Condado de Pierce

In this pivotal election, Vice President Kamala Harris embodies a hopeful vision of unity, freedom, and progress for our country’s future. Harris made history as the first Black woman and first South Asian woman to serve as Vice President and she has worked closely with President Biden to implement a broad and impressive agenda. Before that, she had a strong track record, ranging from leading the nation on recidivism reduction as San Francisco district attorney to fighting for marriage equality as California’s first woman attorney general to her hard-fought progressive victories in the U.S. Senate.

Throughout her public service career, Harris has demonstrated integrity, leadership, and tenacity in fighting for regular Americans. As a California senator, Harris sponsored progressive bills such as the Climate Equity Act of 2020 and the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act of 2020 to build community safety that doesn’t leave anyone behind. Her 2024 campaign priorities include ensuring American billionaires pay their fair share in taxes while alleviating the burden on middle-class families, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, restoring and protecting reproductive health care across the country, defending civil rights against the authoritarian vision of Project 2025, making housing, child care, and education more affordable for all Americans, and more. In all of her leadership roles, she has never shied away from confronting bullies and she is more than qualified to stand up to Trump’s low blows, misinformation, and hate-based campaign.

Joining Harris as a running mate on the Democratic ticket is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a champion of working families and former high school teacher. Walz’s community leadership experience ranges from serving as a local football coach, representing a primarily Republican district as a Democrat in the U.S. House, and his current term uniting a purple state in Minnesota’s highest executive office. Walz’s priorities are firmly rooted in his Midwestern upbringing, union membership, and Army veteran background; he believes in responsible gun ownership, uplifting rural farmers, and protecting LGBTQ+ kids. He worked to lower the prescription cost of insulin to $35 for many Minnesotans and stood up for reproductive freedom after _Roe _was overturned as the first state to codify abortion rights into state law. His community-minded leadership and track record of bringing people together make him a strong partner for Harris.

While we can continue to push Kamala Harris’ platform towards even more progressive goals, it is clear that she is the best choice to make history as our next president of the United States.

Democrat Maria Cantwell is running for another term in the U.S. Senate, where she has served the state of Washington since 2001. Before that, she served in the state Legislature and had a successful career in the private sector, leading marketing efforts for a large tech company.

In Congress, Cantwell has been a strong advocate for environmental protections and clean energy. She recently sponsored bills to protect waterways while promoting clean energy and strengthening tribal involvement in matters relating to conservation and land management. This spring, Cantwell partnered with Sen. Patty Murray to secure $28 million in funding to replace lead pipes in Washington and ensure safe drinking water across the state. In this race, she is running on a broad and detailed platform to address Washington’s most pressing issues, including protecting and restoring reproductive health access, increasing funding for K-12 and student loans, and expanding the affordable housing tax credit and other housing solutions.

Dr. Raul Garcia is the Republican challenger for the U.S. Senate seat. After initially announcing a campaign for governor, he is now running to install conservative leadership in one of Washington’s senate seats. Dr. Garcia is a Yakima-based doctor and hospital medical director who previously ran for governor in 2020. He has served in leadership positions across medical institutions, nonprofits, and small businesses. Garcia has received support from some of Washington’s most prominent conservatives.

Cantwell has been a thoughtful and hard-working advocate for the people of Washington. She has earned your vote for another term in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Emily Randall is running on a progressive and community-forward platform for retiring Rep. Derek Kilmer’s seat representing the 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Since joining the Legislature in 2019, Randall has been one of the most outspoken advocates of reproductive freedom and accessible health care for all. Before serving in elected office, she worked for a number of social justice-focused nonprofits, including Planned Parenthood.

In her first term in Olympia, Randall worked to expand health care access, reform the tax code, and raise the minimum wage for working people with disabilities. This term, she helped achieve major progressive victories through her leadership on bills to expand eligibility for financial aid programs, increase access to HIV treatment, and protect the privacy of patients receiving ultrasounds. Now, Randall is running to be a champion for accessible health care, working people, and a healthy environment. She wants to take measures to address climate change including investing in clean energy and green infrastructure. Randall wants to bring down the cost of American health care by expanding Medicaid, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and making prescription drugs more affordable. She also has plans to strengthen our democracy, improve the quality of public education, and safeguard reproductive freedom.

Republican state Senator Drew MacEwen is also in this race. First elected to the state legislature in 2012, MacEwen has been a staunch conservative voice in Olympia, including opposing clean energy initiatives, resources for Washington students, protections for local wildlife, and commonsense gun safety bills. In addition, MacEwen voted against an abortion shield law that protects Washington state health care workers when they provide abortion care to patients from Washington and from out of state. MacEwen's long voting record in Olympia makes it clear that he is far out of step with local voters.

We recommend Emily Randall due to her strong track record of community advocacy and broad support from progressive leaders across the district.

Dr. Kim Schrier is running for a fourth term representing Congressional District 8 in the U.S. House. She was first elected in 2018 when she turned the seat blue for the first time in its history. Schrier is a former pediatrician who previously ran a local practice in Issaquah. In her past three terms in Congress, she has come to represent a pragmatic voice working across party lines to advocate for Washington’s working families and economic prosperity across our state.

In Congress, Rep. Schrier has leveraged her background in medicine as well as her strong community experience to advocate effectively for her constituents. This recent term, she sponsored a slate of health-related legislation, including bills to establish a state public option to make health care more affordable, to protect providers who work in reproductive health care, and to help kids access primary care. She was also a leader in bringing climate solutions to the agricultural industry, providing tax credits to working families, and addressing the baby formula shortage. Her past key votes have aligned with Biden’s more progressive bills including Build Back Better which would have made huge strides in addressing climate change, funding early childhood education, and extending the child tax credit. Schrier’s campaign platform in this race reflects her continued goals to build a healthy, prosperous future for all Washingtonians. Some of her progressive campaign priorities include women’s rights, gun violence prevention, corporate accountability, veteran support, child nutrition, environmental protections, and lowering the cost of living.

Carmen Goers is a Republican challenging Kim Schrier in Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Goers is a veteran and a financial services professional of 25 years who has also served with the Kent Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, Goers ran for the state Legislature in the 47th Legislative District but lost to Chris Stearns. Now, she is running on to bring conservative fiscal policy to Congress. This would mean bigger tax breaks for the wealthiest, prioritizing business profits above considerations like environmental sustainability or fair wages, and cutting public services that allow all Americans, regardless of background, to access the basics and build better futures. Washingtonians in the 8th CD deserve a representative who will place community needs first to make Washington a place where all residents have the opportunity to thrive, and Goers is not that candidate.

