32nd Legislative District

King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci has served District 6 (Bellevue and East King County) since 2015. She began her career as a public interest lawyer fighting for women and LGBTQ+ people. She was a neighborhood organizer who went on to serve on the Bellevue City Council, including for a term as mayor. Balducci has served as chair of the county council and serves as vice chair of the Sound Transit Board of Directors, where she successfully advocated for an early opening of the "starter line" in East King County.

In her nearly two decades of public service, Balducci has prioritized progressive solutions to the issues facing our region, including improving transportation options, promoting affordable housing, enhancing community safety, addressing climate action, and supporting arts and culture. Her track record is strong in all of these areas, including an arts levy to invest in science, heritage, arts, and cultural organizations, as well as legislation to keep “forever chemicals” out of our local environment. She was a tenacious advocate for the East Link light rail and the 10-station, 14-mile expansion plan slated for completion in early 2026.

Balducci is running for the executive position with a vision of an inclusive, vibrant, and climate-friendly county where all residents can thrive. She emphasizes her track record of effective leadership at the city and county levels that has delivered results for her communities. As a bus and bike commuter, Balducci is an avid supporter of expanding transit options, particularly light rail and bus routes. Additionally, she is an advocate for transit-oriented housing as a means of improving affordability, as well as cutting red tape to expedite the construction of badly needed housing in our region. Furthermore, she has outlined thoughtful plans to reduce gun violence, expand mental health and addiction treatment services, and youth prevention programs.

Incumbent Rod Dembowsk is seeking another term representing District 1 on the King County Council, where he has served since 2013. Dembowski is an attorney who spent over a decade at a local litigation firm before his council work. His public service outside the council has included providing pro bono counsel to King County Superior Court judges, serving as a policy analyst in the county executive’s office, and joining the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee.

Dembowski has been a solid supporter of progressive reforms on the council. His top priorities have included protecting clear air and water, enhancing local government efficiency, improving regional transportation, and creating equitable opportunities so that all county residents can achieve prosperous futures. On the council, he protected King County Metro from attempted cuts, established the King County Youth Action Plan, and worked to secure paid parental leave for King County employees. In this race, he is once again running on an optimistic platform that emphasizes investing in human services, public transportation, climate solutions, and community safety.

Rod Dembowski is running unopposed in this race and will continue to make progressive change on the King County Council.

Council Chair Jared Mead is running unopposed for another term in the District 4 seat on the Snohomish County Council. Mead has held a number of public service positions, including four years on the Mill Creek City Council, two years as a state lawmaker in Legislative District 44, and his most recent tenure on the county council, where he has sat since he was appointed in 2020 and retained in the following election by voters. Mead, who was born and raised in south Snohomish County, has also worked as a legislative aide and as a campaign manager.

In his re-election campaign, Mead is focusing on several key issues, including affordability, public safety, and transportation. Mead supports expanding mental health resources and violence prevention programs to enhance public safety services. Regarding affordable housing, Mead acknowledges the need to increase the housing supply. However, we would be interested to see his approach expand to include solutions such as renter and tenant protections.

Mead referred to himself as being more right-leaning than his party, which is evidenced by certain votes and policy proposals he made during his time on the council. Earlier this year, Mead introduced the controversial Amendment 3 to the Critical Areas Regulations bill, which the conservative side of the council helped pass. His amendment faced public backlash for its lack of wildlife protections and for reducing buffers of protection around wetlands.

Additionally, Mead proposed an amendment to the Snohomish County budget that reduced funding for the Office of Social Justice and Executive Office after an audit found the department to be unsustainable in the long term. Fellow county council member Strom Peterson criticized the move, saying the council overstepped its authority.

We hope that Mead adopts more progressive positions on some key issues during his next term on the Snohomish County Council.

Chelsea Rudd is running against Janelle Cass for Port of Edmonds, Commissioner District 1. We are confident Rudd is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. 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.

Incumbent Commissioner Ryan Calkins is running unopposed for re-election for Port of Seattle, Commissioner Position 1, where he has served since 2017. He works for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as an advisor on offshore wind and maritime infrastructure. Previously, Calkins also ran a successful import and distribution company and started a local nonprofit focused on supporting small business entrepreneurship. His background in business, maritime infrastructure, and public service makes him a highly qualified voice on the commission.

The Port of Seattle oversees public assets in travel, trade, and commerce for the region. Over the last eight years, Calkins has helped push the commission in a more progressive direction. He advocates for equity, sustainability, and prosperity to port leadership, and he has supported measures to protect our port’s local ecosystem, fight for workers’ rights, and improve local immigration policy. Calkins is campaigning on a platform that emphasizes environmental justice, sustainable economic development, and creating living-wage jobs

Ryan Calkins deserves your vote for another term in Position 1 on the Seattle Port Commission.

