City of Ferndale

Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu is running for re-election this year. He is a small business owner, the former dean of Bellingham Technical College, and he served on the Whatcom County Council for four years prior to running for county executive in 2019. 

Sidhu led Whatcom County through a particularly tumultuous period. Most of his first term was focused on supporting the community through the pandemic - which began just two months after he took office - and responding to the historic Nooksack River flood. During his first term, the Whatcom County Council also unanimously banned any expansion of fossil fuel facilities at Cherry Point after many years of debate and public protest. He was also supportive of the county's Climate Action Plan and reducing the use of natural gas in local buildings. Sidhu's track record on climate and conservation issues earned him the sole endorsement of Washington Climate Action in this race. 

The other defining issue of Sidhu's term has been the ongoing fight about a new Whatcom County Jail. He has sometimes been at odds with progressive activists over how to handle this facility. Sidhu supported the previous ballot measure that voters rejected. In June, Sidhu proposed a 0.2 percent sales tax increase to build a new jail with 440 cells that would cost at least $137 million. While it's an improvement over previous proposals, some local progressives were disappointed that he continued to push for building a bigger jail. If he's re-elected, we hope Sidhu will adopt a more progressive stance on the jail facility and other issues involving the criminal legal system. 

Sidhu also generated some criticism for his handling of The Healthy Children's Fund, which voters narrowly approved last November. Shortly after the election, he recommended reducing the tax rate written in the ballot measure because he expected it would raise more money than originally estimated. In March, he recommended redirecting $4.5 million from the levy to other purposes. The Whatcom County Council disagreed, voting 6-1 to maintain the funding for building and renovating child care facilities.

He is running for a second term on a platform of housing affordability, salmon recovery, and flood resiliency. As he has throughout his term, Sidhu stresses the importance of finding common ground during a time of divisiveness in our local and national politics. He wants to work together with the county council to update zoning laws to allow more housing density in certain places while maintaining rural and agricultural land. He also touts his ongoing efforts to secure state and federal funding to build a "Skill Center" at Meridian High School to expand family-wage job opportunities in skilled trades. 

Sidhu faces Republican business executive Dan Purdy in the general election. Purdy previously worked for the oil company BP and the mining company Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold. He has already earned the endorsements of local MAGA Republicans like former Sen. Simon Sefzik. Purdy is not a progressive choice in this race.

Sidhu has earned many endorsements from local and state progressive leaders. If re-elected, he would be one of the few people of color in county leadership positions in Washington state. We recommend Satpal Sidhu for Whatcom County Executive.  

Blaine Police Chief and Navy veteran Donnell "Tank" Tanksley is running for Whatcom County Sheriff. The seat is currently held by Bill Elfo, who is retiring after 20 years in the role. Tank has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, including working for Western Washington University’s campus force and for police departments outside of Washington state. Tank also serves on a number of community boards including the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, the Bellingham-Whatcom Commission on Domestic Violence, and the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force.

Tank is running with a holistic, preventative, and community-centric approach to reducing crime. If elected, he wants to improve the sheriff’s office with technology modernization, mental health training for officers, and establishing a community justice center. He wants to bring impartial law enforcement, compassionate approaches to reducing homelessness, and expanded treatment options for people struggling with both substance abuse and mental illness. With his relatively progressive approach, Tank has earned an impressive slate of key endorsements in this race.

Undersheriff Doug Chadwick is the other candidate in this race. Chadwick has served in the county sheriff’s office for decades in a range of roles from patrol deputy to his current position; however, he has never led a law enforcement agency himself. He has not released a detailed policy platform as of early October, but he has earned the endorsement of the Whatcom County Republican party and Sheriff Bill Elfo. He is not a progressive choice.

Whatcom residents deserve a sheriff with the experience and compassion necessary to keep every member of our community safe. Donnell “Tank” Tanksley is the clear choice for Whatcom County Sheriff. 

Democratic Party activist and human rights advocate Jon Scanlon is running for At-Large, Position B on the Whatcom County Council. This seat is open following the retirement of Carol Frazey. Previously, Scanlon worked at the U.S. State Department and with OxFam America doing humanitarian work. In addition, he has been a consistent volunteer and elected leader within the Whatcom County Democrats. 