Schrier has earned your vote for another term.

Rep. Marilyn Strickland is running for a third term representing Washington’s Congressional District 10 in the U.S. House. Strickland has a long track record of public service as a mayor and city council member for Tacoma and as the former lead for both Pierce Transit and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. When she was first elected to Congress in 2020, Strickland became the first African American and Korean American representative from Washington.

In office, Strickland has fought for a better quality of life for all Washingtonians. She boasts strong priorities and has fought for a community-focused agenda including holding corporations accountable, lowering the cost of prescription medicine, strengthening voting rights, and investing in infrastructure like broadband, roadways, and parks. In her most recent term, Strickland sponsored legislation to fund grants for women and underrepresented communities in STEM, to address the workforce shortage in senior services and childcare, and to support military firefighters who have been exposed to toxic chemicals in the line of duty. Strickland is also a staunch advocate of reproductive freedom for all, and this past March, she sponsored a bill to provide federal financial assistance for those traveling to access reproductive health care. In this race, she has a strong, detailed, progressive platform that addresses pressing issues in western Washington.

Engineer Don Hewett is the other Republican in this race whose platform is based on complaining about so-called establishment politics. Unfortunately, Hewett’s own priorities do not better represent the will of the people. If elected to Congress, he is running on a typically conservative platform that emphasizes cuts to social services. He is not a progressive choice for residents in the 10th Congressional District.

Strickland has earned another term representing the 10th Congressional District.

El Fiscal General Bob Ferguson se postula para gobernador con su impresionante historial de defensa de todos los habitantes de Washington. Ha servido como fiscal general desde 2012 y ha ganado algunos de los casos legales más grandes y más importantes en la historia de Washington durante ese tiempo.

Ferguson tiene un impresionante historial de éxito en litigios contra la administración Trump y corporaciones codiciosas. Cuando Donald Trump atacó el acceso a la anticoncepción, Ferguson lo llevó a los tribunales y ganó. Ferguson ha demandado al gobierno federal para limpiar más rápidamente la instalación nuclear de Hanford y ha defendido la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio de la Administración Trump, ayudando a preservar la atención médica para 825,000 habitantes de Washington. Otras victorias incluyen proteger la calidad del agua en todo el estado de las políticas ambientales pro-contaminación de Trump, asegurar más de $1 mil millones de fabricantes de opioides para financiar tratamiento, y luchar contra las leyes de detención de niños.

Todas estas victorias reflejan las prioridades de Ferguson al postularse para gobernador: seguir luchando para mejorar el acceso a la atención médica, proteger a los consumidores y fortalecer los derechos de las familias trabajadoras en Washington. Si es elegido, tiene planes de ampliar la atención de salud conductual. Reconociendo que actualmente "nuestras cárceles son colectivamente nuestro proveedor de salud mental más grande", está comprometido con una gran cantidad de intervenciones en nuestras comunidades, incluida la prevención, agregar más proveedores de salud y más apoyo de servicios entre pares. También está comprometido a romper los monopolios corporativos y reducir el costo de vida, establecer a Washington como un centro de energía limpia y explorar la infraestructura de ferrocarril de alta velocidad.

El republicano y ex Representante de los Estados Unidos Dave Reichert se postula contra Ferguson. Reichert sirvió en el 8º Distrito del Congreso de Washington en la Cámara de Representantes durante 14 años. Durante ese tiempo, tomó algunas malas decisiones en contra de las protecciones climáticas y la accesibilidad a la atención médica y votó a favor de una prohibición nacional del aborto, entre otras votaciones antiaborto. También sirvió anteriormente como Sheriff del Condado de King y trabajó en el prominente caso del asesino del Río Verde.

Aunque Reichert es hábil para sonar más moderado que algunos de sus colegas de MAGA, sus posiciones políticas dicen la verdad, especialmente cuando habla con grupos amistosos de republicanos a puerta cerrada. A principios de este año, Reichert dijo que se opone a la igualdad matrimonial, que los votantes de Washington aprobaron en 2012 y se convirtió en ley a nivel nacional en 2015. Más recientemente, Reichert finalmente admitió que planea votar por Trump en noviembre y citó su gorra MAGA firmada como evidencia de sus credenciales republicanas. Finalmente, Reichert cuestionó el impacto de los humanos en el cambio climático, a pesar del abrumador consenso científico. Reichert claramente está fuera de sintonía con los valores de la mayoría de los habitantes de Washington.

Bob Ferguson es un progresista consumado que lidera con integridad y determinación. Es la mejor opción para ser el próximo gobernador de Washington.

Democrat Denny Heck is running for a second term as Washington’s lieutenant governor. Heck is a former representative who served the 10th Congressional District from 2013 until 2021. His professional background also includes serving five terms representing Legislative District 17 in the state House, starting small businesses in his community, serving as the chief of staff to Gov. Booth Gardner, and founding one of the nation’s largest statewide public affairs networks.

Heck has fought for a number of Democratic priorities, including rebalancing our upside-down tax code, investing in public infrastructure, reducing health care costs, increasing workforce development and employment opportunities, and making college more affordable. He's running to continue fighting for affordability, health and safety, and opportunity for all Washingtonians.

Heck is running against Republican Dan Matthews, a veteran and former school board member running to deprioritize public schools in favor of private education, cut spending on social services, and roll back laws that hold corporations accountable. He is not a progressive choice and doesn't represent the needs of our communities.

We recommend Denny Heck for another term as the state’s lieutenant governor.

Democrat Steve Hobbs is running for another term as Washington's secretary of state. He first joined the office when he was appointed in 2021 and was retained by voters in 2022. Hobbs, a first-generation Japanese American, previously served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Washington Army National Guard and a four-term state senator for the 44th Legislative District.

In office, Hobbs has pursued a progressive set of priorities to ensure Washington’s election integrity, making the state safe from attacks and accessible to all Washington voters. He has worked on strengthening digital security, preventing the spread of misinformation, and voter outreach. Unfortunately, in the last election, he expressed concerns about implementing ranked-choice voting for fear of the fragility of public trust and the accessibility of it to non-English-speaking voters.

In this race, Hobbs’ top two priorities are to ensure our elections remain both secure and accessible for every eligible voter. While he has and will continue to pursue security measures – such as cybersecurity investments and improvement grants, Hobbs also believes it’s his job to restore community trust in him and his office. He has also taken great strides to reach eligible voters from historically disenfranchised communities, including formerly incarcerated voters.

