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.

In his previous term, 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 in the South County Korean Community Service Center and The Clearwater School. These two centers will help advance culturally-appropriate health services, community workshops, food access, and support for LGBTQ youth and families.

Somers faces challenges from Republican Bob Hagglund and Democrat Christopher Garnett. Hagglund has served as the Snohomish County Republican Legislative District committee chairman since 2020 and he ran 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 ideas like “get treatment or go to jail” policies that have failed to address the root causes of homelessness and often end in cycling people through jail who may simply need affordable housing or small amounts of support.

The other challenger, Democrat Christopher Garnett, has yet to raise any money or launch a campaign website with a platform as of early July. A brief line from an interview in a local paper quotes Garnett as promising 'rational' affordability and careful consideration of mental health resources.

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 even 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 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 keep it as is.

Also in this race is Robert Sutherland, the outgoing state representative for the 39th Legislative District. After losing his seat in the 2022 election to fellow Republican Sam Low, Sutherland is running for Snohomish County auditor. Unfortunately, Sutherland is also an election denier who stepped forward in 2021 to make false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump by unproven fraud. The last thing Snohomish County needs is a conspiracy theorist running the critical job of ensuring election security and impartiality.

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

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

Dunn ran in 2019 for Snohomish County Council 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 - 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 would have 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 and 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 police, rather than address the root causes of the community's issues. 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 that need it most in the county. She is by far the best choice in this race.

Judge Patrick 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 attorney.

The superior court is where Snohomish community members have important criminal, civil, and family matters adjudicated. Moriarty recognizes the importance 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. 

Judge Moriarty faces two challengers in this race, Jody Cloutier and Mary Anderson. Cloutier is a private attorney, an adjunct law professor, and the commissioner pro tem for the county’s superior court. His interest in the justice system stemmed from his childhood touched by substance abuse, domestic violence, and housing insecurity as well as his years serving as a police officer in Maine. Unfortunately, Cloutier lacks the judicial experience and community endorsements of Moriarty. 

Mary Anderson is a private attorney who started her own firm and has a strong background in civil cases. She was driven to a career in law after her family suffered injustice. Now, Anderson serves as her clients’ unwavering advocate in a range of matters, and she also offers pro bono legal support and volunteers with the community’s most vulnerable. One of her 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.

Judge Patrick Moriarty is the only candidate in this race with judicial experience. We recommend Moriarty in this race to retain Position 17 on the Snohomish County Superior Court.

Carston Curd is a natural resources planner and licensed geologist running to bring a progressive and sustainable vision to Bothell City Council, Position 4. He currently serves on the Sound Transit Community Oversight Panel, as vice chair of the Bothell Planning Commission, and as third vice chair for the 1st 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 Democrats including Bothell Mayor Mason Thompson.

Also running is Ann Aagaard, who brings a long list of accolades as an environmental advocate at the state and federal levels. In the late 1970s, she founded the grassroots environmental organization Save Our Valuable Environment, which worked on zoning and wetland protection measures. Her most notable achievement is the three-decade North Creek Valley wetland restoration project that now serves as a core teaching function at the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia Community College. While we appreciate Aagaard's long record on environmental protection, her platform and policies are thin on the other pressing issues facing Bothell like housing, transit, policing, and homelessness services.

Mark Swanson has stated in local interviews that he's "not actively campaigning," though he made it through the primary election. Though he has no website available with a comprehensive look at his policy proposals, he states that there is no 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 states that he will curb growth in the city, preventing the building of affordable and family apartments to keep only single family neighborhoods 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.

Brad Shipley has left his job as a senior planner for the city of Edmonds in order to run for mayor. Shipley studied urban design and planning at the University of Washington and is a volunteer with Duwamish River Cleanup.

Shipley's priorities include creating a wider range of housing options, adding more safe and accessible transportation, protecting the environment, and cooperating with local businesses. His background in city planning has shaped several of his policy proposals - he supports the idea of creating neighborhoods that are designed for the lives of people rather than cars. He also wants to bring back monthly mayor's columns in local papers to be more transparent with residents. 

However, for many of his professed issue areas, Shipley has stated his concern without proposing concrete steps that he would take to tackle them. He is supportive of more housing density to help keep people housed, but also emphasizes his belief in the rights of property owners and is concerned about the "feel of the city." He agreed that a community free of hatred and discrimination is a good goal, but admitted he’s "not sure what role the government should be playing in getting us there."

Demi Chatters is a working mom and progressive activist running for Everett City Council, Position 6. She is a longtime 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' platform prioritizes housing stability, 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 increasing zoning for affordable middle housing options, requiring fair wage and working condition agreements on city-funded projects, increasing transit routes, creating mini-parks, and expanding the Community Outreach and Enforcement Team that allows social workers to respond to emergencies.

Chatters' leading 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 funding for other social support programs that we know actually keep our communities housed and healthy.

The other two candidates, Brian Hennessy and Bill D. Wheeler Jr., do not appear to be running competitive campaigns as of early July. Wheeler Jr. is a conservative Republican who was convicted in 2014 and sentenced to three years in prison for sexually exploiting a minor who worked for his notorious "sexpresso" stand business.

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 represents 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. 

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

Charles Adkins is running for Everett School Board in the Director-at-Large Position 5 seat. 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. Now, he works as a legislative policy analyst for the Tulalip tribes and previously served as the health policy director of the Children’s Alliance. He also holds a number of volunteer leadership roles in local community organizations and has served as a Democratic precinct committee officer.

Adkins’ extensive background in policy leadership and community advocacy, and his singular experience in an American public school, position him strongly to better 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 an incomparable number of progressive leaders, community organizations, unions, and Democratic groups.

Adkins faces three challengers in this race: Janelle Burke, Roman Rewolinski, and Ryne Rohla. Janelle Burke runs the WakeUp SnoCo blog which hosts a variety of opinion pieces that range from critiquing the “fragility” of elected women to spotlighting community events. Despite boasting a more progressive-sounding campaign statement in the local voters guide, Burke serves as a precinct committee officer for the Republican party. She lacks a campaign website as of mid-July and has not demonstrated strong progressive and community leadership in this race.

Navy veteran and accountant Roman Rewolinski is a first-time candidate who has worked in biotech, finance, and professional services. He lacks community leadership experience and offers a thin platform that emphasizes fiscal decision-making without specific policy suggestions. Rewolinski’s notable endorsement in this race is from his former union.

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.

We recommend Charles Adkins in this race. His strong progressive values, policy expertise, and community relationships make him the best choice for Director-at-Large Position 5 on the Everett School Board.

Han Tran, an electrical engineer, 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, participating on the school district’s Ethnic Studies Work Team, and serving as a Washington Human Rights Commissioner.

As an immigrant and a working mother to 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 wants to work to close opportunity gaps by implementing targeted academic support, culturally responsive teaching, and accountability metrics. The rest of her campaign priorities are equally detailed and community-centric, and she has received an impressive list of progressive endorsements in this race.

Tran faces two challengers, Chris Cazares and Myriam Juritz, for the school district director seat. Chris Cazares is a member of the US Air Force and a lawyer who is running on a vague and thin platform based on the values of communication and representation. His campaign website lacks campaign information as of mid-July.

Myriam Juritz is a substitute teacher in the Northshore school district and she serves on the board of the Northshore Schools Foundation. Juritz has shared a campaign platform that emphasizes improving academic excellence and student health, both mental and physical. She is an immigrant and credits her upbringing in political unrest as motivating her to run for local government to ensure that community needs are met. However, her platform is not as detailed nor as progressive Tran’s.

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