City of Sammamish

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. 

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. 

Roisin O’Farrell is running to retain Position 2 on the Sammamish City Council. O’Farrell was first appointed to the council in July 2022 to fill a vacancy left by Christie Malchow. She currently works as a neighborhood coordinator for the Sammamish Issaquah Food Project and is a board member for the Sammamish YMCA. Previously, O’Farrell served on the city’s planning commission.

O’Farrell herself is an immigrant and she wants to continue making Sammamish an inclusive community where all residents can thrive. O’Farrell has a strong vision for environmental stewardship in the city, such as creating a Climate Action Plan by the end of 2023, establishing Sammamish as a Tree City, reviving the freshwater Kokanee salmon population, and preserving local greenery. She also wants to create a teen center in Sammamish and maintain the city's senior programming to provide ongoing mental health support in the community. Finally, she wants to develop a comprehensive transit plan to meet the needs of the rapidly growing city.

The other candidate in this race is Uma Coimbature. Before taking an early retirement to focus on public service, Coimbature worked at Microsoft. Originally from India, she holds two business degrees with expertise in marketing and international business. Coimbature lacks a detailed campaign platform but lists empowering communities and preserving the environment as priorities.

We recommend Roisin O’Farrell in this race because of her strong endorsements and clear, inclusive vision for Sammamish.
 

Sid Gupta is running for Sammamish City Council, Position 3. The seat is currently held by Rituja Indapure who is not seeking re-election. Gupta is a restoration and native plant steward with the Washington Native Plant Society. He has also served on both the city’s parks commission and on the Sammamish Friends board as president.

Gupta is running on a sustainability platform with three major priorities: transportation, the environment, and public revenue. He does not own a car and wants to ensure Sammamish is accessible via walking, biking, buses, and regional light rail. If elected, he also wants to leverage his expertise in environmental stewardship to ensure a green future for the city, particularly through the Climate Action Plan. Gupta will also work to secure grants and manage federal funding to make investments in community needs. Gupta's knowledge and expertise in sustainability would be a valuable addition to the council. 

Wastewater management specialist Pamela Randolph is the other candidate in this race. Randolph has worked for the county and a number of cities in the region in both operations and wastewater treatment. Now, she is running a more conservative campaign that parrots Republican ideas about safety, public services, and economic development. Randolph has been active in local Republican politics and even donated to Tim Eyman's disastrous campaign for governor. 

We recommend Sid Gupta for Sammamish City Council, Position 3 because of his strong community support and detailed campaign plan for building a more sustainable Sammamish. 
 

Kerry Bosworth is challenging incumbent council member Kent Treen for Position 4 on the Sammamish City Council. Bosworth is a senior program manager at Microsoft. She has served on her homeowners association, the Sammamish Planning Commission, and her local PTSA. Bosworth’s community involvement has taught her the importance of listening, holding multiple perspectives together at once, and making difficult decisions for the common good.

Bosworth is running on a platform that emphasizes sustainability across multiple issues in order to create progress that can benefit and last for generations to come. Her primary areas of focus are the economy, the environment, and housing. Bosworth advocates for bold climate action, a robust budget to cover all expenditures as well as additional community needs, and housing options for all income levels. In this race, she is supported by other local council members, Democratic groups, and community leaders.

Incumbent Kent Treen is running for another term on the council. Treen works in forestry and has worked on a number of local restoration projects and on parks in the county. Earlier this year, he was censured for mishandling a disclosure for an ethics investigation into the former city manager. Treen lacks progressive ideas to address the housing crisis and has not shared a campaign platform as of mid-October.

We recommend Kerry Bosworth for Sammamish City Council, Position 4.
 

Incumbent city council member Pam Stuart is running for another term serving in Position 6 on the Sammamish City Council. Stuart served her first term after being elected in 2017 and rejoined the council by appointment last year to fill the Position 6 vacancy left by Ken Gamblin. Outside of public service, she works as a principal program manager at Microsoft and has been active in the community, including serving as the PTA president and on the board of the Eastlake Little League. 

In her previous term, Stuart was a strong voice for sustainable development and environmental stewardship. She played an instrumental role in securing funds for salmon recovery efforts in our watersheds and participated in a countywide initiative to establish goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Stuart was also pivotal in developing countywide affordable housing and transportation planning policies and was a vocal advocate to extend emergency relief housing for our unsheltered neighbors.

Now, Stuart wants to build on her past accomplishments and continue improving government transparency, addressing the climate crisis, and providing shelter for all residents of Sammamish. Additionally, she wants to foster more inclusion and belonging in the city and build greater trust between residents and the council. Her optimistic campaign shares a vision for a sustainable and healthy Sammamish for generations to come. 

Stuart is being challenged by conservative Josh Amato, who runs his own marketing and communications company. Previously, Amato served as a combative spokesperson for the Washington State Republican Party. If elected, he would oppose policies that would reduce the sky-high cost of housing in Sammamish. He criticizes the city for what he views as financial mismanagement yet offers few details about how he would improve the budget if elected. 

Pam Stuart's experience, detailed policy knowledge, and track record of leadership make her the clear choice for Sammamish City Council, Position 6. 
 

AJ Taylor is a former attorney and longtime Microsoft employer making his first run for office. He has been active in the community by volunteering with the Issaquah Rotary and serving on the 2021 Issaquah school levy committee and the mayor's economic vitality commission. 

Taylor is running to bring his strategic planning and budgeting experience to the Issaquah School Board from District 1. After the district faced difficult budget cuts last year, he wants to push the board to prioritize spending better to ensure that areas like special education and mental health care are adequately funded. If elected, he pledges to improve transparency, listen to the community, and communicate better with the public. 

Taylor is running unopposed and has earned your vote for Issaquah School Board. 
 

Matt Coyne is running for Issaquah School Board from District 5. He served on the Issaquah Schools Foundation Board for six years, including two years as Board President, as well as on the board of the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank.

Coyne comes from a long line of teachers in his family and is dedicated to recruiting and retaining the best educations for Issaquah. The high cost of living in Issaquah means the district must work harder to allow teachers to live in the community they serve. Another priority for Coyne is ensuring that special education and mental health care are fully funded in local schools, which is more important than ever as students continue to recover from the pandemic.

Coyne's opponent, Josiah Morauski, did not submit a voters' pamphlet statement and does not have a campaign website. He does not appear to be running a viable campaign.

Coyne has earned an impressive list of endorsements from local leaders and educators. He has earned your vote for Issaquah School School.

 

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.