Republican Dale Whitaker, who owns a small tax business, is also in this race. Whitaker serves as the executive director of We Believe We Vote, which claims to educate Christian voters by supporting conservatives with some of the _most _extreme views in the state, including strong anti-abortion stances, homophobic positions, and a belief that the Christian Bible should be the ultimate guiding text for leaders. In this race, Whitaker’s top priority is election transparency and security. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to our democratic, electoral processes has been incursions from the far-right, of which Whitaker is affiliated. Washington voters deserve a secretary of state who is above divisive, conspiracy-based politics.

Hobbs is the best choice for Washington's secretary of state.

Democratic incumbent Mike Pellicciotti is running for re-election to Washington state treasurer. Pellicciotti was first elected to the position in 2020. Before that, Pellicciotti served as a representative for Legislative District 30 in the state House, an assistant state attorney general, and a deputy prosecuting attorney for King County.

In public office, he has advocated for transparency and public accountability. He has never accepted corporate campaign donations and previously worked to make the Legislature’s records open for public view. As a treasurer, he has prioritized economic security and prosperity for all, especially working families and retirees. In office, he has worked to strengthen budget reserves, increase pension funds, and manage debt costs.

Republican Sharon Hanek is challenging Pellicciotti in this race. Hanek is a certified public accountant and serves as the vice chair of the Pierce County Planning Commission. Hanek has run for office unsuccessfully several times before, including losing by more than 17 percent statewide in her 2012 run for state Treasurer. Hanek is the founder of My Family My Choice, a far-right group aligned with Moms for Liberty that wants to ban books and promotes conspiracy theories about public schools. We can't afford to give Hanek a statewide platform for her dangerous, far-right agenda.

Pellicciotti has been a reliable Democratic leader in the Washington state treasurer’s office and he has earned your vote for another term.

Incumbent Democrat Pat McCarthy is running for a third term as Washington state auditor. McCarthy made history as the state’s first woman auditor when she took office in 2017. Before that, she served Pierce County in the elected roles of both executive and auditor and was previously a member of the Tacoma School Board, including as board president. She serves in multiple community leadership positions including on the Asian Pacific Cultural Center Advisory Board and with the Pierce County Sexual Assault Center.

In her first two terms, McCarthy has worked hard to bring accountability and transparency to the auditor’s office. She previously launched important investigations into both white-collar crime and unemployment benefit cases and even oversaw the largest fraud case in state history pertaining to misappropriated local housing funds. Looking towards another term, McCarthy wants to prioritize public and private sector integrity, responsible resource use, and advancing the office’s technology infrastructure to serve the public better.

Spokane County Republican Party leader Matt Hawkins is challenging incumbent McCarthy in this race. Hawkins created the We The People interactive calendar, which details events in U.S. history that he deems important. He has run for elected office before including vying for the top Republican Party job in the state last year, as well as the Washington state Senate in 2018. In this race, Hawkins boasts a typically conservative platform which includes continuing to cast doubt on the security of our local elections and worsening the imbalance in our state’s tax code.

McCarthy has earned your vote for another term as Washington's state auditor.

Nick Brown is a former U.S. attorney for Western Washington running to protect the climate, our democracy, and Washingtonians' civil rights. Before his appointment by the Biden Administration in 2021, Brown worked as the general counsel for Gov. Jay Inslee. He also served in the US Army as a judge advocate general (JAG) officer, where he represented soldiers and the Army in legal matters, followed by working as a prosecutor. Brown has also served as chair of the attorney general’s Advisory Subcommittee on Civil Rights.

As the first Black U.S. attorney in the state's history, Brown notes that Washington is experiencing the highest number of hate crimes in 20 years. He wants to use the attorney general's office to implement laws that prosecute domestic terrorists, especially the burgeoning white supremacist movements that have threatened local leaders and committed violent hate crimes.

In our interview with Brown, he identified his top three priorities as strengthening the operations of the office, holding local jurisdictions accountable for upholding the law, and environmental enforcement. He emphasized his work with the attorney general's office as a special assistant attorney general and said that he would strive to build a more representative office and ensure they resolve problems with legal standards that led to the office receiving a fine last year. One of Brown's biggest accomplishments as an attorney was helping write Initiative 1639, Safe Schools and Safe Communities, which makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to own a semi-automatic rifle. He later defended the law against the NRA. Building from that success, Brown wants to continue to enforce laws against deadly weapons and defend the state against voter suppression, wage theft, and more. Brown also wants to enforce environmental laws strictly and uphold strong consumer protections by, for example, pursuing the ongoing investigation on monopolistic practices by landlords and rental companies to keep prices inflated.

Republican and Pasco attorney Pete Serrano is running to bring a conservative agenda to the attorney general's office. Serrano is the board president and general counsel of an organization that fights commonsense gun laws and public health mandates, and he was recently elected mayor of Pasco. He states that while he disagrees with these laws he will follow the state Constitution, but the Seattle Times also reported that he intended to remain "actively engaged" with the organization in a Facebook video on the organization's page. If elected he promises to "Make Washington Safe Again" and make the office more transparent. Serrano is not a progressive choice in this race.

Brown is the clear choice in the race to be the next Attorney General of Washington.

King County Council chair Dave Upthegrove is running for commissioner of public lands to fill the vacancy left by Hilary Franz. Upthegrove previously served in the Legislature for five terms, where he made history as the first openly gay representative from outside of Seattle. He joined the King County Council in 2013, where he has been a strong advocate for climate concerns and environmental protections. 

Upthegrove has an inclusive vision for using the office to improve the quality of life for all Washingtonians. Upthegrove wants to mitigate the damage of wildfire seasons, bring good jobs and services to rural Washington, preserve mature legacy forests, expand recreational opportunities on public lands, and center the idea of environmental justice to guide policy. While he lauds the incumbent Franz for her work on wildfire prevention, Upthegrove wants to be more ambitious when it comes to reforming forestry policies. He believes the department needs a more honest accounting of the carbon impacts of forestry and timber work, which he is well positioned to lead having managed King County's forest carbon program. Upthegrove also wants to use his experience and relationships in the legislature to help pass laws and increase funding for the department's conservation work.

Former congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is back on the ballot this election. In 2022, she lost her re-election primary to ultra-conservative Joe Kent and current Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez. In Congress, Herrera Beutler voted with Trump more than 80 percent of the time, though she has received criticism from her party after voting to impeach Donald Trump following the January 6th insurrection. Herrera Beutler has overwhelmingly opposed bills that protect our environment including the 2021 Build Back Better Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act which, both contained bold policies to alleviate the climate crisis. She lacks a detailed campaign platform in this race but mentions wildfire mitigation, habitat preservation, and public land use as top issues.

