Council, Position 5.

Progressive Melanie Lockhart is challenging the incumbent Heather Fulcher for Monroe City Council, Position 4. Lockhart currently serves on the Monroe Planning Commission and on the board of Take the Next Step, a Christian nonprofit that serves homeless and low-income residents.

As a parent of three young kids, she has also been an advocate for our students. She spoke out against racism and harassment after several hate incidents made headlines in recent years. She also is the chairperson for Citizens of Monroe Schools, where she advocates for the levies and bonds that fund educators, transportation, and special education programs for our schools.

Lockhart is running to make Monroe a truly welcoming city for residents of all races, incomes, and backgrounds. She would change zoning, seek funding, and work with developers to create long-term attainable housing for the next generation. She would make downtown more safe and walkable, and make business applications more language-accessible and affordable for new small business-owners. She says her degree in journalism has also prepared her to communicate and be responsive to Monroe's diverse population.

Her opponent is incumbent Heather Fulcher, who has served on the Monroe City Council since 2020. She has served on the Planning Commission, Economic Development Advisory Board, and Housing Affordability Taskforce for the county. Most of her work experience is in retail - she is the owner of Monroe Coffee Co., and has managed her family's bookstore.

Fulcher has very little public information about her political stances and platform for re-election. However, her Facebook has many posts where she celebrates police sweeps of encampments, which we know are inhumane and ineffective. She also thinks the city should prosecute people for "smaller amounts of drugs," indicating that she supports the "tough on crime" laws that have led to the mass incarceration of low-income and BIPOC communities.

Monroe locals have reported that Fulcher was dismissive of commonsense masking protocols at her coffeeshop during the height of the pandemic, and her campaign is supported by several Republican elected officials.

Lockhart would bring a fresh, progressive voice to the Monroe City Council. She deserves your vote for position 4.

Junelle Lewis is running for Monroe City Council, Position 5 to make Monroe a more inclusive and welcoming place. Lewis has worked as a case manager for Snohomish County, an office manager at Maltby Elementary, and a family support specialist with Everett Public Schools. She also serves on the Monroe Planning Commission and on the board of Take the First Step, which serves low-income community members and people facing homelessness.

Lewis' top priority is making housing more affordable, as Monroe's population has doubled since 2000. She wants to build more multifamily, affordable homes, enact protections for tenants, and provide assistance for people who are unhoused. Lewis is also passionate about empowering small business owners, as she and her husband own a local food truck. If elected, she would create mentorship programs for new business owners and make business processes more accessible.

As a member of the Monroe Equity Council and the chair of the Juneteenth Committee, Lewis has organized marches and events for the Black community to celebrate and educate. As a parent of eight children in the public school system, Lewis has also been an outspoken advocate for racial justice in our schools. After several hate crimes and reports of racism in Monroe schools made headlines, Lewis and her children testified to the school board to call for change. If elected, she would go out into neighborhoods and host town halls to engage more directly with communities.

Lewis is running against Republican Jacob Walker, an insurance broker and planning commissioner who has previously run twice before and lost each time.

Walker's top priority is to preserve the "small-town feel" he remembers from his childhood in Monroe, which doesn't reflect the city's rapid growth. Unlike Lewis, he opposes policy changes that would make housing more affordable in Monroe. Without these long overdue reforms, spiraling housing costs will continue to displace our seniors and prevent young people from buying their first homes. Walker is endorsed by many Republican electeds because of his conservative platform.

Lewis is by far the most progressive choice for Monroe City Council and deserves your vote for Position 5.

Richard Emery is running for re-election to Mukilteo City Council, Position 4. He was first appointed to the council in 2008 and has since won election in 2015 and 2019. In his long tenure in city politics, Emery has prioritized preserving property in Japanese Gulch for recreation, and focused on increasing police and fire staffing and improving school crosswalks. If re-elected, he states that his priorities include meeting clean energy goals, supporting a senior center, and developing the waterfront. Emery's campaign this year has been endorsed by many progressive and Democratic elected leaders, including Sen. Marko Liias and Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self.

Running against Emery is planning commissioner Ashvin Sangvhi, whose plan to retain single-family housing doesn't mesh with the affordable housing crisis facing the city. His public safety policies are nondescript, instead choosing to describe the entire region as one of "crime and squalor" without advancing any concrete or new policy ideas. In contract to Emery, Sangvhi is supported by several prominent conservatives.

Emery is the best choice for Mukilteo City Council, Position 4.

Incumbent Councilmember Riaz Khan is running for a second term on the Mukilteo City Council in Position 5. Khan works at Boeing as a manufacturing engineer and has long been a community leader in Mukilteo. He is a Muslim immigrant and served as president of the Islamic Center of Mukilteo, including leading the mosque building project that faced racist attacks from right-wing candidates in the area. Khan is also involved with the local Democrats as the vice chair of the 21st Legislative District group.