Scanlon is running for office with a focus on affordability and environmental conservation. In particular, he would work to strengthen protections against flooding, ensure access to clean air and water, and preserve the county's farmlands and forests. His two decades of public policy and advocacy experience would also be a welcome addition to the council.

Scanlon faces Hannah Ordos on the ballot this November. Ordos is a customer support manager at Vitamin Porfolio LLC and is a member of the North Sound Behavioral Health Advisory Board. Her website focuses on bringing people together and offers few specific policy details. In 2021, she endorsed Republican Tyler Byrd for Whatcom County Council and this February she was part of a group of "vaccine skeptics" nominated for the Whatcom County Health Board. 

Scanlon has earned an impressive slate of progressive endorsements and is the best choice for Whatcom County Council, At-Large Position B. 

There are no progressive candidates in this race. Kathy Kershner is running for re-election to the Whatcom County Council representing District 4. Kershner is the former chair of the Whatcom County Republican Party, and has been a conservative voice on the council since she was elected in 2019.

Despite describing herself as a fiscal conservative, Kershner increased the county's spending on prisons and policing, voting to add 10 new deputies to the sheriff's office and supporting the construction of a new, larger county jail. She also voted to continue public funding for Lighthouse Mission Ministries after they were accused of hiring discrimination against LGBTQ people because they required employees to adhere to traditional Christian tenets of faith and "sex ethics."

While Kershner is clearly conservative, she has been willing to work with the progressive majority on the council. In particular, she voted in favor of putting Proposition 5, the Whatcom County Children's Initiative, on the ballot.

Her challenger, conservative Mark Stremler, works for the Whatcom County public works department's road crew. Like Kershner, Stremler opposes almost any improvement to the community that would raise taxes, but would support a property tax to build a new county jail.

Stremler is even more right-leaning than Kershner in many issue areas, and would be a step backwards for the council. He has criticized Kershner's support of the Healthy Children's Initiative, and would work to remove this fund that supports young children and their families. He also criticized Kershner for not being more publicly supportive of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the right to abortion.

While we disagree strongly with many of Kershner's policy positions and values, her willingness to work with her colleagues makes her the better choice to represent this very conservative district.
 

Jackie Dexter is a moderate Democrat running for Whatcom County Council in District 5. She works as an aquaculturist with Drayton Harbor Oyster Farms and lives on her family farm where she raises chickens and cattle. She serves on the Whatcom County Marine Resource Committee and is active with the Blaine Elementary PTO.

Dexter is committed to finding ways to balance the needs of the maritime, agriculture, and refinery industries, which all provide many good jobs in Whatcom County. As the mother of two children in public schools, she wants to expand access to childcare and improve early childhood development opportunities for all families. 

Dexter is challenging Republican Ben Elenbaas in District 5. Outside of the council, he works in the agricultural industry. Last year, Elenbaas ran as a Republican for state Senate and lost in the primary, earning only 19 percent of the vote. Even though working Washingtonians are struggling to pay bills and afford health care, Elenbaas prioritizes industry and corporations, especially oil interests in the region. Elenbaas is also poor at collaborating with his colleagues and often sticks to GOP talking points instead of working together to find solutions that work for everyone.

Dexter has earned impressive endorsements in this race because she understands the community's needs and will work together with her colleagues to get things done. Jackie Dexter is the clear choice for Whatcom County Council from District 5.
 

We believe Greg Hansen has earned your vote for re-election as mayor of Ferndale based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. He is a faculty member at Whatcom Community College and previously worked for nearly 20 years in the hospitality industry, 

Hansen is proud of his track record of completing the sewer treatment plant, making progress on the Thornton Street Overpass, and laying the groundwork for the Metalworks Skate Park. He faces a challenge from conservative city council member and former mayor Jon Mutchler, who would represent a step backward for Ferndale. 

While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we encourage you to visit Hansen's website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.
 

We believe Wyatt Shedd Stewart is the best choice for Ferndale City Council, Position 4, based on his endorsements from our progressive partner organizations and trusted community leaders. He's running to fight for more affordable housing and ensure Ferndale remains a great place to live and raise a family during this period of rapid growth. He's also focused on keeping our community safe for all residents. 