The race for this open seat will determine whether our state will be a leader in fighting climate change, protecting our forests, and preventing forest fires or bow to the demands of big timber companies. Upthegrove's environmental track record in office and endorsements from Washington Conservation Action, the Sierra Club, and other environmental champions make him the clear choice in this race.

Incumbent Chris Reykdal is running for a third term in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Reykdal has been a strong champion for public education as superintendent, during his six years in the Legislature, and in 14 years on local school boards or in leadership positions at educational institutions.

The superintendent's office provides resources and guidance on language access, student safety, school district budgeting, and meeting student needs to Washington's 295 public school districts and 6 state-tribal education compact schools. In office, Reykdal has worked to reduce learning gaps, raise educator salaries, increase free meal access, and expand dual and tribal language learning programs.

In our interview, Reykdal acknowledged that the pandemic and declining birth rates have affected enrollment rates in public schools. Despite this challenge, he was proud that districts have made gains in other areas like retaining teachers of color. He identified the decrease in state funding, relative to inflation, as a fundamental challenge facing public schools. He reiterated his commitment to advocating for the Legislature to increase funding per student and allow districts to fund special education. He also expressed his commitment to keeping schools public, rejecting vouchers, and improving mental health support for students. This year, OSPI offered legislation to increase paraeducator pay to attract and retain these critical classroom supports. Finally, he cited his experience running a large state agency for the last eight years as a key strength compared with his less experienced opponents.

Gig Harbor School Board member David Olson is challenging Reykdal on a reactionary right-wing. Like many conservative school board directors, he welcomes conservative, politically-motivated censorship that would block access to books and multicultural programming. Olson also wants to employ strict guidelines in our schools that penalize students who are struggling the most. According to The Seattle Times, he told the Washington Republican Party convention "that if every high school graduate opted for the skilled trades instead of pursuing a four-year degree, universities 'could all go bankrupt and that would save America.'" Olson's extremism and conspiracy theories are completely disqualifying for someone looking to lead our state's public education system.

Reykdal has strong support from educators across the state and has earned your vote for re-election.

State Senator and attorney Patty Kuderer is running for Washington insurance commissioner. She has served the 48th Legislative District since 2015 when she was appointed to the state House before being appointed to fill the Senate seat vacancy in 2017.

Kuderer has been one of the most active sponsors of progressive bills in the Legislature. This year, she was the primary sponsor of a successful bill to ensure NARCAN is available in Washington schools. As a secondary sponsor, she helped to pass a slate of progressive bills, including ensuring that valid ballots are not unduly rejected, limiting the ability to bring firearms to public places like zoos, transit stations, and libraries, and aligning state and federal financial aid programs. Kuderer is now campaigning for insurance commissioner on a progressive platform that includes exploring universal health care, reducing auto insurance costs, expanding cancer screening for firefighters, and improving access to climate change insurance for homeowners and businesses.

Republican state Senator Phil Fortunato is also running for the commissioner position. Fortunato was first elected to represent the 31st Legislative District in Olympia in 2016 as a representative before being immediately appointed to an open Senate seat. Outside public service, his professional background is in erosion control and stormwater management. In the Legislature, Fortunato was the primary sponsor of many far-right bills, including legislation to strip abortion rights for some Washingtonians and to oppose commonsense gun safety policy. If he's elected insurance commissioner, Fortunato wants to remove regulations that keep health care costs lower. He is vehemently opposed to universal health care policies that would allow all Washingtonians, regardless of income status, to access the care and medicine they need.

We recommend Patty Kuderer for Washington insurance commissioner because of her strong background in public service and clear vision for the office.

Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez, a Democrat and Bethel School Board director, is challenging incumbent Republican Jim McCune for state Senate representing Legislative District 2. Gonzalez is a social worker and educator. He was raised by immigrant farmworker parents and wants to bring this experience to the state level to be a champion for working families and farmers.

In this conservative district, Gonzalez is a moderate Democrat who wants to invest in rural infrastructure, protect our natural resources, increase police budgets, and strive for unity and bipartisanship in decision-making. If elected, he wants to address the rising cost of living to ensure that all Washingtonians can afford the basics like rent, groceries, gas, and medicine. Gonzalez also wants to support American manufacturing, increase government accountability, fund critical infrastructure projects, and invest in workforce development.

Gonzalez is challenging Republican Sen. Jim McCune, who is running for re-election to the state Senate seat where he has served since 2021. Before that, McCune served on the Pierce County Council and represented the district in the state House for nine years. Outside of office, McCune owns a small business selling salmon products. McCune aligns himself with MAGA politics and even previously promoted Trump’s dangerous hydroxychloroquine cocktail as a viable treatment for coronavirus in a taxpayer-funded council newsletter. Since joining the Senate more recently, he has taken some bad votes to oppose background check reform that prevents gun violence, funding for basic student needs, and assistance programs that help Washingtonians get back on their feet.

We recommend Erasmo Ruiz Gonzalez to bring community-minded leadership to the state Senate.

Kenneth King is a behavioral health specialist who is running to make health services more accessible and improve life for everyday residents in the 25th District. King has worked for the county’s Continuum of Care program to support our Pierce neighbors facing housing instability. He also previously served as the chair of the community-led Puyallup Watershed Initiative to care for the environmental and community health of the region.

King wants to emphasize community-based diversion and intervention programs to help people experiencing behavioral health struggles. He wants to ensure students can access the health care they deserve and feels that new development needs to incorporate environmental planning. His vision and candidacy have earned strong support from our partner organizations and local progressive groups.

King is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Chris Gildon, who was first elected to the seat in 2020 and previously served in the state House for two years. He is an Army veteran who worked professionally in the real estate industry. In office last year, Gildon voted against bills to strengthen gun violence prevention and opposed funding assistance for working families. His sparse platform emphasizes cutting public revenue and rolling back efforts to have the wealthy and corporations pay their share in taxes. As a leader of the Senate Republicans, it's clear that Gildon will continue dragging the state backward on many important policies if he is re-elected.

Kenneth King is the clear choice for state Senate from the 25th Legislative District.

Democrat Cameron Severns is running for Legislative District 25, House Position 1 to fill Republican Kelly Chambers' seat. Severns is an insurance agent and has served the community on the board of the South Hill Church, where he has led an addiction-recovery ministry. In 2022, he vied for another incumbent Republican’s seat in the 25th Legislative District in a formidable write-in campaign.