Though not a progressive, Khan has a campaign platform that reflects a knowledge of community concerns. If re-elected he wants to build a new senior center, strengthen public safety, and invest in waterfront redevelopment in order to support green space, recreation, local businesses, and Tulalip tribal history.

Mukilteo DEI commissioner Mike Dixon is the other candidate in this race. Dixon runs his own insurance company and serves in a number of elected and volunteer public service roles, including as commissioner and the current board president of Mukilteo’s Water & Wastewater District. He was also appointed to serve on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission in 2022. Now, he is running on a moderate platform similar to Khan’s that emphasizes waterfront development, small business support, public safety, and housing accessibility.

We recommend Riaz Khan in this race because of his proven track record and the Democratic support he has received in this race.

Maygen Hetherington is running for Snohomish City Council, Position 6 At-Large. She's the executive director of the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association.

Hetherington's campaign site features a detailed plan to preserve and update the city's historic charm. She wants to see a comprehensive assessment of the downtown district that would support future infrastructure updates, including pathways for pedestrians, bike lanes, transit, and more. Under this plan public spaces would be created or enhanced to promote performance spaces, community engagement, and more. She believes that addressing climate change and air quality are two major parts of a comprehensive environmental impact plan, which means protecting the Snohomish River and better waste management. Finally, Hetherington wants the city to invest in crime prevention programs and emergency services.

She is running against former Snohomish mayor John Kartak, who was ousted by voters in 2021. As the city's first elected mayor since a shift in the governmental system, Kartak had a controversial tenure. In May of 2020, Kartak faced heavy criticism for allowing a gathering of 100 armed vigilantes with confederate flags to tailgate and intimidate Snohomish protestors. Kartak claimed, falsely, that only a few of the people were associated with fringe groups. In October of that year, Kartak sparked outrage once again by posting a picture on Facebook depicting a toy car running over figurines meant to resemble protesters.

Kartak's conservative agenda has brought endless division and controversy to the city of Snohomish. Maygen Hetherington is the best choice in this race.

David Edwards is running for Woodinville City Council, Position 2. He works as an attorney and serves on the Woodinville Planning Commission and the Evergreen public hospital board. He has lived in East King County for 30 years and volunteers with the Woodinville Farmer's Market.

Edwards is running to increase transparency in local government and protect local parks and green spaces as the city grows. He also wants to improve relationships with other local leaders to ensure that the voices of Woodinville residents are represented in important regional decisions. Finally, he's committed to keeping Woodinville a safe and welcoming place to live and raise a family.

Edwards is running against software engineer Shengquan Liang, who also serves on the planning commission. He wants to improve walkability and make data-driven decisions for Woodinville. Unfortunately, Liang opposes policy changes that would make housing more affordable in Woodinville. Without these long overdue reforms, spiraling housing costs will continue to displace our seniors and prevent young people from buying their first homes.

Edwards' platform and strong endorsements make him the clear choice for Woodinville City Council, Position 2.

Mayor and incumbent council member Mike Millman is running for re-election to Woodinville City Council, Position 4. Millman is a small business owner and spent nearly three decades with the Everett Fire Department where he held a number of leadership positions. He has been an active community leader serving as an elected fire commissioner and on the city’s planning commission.

If re-elected, Millman wants to invest in infrastructure, community safety, and public green spaces. Specifically, he is in favor of expanding the roadway where cars enter and exit Woodinville, adding a mobile integrative health unit staffed by medical personnel and social workers, wraparound services in homeless shelters, and continuing to invest in parks and trails like the Wood Trails park and the Eastrail Corridor project. Millman has earned a long list of endorsements in this race, including from many local leaders.

The other candidate in this race is Shan Evans, who has worked in administrative assistance for a number of large corporations. Evans serves on the Woodinville Public Spaces Commission. In this race, she is running on a vague platform to restrict some community funding, manage growth responsibly, and improve infrastructure.

We recommend Mike Millman in this race for Woodinville City Council, Position 4.

Charles Adkins is running for Everett School Board for Director-at-Large Position 5. Adkins grew up on the Yurok Indian Reservation and remains an enrolled member of the nation today. There, he attended one of the last standing federally-run Indian boarding schools, which existed to erase Indigenous culture and language. Adkins experienced homelessness as a child, which eventually brought him to Cocoon House in Everett. Today he works as a legislative policy analyst for the Tulalip tribes and previously served as the health policy director of the Children’s Alliance. 