He's running against McKenna Pinto-Gonzalez, who is running on an explicitly conservative platform. She demonizes people experiencing homelessness and parrots Republican talking points about crime, rather than offering real solutions to the nuanced challenges in our community. She is supported by many far-right leaders in Whatcom County and she would be a step backward for the Ferndale City Council. 

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. Vote for Wyatt Shedd Stewart for Ferndale City Council, Position 4. 
 

Moderate Dr. Kevin Erickson is running for re-election to the Ferndale School board. He has served on the board since 2010 and is the current board president. In addition, Erickson has worked at the Kulshan Veterinary Hospital for 33 years.

Erickson faces a challenge from conservative Beth Perry. Perry is running for school board after homeschooling her kids from their first day of school, in part because of her strong religious beliefs. Perry had a joint kickoff with Antonio Machado and Nancy Button, who are closely aligned with Moms for Liberty.

While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we are confident Dr. Kevin Erickson is the best choice based on his track record in office and endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. We encourage you to visit his website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.

Brent Bode is running for Ferndale School Board in District 2. He currently serves as a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Western Washington University. He has also served on the City of Ferndale Planning Commission and with the WWU Professional Staff Organization.

After several tumultuous years during the pandemic for the school board, Bode is running to rebuild relationships between board members and improve communications with the public. He is also focused on ensuring local schools have adequate funding to hire and retain talented staff and to give students a well-rounded education. He also wants to expand mental health resources for students, particularly as we emerge from the pandemic.

Bode is running against Anthony Machado, who works for the Western States Petroleum Association. Machado has three kids in the Ferndale School District but does not have Bode's experience serving the community.

While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we are confident Brent Bode is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. We encourage you to visit his website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.

Toni Jefferson is running to retain her seat on the Ferndale School Board from District 3 to which she was appointed in February. She is a member of the Lummi Nation and worked as the general manager of the Lummi Island Business Council. 

Jefferson is running to bring her experience in financial management, conflict resolution, and working with diverse stakeholders to the Ferndale School Board. She supports the "You Belong" campaign because she knows that students must feel safe at school in order to learn and grow. 

Jefferson is running against conservative former teacher Nancy Button. She has aligned herself with far-right groups like Moms for Liberty that want to politicize our schools. Button is a "regular [commenter] at Ferndale School District meetings," harshly criticizing school leaders for following public health guidelines and offering comprehensive sex education. When she sought an appointment to fill a vacancy on the Ferndale School Board this year, one of the current board members claimed that she had received "15, 16 emails from people that have had experience with [Button]... saying she is not fit for our district" and accusing her of being homophobic and racist. Button failed to receive the appointment. 

Button is following a common playbook this year of far-right political activists trying to take control of school boards to impose their agenda on all families. Ferndale teachers, students, and families deserve better. Toni Jefferson is the clear choice for Ferndale School Board from District 3. 
 

J. Riley Sweeney is running for the District 5 seat on the Meridian School District board. Sweeney currently works as the city of Ferndale’s Communication/Recreation Coordinator and previously worked with nonprofits and small businesses. Additionally, he chairs the County Food System Committee and serves on the Irene Reither Elementary PTA board.

If elected, Sweeney wants to prevent partisan influence on public curriculums and instead focus on accuracy, fact, and science so that Meridian students are best prepared for their futures. Another priority for him is to make sweeping investments in the district to support educators with higher salaries, help continued recovery from the pandemic, and uplift enrichment programs and the arts.

Sweeney's opponent is Michelle Simmons, who works for a restoration franchise business. She is a first-time candidate involved in a number of community groups, including the Meridian Boosters, the Meridian Strategic Planning Committee, and a PTA, where she serves as a chair. Simmons’ does not have a campaign website as of early October and the limited campaign information that's available does not include any specific policy solutions. In an article in Cascadia Daily, she complained about restrooms and locker rooms that include the needs of gender diverse students and decried education that speaks to students about race.

As a parent with strong progressive values who has kids enrolled in the district, Riley Sweeney is the clear choice for Director, District 5 on the Meridian School District board.