Severns is a more moderate candidate, running to bring a commonsense alternative to the district’s conservative leadership. He is a vocal advocate for environmental protections and a high quality of life for all. His campaign is built on his own experience with eviction and job loss. If elected, Severns wants to make sure that all residents of the 25th Legislative District have the same support. He is leading with the values of unity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Challenging Severns is Republican Michael Keaton, a senior manager at one of the largest missile producers and U.S. defense contractors. Keaton has also served two terms on the Puyallup School Board. In this race, Keaton is running on a vague platform to eliminate regulations that keep our communities and ecosystems safe and to throw more people into our overcrowded jails and prisons.

Severns is the clear choice in this race for Position 1 in the 25th Legislative District.

Democrat Shellie Willis is challenging incumbent Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen for House position 2 in the 25th Legislative District. Willis has previously run for public office and currently works at a local workforce development nonprofit as the senior director of collective impact. She is also an Army veteran who is very involved in supporting servicewomen, women veterans, and military spouses, including as the chair of the Women Veterans Advisory Committee for the state. Finally, Willis serves on the board of the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce.

Willis has demonstrated a long track record of civic leadership and previously ran an inclusive campaign that envisioned prosperous and safe neighborhoods for all. She is running on a community-centric platform to address living affordability, investing in infrastructure, supporting veterans’ affairs, building true community safety, and more. Willis has earned an impressive number of endorsements in this race including from many of our partner organizations as well as local Democratic groups and progressive elected leaders.

Willis is challenging Republican Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, who is running for a third term. A former Puyallup City Council member, Jacobsen has taken far-right positions in public office including opposing both marriage equality and reproductive health care as well as advocating for something she calls “biblical citizenship.” In Olympia last year, she voted against bills to protect private consumer data and she opposed an abortion shield law that protects Washington state health care workers when they provide abortion care to patients from Washington and from out of state.

Residents in Legislative District 25 deserve a representative in the Legislature who will bring us together to make progress on housing affordability, quality health care, and good wages. Willis is the best choice in this race.

Housing attorney Adison Richards is running for state House from the 26th Legislative District. With his background in legal assistance for the disenfranchised, Richards' campaign emphasizes a better approach to public safety and addresses the rising cost of housing. Richards previously worked at the Northwest Justice Project assisting survivors of crime, including domestic violence and human trafficking, and now works at Kitsap Legal Services in housing law. He also volunteers in the community with groups like the Rotary Club, Harbor History Museum, and the Bremerton NAACP.

Unlike his opponent, Richards promotes policies that help the middle class, including supporting tax reform that makes the wealthy pay their share, building more housing, and supporting clean energy jobs. With his experience in helping people struggling with housing instability, he knows the country's mental and behavioral health challenges require a comprehensive response. He is committed to improving public safety through community investments that raise wages, increase education options, and expand stable housing. Richards narrowly lost to Republican Spencer Hutchins in 2022 by a few hundred votes but has come back this year with a stronger platform and campaign.

Challenging Richards is former representative Jesse Young, one of the most conservative members of the state House, Young sponsored several bills aimed at curtailing people's constitutional right to an abortion long before the Supreme Court's ruling in 2022, including a bill to ban most abortions after 15 weeks. Young was also infamously restricted from having legislative staff after allegations of mistreatment in 2017. He has led some of the more controversial conservative policies, like efforts to stop a ban on high-capacity magazines. If elected, Young can be expected to rejoin the Legislature with the same far-right fervor that he held while in office.

Richards is the best choice in this race as a thoughtful progressive who has worked to improve the lives of all in the district.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau is seeking another term representing the 27th Legislative District in the state Senate. She first joined the Senate when the Pierce County Council unanimously selected her to fill Sen. Jeannie Darneille’s seat in 2021. She was elected to the seat since and has distinguished herself as a progressive voice. Outside of the Senate, she works as the Race Equity Unit manager for the Washington State Office of the Attorney General.

In Olympia, Trudeau has made ambitious strides toward progress. Recently, she was the primary sponsor of a bill to reduce police violence by prohibiting the practice of hog-tying in the wake of the killing of Manuel Ellis by three Tacoma police officers. Trudeau was also a primary sponsor of bills to cover lactation consulting under Medicaid and offer voluntary professional licensing for providers, to increase middle housing options, to establish both Eid al-Fitr and Hannukah as state holidays, and to strengthen jury diversity so our criminal legal system functions more fairly. Her priorities have long centered on building safe and sustainable communities, including through investments in environmental protections, behavioral health services, accessible housing, food security, and more.

Republican Carole Sue Braaten is challenging Trudeau this year. In 2012, she ran for a state House seat representing Legislative District 25 but did not make it past the primary. In this race, she has yet to release a campaign platform or website as of late August.

Yasmin Trudeau is the best choice in this race for the Legislative District 27 senate seat.

Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins is running for re-election to the 27th Legislative District, Position 1. She has been a passionate and effective champion for progressive values, particularly in her fight for racial and gender equity and closing tax loopholes. Since 2020, she has served as the first woman and LBGTQ+ speaker of the House in Washington.

As speaker, Jinkins leads the House's legislative process. She consistently advocates for the wealthy to pay their share and provide the resources our communities need to thrive. Recently, she has pledged to protect the right to abortion in Washington state. In previous sessions, Jinkins sponsored bills to improve education funding and secure resources for a new health clinic in Hilltop that serves low-income patients.

Challenging Jinkins this year is Republican Ken Paulson, who has run for office twice before with campaigns in 2008 and 2010 for Pierce County Council and state Senate. He raised no funds in his previous campaigns and has no campaign information or website available this year as of late August. Paulson has been featured in local newspapers advocating for anti-stalking laws after the death of his daughter at the hands of a stalker in 2010.

Speaker Jinkins has been a keystone of progressive advocacy in Washington and has earned another term in the House.

Sen. T'wina Nobles is running for re-election for the 28th Legislative District Senate seat to continue her outstanding work in Olympia. Nobles is the president and CEO of the Tacoma Urban League, an organization that helps underserved communities navigate difficult economic times. She has worked in education for 15 years as an instructor, University Place School Board director, and PTA leader.

As chair of the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, she has dedicated herself to improving the lives of students across the state. Nobles sponsored a bill signed into law this year that will help youth in foster care thrive by providing them access to financial literacy education and banking. She also sponsored bills this session to increase access to free meals for students in need, establish collective bargaining rights for employed students, and make financial aid more accessible for postsecondary school students. As the only Black member of the Senate, Nobles has worked hard to improve equity for all in the state.