Adkins’ extensive background in policy leadership and community advocacy, and his unique experience of how education can be misused to erase some kids' identities, position him well to improve the school district for all students. He has a detailed and exceptionally progressive platform with policy ideas such as partnerships between local youth homelessness resources and the school district, advocating for healthy and safe work environments for teachers and staff, and strengthening the relationships between Everett public schools and local tribes including through the curriculum. In this race, Adkins has been endorsed by a large number of progressive leaders, community organizations, unions, and Democratic groups.

Also in this race is Ryne Rohla, an economist in the Washington State Office of the Attorney General and professor in the subject at Washington State University. Rohla is running to invest in public education in order to improve economic mobility in our community. He wants to bring his expertise in economics to focus on raising competency scores for Everett students. Unfortunately, Rohla has not offered progressive solutions for helping all students achieve their greatest potential and seems to offer a less holistic approach to raising scores.

Charles Adkins' strong progressive values, policy expertise, and community relationships make him the clear choice for Director-at-Large Position 5 on the Everett School Board.
 

Melanie Ryan is a progressive advocate who is challenging incumbent Chuck Whitfield to represent District 2 on the Monroe School Board. Ryan has worked as a school social worker and an advocate for foster students while earning her master's in social work. She then moved into the private sector, where she got experience managing large budgets and projects for Microsoft Education. Now, she is a certified diversity coach, the founder of a nonprofit that fosters pets for low-income families, and an advocate with numerous social justice organizations like the Monroe Equity Council.

Monroe has faced challenges with school environment in recent years - several hate crimes made headlines, and many students stepped up to share their struggles with homophobic and racist slurs, bullying, and violence. Superintendent Justin Blasko resigned after he mishandled these racist incidents and was found to have created a toxic workplace himself.

Through her role as board president of the Monroe Equity Council, Ryan helped organize families of color to share their experiences and hold the superintendent accountable. If elected, she would fight for more consistent training for staff on how to handle bigotry in schools, create more accountability measures for leaders, and hire staff to coordinate diversity and inclusion efforts across the district.

Notably, the incumbent Chuck Whitfield voted against basic inclusivity trainings for staff, and continued to support Superintendent Blasko even after credible reports of his sexism and inappropriate behavior. Whitfield is an Army veteran and the owner of a vehicle-licensing agency. His platform centers around making a strategic plan and improving test scores, but lacks concrete ways he will support students and teachers. His statements on student safety focus on his fears about drugs and alcohol, but fail to acknowledge the racism that has led several students of color to leave school. Whitfield is supported by several Republican elected officials, and the teachers' union has endorsed Ryan.

Ryan would focus on improving students' academics by creating a more welcoming culture, investing in resources to keep quality teachers, and engaging families in kids' education. She also is passionate about fully funding support for multi-language learners and special education, which became a priority after her conversations with educators. Ryan also wants to elevate the student voice by including student representatives on the board to inform their strategic plan.

Ryan has one of the most impressive and detailed platforms that we have seen in all school board races this year. Her dedication to racial justice and her extensive experience advocating for students make her by far the best choice in this race.

Electrical engineer Han Tran is running for Northshore School Board, Director District 3 to replace David Cogan, who is not seeking re-election. Tran is an active community advocate, previously running for Bothell City Council in 2021 on a strong progressive platform. In addition, she participated in the school district’s Ethnic Studies Work Team and served as a Washington Human Rights Commissioner.

As an immigrant and a working mother of Northshore district students, Tran wants to champion equity and inclusion, empower educators, and bring a holistic and progressive approach to addressing the district’s needs. She would work to close opportunity gaps by implementing targeted academic support, culturally responsive teaching, and accountability metrics. Tran also believes in empowering staff with high quality professional development and data-informed decisionmaking. The rest of her campaign priorities are equally detailed and community-centric, reflecting her deep knowledge of the issues and the district. In this race, Tran has received an impressive list of progressive endorsements from unions, Democratic organizations, and elected officials.

Myriam Juritz, a substitute teacher with a Doctorate in Engineering in the Northshore School District, is running against Tran for the District 3 director seat. Juritz serves on the board of the Northshore Schools Foundation, and has also served with the Natural Leaders program, NSD Parent Advisory for Student Success, and more. She is a Spanish-speaking immigrant and credits her upbringing in political unrest as motivating her to run for local government to ensure that community needs are met. Juritz has also volunteered in the district extensively to help improve the Dual Language program, English Language Arts, and the Wellness and Safety Task Force. Her campaign platform emphasizes improving academic excellence and student health, both mental and physical. She states that fact-based education, resilience, and long-term fiscal responsibility is core to improving schools and education. However, her available platform is not as detailed as Tran’s, nor has she earned as many community endorsements.

Tran is the clear choice in this race and deserves your vote for Northshore School Board Director, District 3.