If elected, Nobles wants to increase pay for teachers, reduce class sizes, and work to make schools more inclusive and equitable. She knows more needs to be done to ensure families in the 28th LD are healthy and safe, which she believes includes gun violence prevention, addiction recovery and mental health resources, and better health care access.

Nobles faces a challenge from Republican Maia Espinoza who has served on the Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs and is the executive director and founder of the Center for Latino Leadership, a civic engagement organization. This is Espinoza's fourth run for public office, with failed runs for Lakewood City Council, state representative, and Superintendent of Public Education. Espinoza's previous campaigns have been newsworthy for a lawsuit against her for false claims about her opponent's stance on comprehensive sexual health education, which Espinoza has stood against despite research showing healthier outcomes for students who learn about consent and their own health. She was also dinged in her 2020 race against Reykdal for falsely listing her organization as a nonprofit when it didn't meet the criteria. Her brief list of policy priorities this year includes right-wing dog whistles involving parental rights, which conservatives have used this year to try and siphon off public funding for private schools and enact book bans.

Nobles has been a standout progressive leader and has earned your vote for re-election to the state Senate.

Rep. Mari Leavitt is running for re-election for the 28th Legislative District's House Position 1. Leavitt previously worked as the deputy director of Pierce County Human Services and has also served as a PTSA board member in University Place, chair of the Pierce County Ethics Commission, and on the Mel Korum YMCA board of directors.

Since joining the Legislature in 2019, Leavitt has focused on improving education, safeguarding democracy, and advocating for veterans and military families. She sponsored successful bills this year to protect election workers from harassment and death threats, assign the Washington Military Department to help residents in extreme weather events, and provide education to schools to prevent youth drug overdoses and addiction. She also sponsored a bill to help veterans and military families access workforce training after their assignments.

Her Republican opponent is Marine Corps veteran Gabe Sachwitz. Like many conservatives, he says that laws should be examined through the lens of the Constitution, but he offers little detail about how that would affect policies he would support in the Legislature. Sachwitz also states that policies should be "widely acceptable" to the public and that legislators shouldn't support "random changes," though again he gives no specific examples of actual policies or laws with which he has concerns. As of late August, he has no concrete examples of what he would seek to accomplish as a lawmaker.

Leavitt has worked hard to expand benefits for military families, fund local projects like toxic "forever chemicals" cleanup in Lakewood, and more. She is the best and most experienced choice in this race.

Incumbent Representative Dan Bronoske is running for another term in Legislative District 28, House Position 2. In addition to his Legislative work, Bronoske has served as a Pierce County and Lakewood firefighter for two decades and is an active union member. He is also a delegate on the Pierce County Central Labor Council Delegate and a member of the Pierce College EMS Advisory Board.

In office, Bronoske has been a champion of working people and community safety. Last session, he supported bills to strengthen gun safety in our communities, add legal protections against certain forms of sexual assault, and ensure oil pipelines do not harm our ecosystems. Bronoske’s top campaign priorities include continuing to improve community safety, reducing the cost of living, and supporting local small businesses.

Republican Mark Herr is challenging Bronoske for his seat from the right. He emphasizes police and law enforcement as the main tools to address homelessness, which represents only a band-aid approach to a complex challenge. Unfortunately, Herr provides voters with few details about his campaign priorities or how he would achieve results in office.

Rep. Dan Bronoske is a strong advocate for community progress and he deserves your vote for another term in the 38th Legislative District’s House Position 2

Rep. Melanie Morgan is running for re-election for the 29th Legislative District, House Position 1. Morgan is an Army veteran who was elected to the Franklin-Pierce School Board in 2015 and worked with Young Life to create a mentorship group for young Black men, focusing on participation in STEM fields. Since taking office in 2019, she has been an advocate for representation and equity in Olympia where she has served as the deputy majority floor leader.

As someone who has experienced homelessness, Morgan has focused her efforts in the Legislature on ensuring Washingtonians stay healthy and housed. She was the primary sponsor of the successful effort to establish a state department of housing that aims to tackle the enormous need for homelessness prevention and increased housing options. She has also worked to secure funding for a new Parkland/Spanaway homeless shelter, rental assistance, and charity care for those who need medical services but are struggling to afford them. In addition, Morgan has focused on supporting bills that provide food assistance to needy families, cap the cost of insulin, and increase public transportation options in Pierce County. She boasts strong endorsements in this race from progressive leaders and community organizations.

We are concerned about recent reports that Morgan "engaged in abusive and bullying conduct" while in office. Leaders of the House Democrats are waiting for the completion of her appeal before taking any action. Pending the outcome of the investigation, at the current time of writing, Morgan is more qualified than her opponent in terms of a real strategy and experience about how to make and pass policies that affect the people of the district.

Democratic challenger Richard Miller is a realtor who is running to expand resources in schools, improve housing affordability, and make communities feel safe. However, he has no website or campaign materials available as of early June. In our interview with Miller, he confirmed that he wanted to run to support everyone in the district, reduce partisanship, and help build a sense of community. Though we agreed with him broadly on some issues, he unfortunately had no concrete policy proposals or solutions to support these positions.

Melanie Morgan is still the best option for Position 1 in the 29th Legislative District.

Rep. Sharlett Mena is running unopposed for re-election on her strong record from her first term representing the 29th Legislative District. Mena has a deep background in both public service and community organizing. She currently works at the Washington State Department of Ecology advancing environmental justice, protecting clean air and water, and implementing climate action. She co-created Voter Turnup in 2021, an organization led by people of color to spur voter turnout and civic engagement. Notably, she also served on the boards of Progreso, Planned Parenthood, and Fuse Washington, which produces this guide.

In the Legislature, Mena has worked hard to secure rights for all Washingtonians. She was the prime sponsor of the bills to improve the Voting Rights Act, ban hog-tying by law enforcement, and expand existing pay equity protections under Washington’s anti-discrimination laws.

Mena has had an impressive first term and has earned your vote to continue representing the 29th Legislative District.

Rep. Jamila Taylor is running for re-election to the 30th Legislative District, House Position 1. First elected in 2020, Taylor is an attorney who advocates for crime victims and has an extensive record of volunteer service. She previously served as the statewide advocacy counsel for the Northwest Justice Project, where she managed a network of legal aid attorneys, and she has additionally worked on youth intervention programs and other violence reduction efforts. Taylor is a former elected chair of the state Black Members Caucus, where she advocated for racial equity for all Washingtonians. She chairs the Developmental Advocacy Caucus and is the First Vice Chair of the Members of Color Caucus.

In Taylor's second term, she sponsored several important bills, including creating an investigation unit for missing Indigenous women, developing opportunities for climate-ready workforce programs, and providing free school meals for hungry students. She's also secured millions of dollars locally for youth violence prevention programs, funding therapeutic court interventions for drug-related crimes, supporting small business development, adding transit-oriented housing near the Redondo Heights light rail station, and much more.

Republican Melissa Hamilton is challenging Taylor from the right. Hamilton has worked in several positions in law enforcement, including as a records specialist and administrative assistant. Hamilton's agenda, including references to "classroom agendas outside of academics," echoes the state's larger conservative movement to ban books and prevent historically accurate discussions about race in schools. Hamilton's far-right values are clearly out of step with the voters of the 30th District.

Taylor has been a stalwart advocate for progress for all. We recommend re-electing Jamila Taylor for the 30th Legislative District, Position 1.

Rep. Kristine Reeves is running for re-election to Position 2 in the 30th Legislative District. As a working mom of two who went through the foster care system as a child, Reeves' focus in the Legislature has been improving lives for families and advocating for affordable housing. Reeves also served recently as the interim chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.

This year, Reeves sponsored successful bills to protect consumers in the solar power market and open opportunities for urban agriculture. She has also been a champion for paid family and medical leave, gun safety, linking students with apprenticeships, and making childcare more affordable. If she's re-elected, Reeves wants to continue building on her accomplishments in reducing the cost of education, medical care, and childcare.

While Reeves has been a progressive leader on many issues, she's taken a more cautious approach to others, including voting against taxing polluters and opposing eviction protections in 2019. Thankfully, she voted in favor of several important housing bills since then, including this year's rent stabilization bill.

Republican Quentin Morris is challenging Reeves from the right. He serves as the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association representative for Federal Way Public Schools, where he ran a campaign decrying "critical race theory." As of late June, his website is fairly empty. He has no listed policy proposals, stating only that he will foster a district where residents can achieve "health, safety, security, and economic freedom."

Reeves' experience improving the lives of children, families, and working people makes her the best choice for state House from the 30th Legislative District, Position 2.

Democrat Sara Sutterfield is a member of Friends of the Carbon Canyon and volunteers with the Foothills Historical Society in Buckley.

Her campaign for the 31st Legislative District, Position 1, is focused on four main priorities: advocating for a universal health care system, promoting inclusive and comprehensive education, environmental stewardship, and investing in small-town infrastructure. Specifically on the last point, Sutterfield says that while tourism has played an important role in the local economies of small towns, there needs to be equal investment into reliable transportation and quality public facilities. If elected, she states that she will focus on more funding for education, comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, and criminal legal reform.

Sutterfield is challenging attorney and Republican incumbent Drew Stokesbary, who is running for another term representing Legislative District 31. Stokesbary voted against bills that would have made the wealthy pay what they owe in taxes, protected the privacy of consumer data, and reduced gun violence in Washington. He also voted against an abortion shield law that protects Washington state health care workers when they provide abortion care to patients from Washington and from out of state.

Sutterfield's values are much more progressive than Stokesbary's. While she likely faces an uphill battle on the ballot, Sara Sutterfield is the better choice for state House from the 31st Legislative District in Position 1.

Democrat Brian Gunn is vying for the Legislative District 31, Position 2 seat in the state House which is currently held by retiring Rep. Eric Robertson. Gunn works in quality assurance for Boeing and serves as a Democratic precinct committee officer. If elected, he would be flipping the seat from red to blue.

Gunn’s candidacy is strongly grounded in local issues. If elected, he wants to make infrastructure upgrades such as Highways 164 and 410 maintenance as well as an Enumclaw-Buckley bridge construction. Gunn also wants to improve the district’s water quality and invest in our local schools. In the bigger picture, he supports reproductive freedom and efforts to fix Washington’s upside-down tax code. In this race, Gunn has received the sole endorsement from the Washington State Labor Council, amongst an array of other strong Democratic support.

Republican Orting mayor Joshua Penner is also running to succeed Robertson. He is also the founder of a company dealing with government data. In this race, he is running a typically conservative platform that does not reflect the community’s most pressing needs. His top priorities include taking us backward on gun violence prevention, pouring funds into militarizing our police far beyond community needs, and promoting MAGA-style conspiracies about the public education curriculum.

Gunn is the best choice to represent the 31st Legislative District in Position 2 because of his optimistic platform and community support.

Democrat Ryan Mello is running for Pierce County Executive. Mello currently chairs the Pierce County Council and previously served on the Tacoma City Council for nine years. Mello is an environmental champion who worked as executive director of the Pierce Conservation District, and he has served on a number of local committees focused on transportation and the climate. He was also Tacoma's first openly gay council member. 

Mello has been an important and effective progressive leader in Pierce County. As a county council member, he has worked to improve housing affordability, fight climate change, and reduce injustice in the criminal legal system. Now, he is campaigning on a vision to address community needs and raise the quality of life for all Pierce residents. If elected, he wants to support family-wage jobs, improve public safety, and invest in public transportation, parks, and public greenspaces. 

Mello is running against conservative Republican Rep. Kelly Chambers, who currently serves the 25th Legislative District in Olympia. First elected to the Legislature in 2018, Chambers has consistently voted the Republican Party line in the Legislature. She supports banning abortion and has consistently voted against women's health protections. She opposed commonsense laws to reduce gun violence in our communities. Finally, she voted against legislation to protect our clean air and water and opposed workers' rights and labor union protections. 

Pierce County deserves a leader who will bring us together and fight for our everyday needs. Ryan Mello is the clear choice for Pierce County Executive.

Pierce County Councilmember Marty Campbell is running for Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer. The seat is being vacated by Mike Lonergan, who cannot run again because of term limits. Campbell, the current vice chair of the county council, previously served on the Tacoma City Council, including as deputy mayor. Before public office, Campbell worked in small business executive leadership. He has also served on a number of community boards, including the county’s Commission Against Domestic Violence and the Agriculture Advisory Committee.

Campbell is running a centrist campaign to bring effective and community-responsive leadership to the office of the assessor-treasurer. He is committed to representing the interests of our diverse county, from veterans to first-time home buyers to working families. Campbell also wants to leverage his former business leadership to enhance the office’s customer service, including providing accessible information, building positive community relationships, and investing in user-friendly services.

Also in this race is Kent Keel, who formerly served on both the University Place City Council and School Board. He believes that success in the assessor-treasurer role is dependent on executive leadership experience and should be nonpartisan. However, the assessor-treasurer shouldn’t be afraid to take action to improve life in Pierce County. Keel lacks any specific policy on this front and has fewer progressive endorsements than Campbell in this race.

Marty Campbell is the best choice for assessor-treasurer because of his experience in elected office and strong local endorsements.

The chief of patrol for the Pierce County sheriff’s office, Patti Jackson, is running to replace retiring Sheriff Ed Troyer. She has served in law enforcement for 35 years and has held multiple leadership positions within the sheriff’s department. She also works with the City-County Opioid Task Force and the National Association on Mental Illness.

Jackson is running an inclusive, non-partisan campaign to bring accountability, responsiveness, and transparency to the office. Some of her ideas include establishing community advisory boards for the department, making budgets and resource allocation plans public, engaging mental health professionals for crisis response, and investing in preventative support for youth rather than early punitive responses. Jackson also wants to work on healing law enforcement’s long legacy of violence against marginalized communities, and she wants to invest in de-escalation training, bias reduction work, and cultural competency curriculums. Her vision for the office goes beyond typical public safety ideas to address how all residents can feel safer in Pierce County.

Also in this crowded race is former Seattle police captain Keith Swank, who is running on a platform centered on his experience putting people behind bars and cracking down on peaceful protests. He offers no policy ideas for the leadership position but is running with a more right-wing vision that fails to realize what keeps our communities safe. Pierce County residents deserve a sheriff who is more focused on safety than punishment.

Patti Jackson is the best choice for Pierce County Sheriff.

Sal Mungia es un abogado local galardonado y experimentado que se postula para el puesto 2 de la Corte Suprema del estado que dejará vacante la jueza Susan Owens. Mungia es socio de un bufete con sede en Tacoma y Seattle, donde trabaja en derecho de juicio y de apelación, principalmente enfocado en derecho de lesiones y negligencia médica. Tiene una larga historia de liderazgo y servicio, incluyendo, entre otras experiencias, su cargo anterior como presidente de la Asociación de Abogados del Estado de Washington, ex presidente de la Coalición por la Justicia Igualitaria y abogado colaborador con la ACLU de Washington. La carrera de Mungia ha estado fuertemente orientada hacia la comunidad. Ha realizado un trabajo legal pro bono significativo mientras trabajaba para mejorar nuestro sistema legal penal. Ahora, ha obtenido un amplio y impresionante apoyo en su candidatura para la corte, incluyendo el respaldo del actual juez de la Corte Suprema Yu y del jefe de justicia González. El juez del Tribunal Municipal de Federal Way, Dave Larson, también está en esta carrera. Larson ha sido juez durante 16 años y antes de eso fue abogado de juicio durante 23 años. Afirma tener apoyo bipartidista y quiere servir como un "equilibrio" si es elegido. Sin embargo, lamentablemente, Larson perpetúa el temor de un aumento en las tasas de criminalidad como razón para su candidatura, a pesar de que los jueces deben ser árbitros imparciales y la Corte Suprema del estado se ocupa más de casos grandes que afectan a todos los habitantes de Washington en lugar de casos individuales de delitos no violentos. Hasta finales de agosto, no ha mencionado ningún respaldo, pero está claro que los progresistas apoyan a Mungia en esta carrera. Recomendamos a Sal Mungia en esta carrera para llevar un liderazgo confiable, justo y orientado a la comunidad a la Corte Suprema de Washington.

Chief Justice Steven González is running unopposed for re-election to Position 8 on the Washington Supreme Court. González was first appointed to the bench in 2012 and was chosen by his peers to serve in the chief justice position in 2021, making him Washington’s first chief justice of color. Before becoming a judge, González’s law career ranged from international business law and terrorism prosecution to civil rights pro bono work. He serves on the board of the Washington Leadership Institute to provide opportunities and support for legal professionals from backgrounds and identities that have previously been excluded from legal spaces.

In his leadership role on the state’s top court, González has sought to make the legal system a place for justice and dignity for all Washingtonians. He worked to make our courts more accessible to non-English speakers. González has received bipartisan support in past races but consistently received support from some of the state’s top progressive leaders. González has been ranked highly by some of the state’s most progressive bar associations including QLaw, Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, Washington Women Lawyers, and more.

We recommend Justice Steven González for another term in Position 8 on Washington's Supreme Court to continue bringing just and experienced judicial leadership to our top court.

Justice Sheryl McCloud is running unopposed for re-election to Position #9 on the Washington Supreme Court. McCloud is a former public defender who has served on Washington’s top court since 2013. She co-chairs the court’s Gender & Justice Commission and serves as the liaison to the state bar's Council on Public Defense. On the bench, Justice McCloud’s top areas of attention include constitutional and individual rights, and she authored the 2017 opinion barring a private business open to the general public from refusing to serve a gay couple. She was the founding member of the Washington Appellate Lawyers Association.

In this election, her focus is on protecting constitutional rights. She has been rated “Exceptionally Well Qualified” by a number of the state’s top bar associations, including the King County Bar Association, QLaw, and the Washington Women Lawyers. These organizations ensure that our justices are treating all Washingtonians fairly and protecting constitutionally outlined civil rights.

Justice McCloud deserves your vote to continue bringing fair and experienced leadership to the state Supreme Court.

Ingrid McLeod is running for ​Pierce County Superior Court, Judge Position 15. McLeod is the Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner and a former civil litigator. She also serves on a number of local and state court committees and has deep roots in the Pierce community.

In her role as a court commissioner, McLeod has worked on cases ranging from family law to criminal law while serving Pierce County residents during difficult times. Across community judicial roles, she has safeguarded constitutional rights and due process, decreased the backlog of cases, and strengthened the fairness and efficiency of our courts. Her campaign has earned the support of every current Pierce County Superior Court judge, as well as a number of other respected judges and legal leaders.

Brian Wasankari is a Pierce County deputy prosecutor. He has served in the role for more than twenty years and additionally works in legal assistance for military service members. Despite Wasankari’s career focus in criminal prosecutions in divisions such as drugs, gangs, and sexual assault, he claims to have experience in the wider range of cases that come before a county court superior judge. In this race, he is prioritizing equitable treatment before the law for all Pierce residents. However, though judges are impartial, Wasankari has expressed criticism over policies that allow all of us a second chance to learn from our worst mistakes. He is not the best choice for equal justice in Pierce County.

We recommend Ingrid McLeod for this Pierce County Superior Court position because of her consistent record of fair and impartial leadership.