Incumbent Hamdi Mohamed is running unopposed for re-election for Commissioner Position 3 on the Port of Seattle. Mohamed was first elected to the position in 2021 on a visionary progressive platform, making her the first Black woman to serve on the commission. Mohamed’s mother worked for the airport when her family first settled in SeaTac as Somali refugees – an upbringing that has deepened her knowledge of the port’s community importance. She is the department director for Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and previously worked as a policy advisor for the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice. She is currently the only commissioner who resides in South King County.

Mohamed is a leader in people-focused policy, taking seriously the real impact of port commission decisions on the local community, ecosystem, and economy. On the commission, she has prioritized economic development to create good-paying local jobs, support workers’ rights, and help small businesses flourish. She has also been a strong voice for addressing airport noise disruptions, reducing port pollution that impacts the South King County communities, and promoting renewable energy solutions.

We recommend Hamdi Mohamed for another term as Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position 3, to continue bringing strong, progressive leadership to the to the region.

Commission president Toshiko Grace Hasegawa is running unopposed for re-election to Commissioner Position 4 on the Port of Seattle. Hasegawa was first elected to the position in 2021, becoming one of the first women of color to serve on the commission, alongside her colleague Hamdi Mohamed. Hasegawa is the former executive director of the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA), an advocacy organization that advises government agencies on issues affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She currently serves on the boards of Densho and the Seattle chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, both organizations that uplift the city’s Japanese American community.

On the commission, Hasegawa has been a voice for community empowerment, equitable prosperity, and regional sustainability. She was a critical advocate protecting North SeaTac Park, led efforts to increase childcare and health care for airport employees, helped set ambitious goals to decarbonize the cruise industry, and expanded the South King County Community Impact Fund. If re–elected, Hasegawa will continue her tireless work to fight for clean water and air, strong workers' protections, and economic development that benefits local communities first in her progressive vision for the commission.

We recommend Hasegawa for a second term on the Seattle Port Commission.

Chris Eck is running for re-election to Position 1 on the Edmonds City Council, to which she was first elected in 2023. She serves as the Vice President of Programs for Volunteers of America Western Washington, a Christian organization that operates food banks, crisis care services, homelessness prevention programs, and youth initiatives. She also brings experience in neighborhood planning from the Lynnwood and Snohomish County planning commissions.

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

Eck has earned your vote for Edmonds City Council, Position 1.

Alex Newman is running against Erika Barnett for Edmonds City Council, Position 3. We are confident Newman is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. 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.

Derica Escamilla was appointed to the Lynnwood City Council in 2024 and is now running to retain her seat. She is a first-generation Mexican American born in Moses Lake, Washington, raised in Southern Texas, and has lived in the Lynnwood community since 2005. She is a business development manager for an engineering services provider. Escamilla has served on three Lynnwood boards and committees, and is actively engaged in youth programming in the city.

In her current campaign, Escamilla is prioritizing public safety. Her vision for Lynnwood expands beyond just increased police presence, recognizing the need to invest in basics such as transit, housing, youth programming, and infrastructure. In just a year over a year spent on the council, Escamilla has already made strides in Lynnwood's progress. She founded the first Lynnwood Youth Council to encourage youth participation in local government. She also introduced the Pallet Shelter Company to explore quick and sustainable housing solutions for those experiencing homelessness.

Derica Escamilla is a progressive and compassionate leader who has certainly earned your vote to serve another term on the Lynnwood City Council.

Isabel Mata is running for Lynnwood City Council, Position 2. Mata is a writer and mindfulness teacher with professional experience in marketing.

Mata's campaign is prioritizing public safety, high-quality social services, and inclusion. Her approach to public safety extends beyond over-policing, focusing instead on improving mental health resources, preparing for extreme weather, and maintaining well-maintained streets and sidewalks. Mata recognizes the impact of reliable public resources on the overall well-being of the community, advocating for high-quality schools, fair wages, and public spaces that facilitate community building. If elected, she hopes to foster an inclusive environment, helping residents of all walks of life feel welcomed and represented in Lynnwood.

While we would like to see some more specific and detailed policy proposals, it is clear that Isabel Mata is a compassionate leader with a progressive vision for Lynnwood's future. She has earned your vote for Lynnwood City Council, Position 2.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is running for a second term. Harrell is an attorney who has experience representing victims of workplace discrimination and minority entrepreneurs. He was first elected to the city council in 2007 and served three terms. Harrell won his mayoral campaign in 2021 as a more centrist Democratic candidate, focusing on bridging relationships between community members and local government.

In office, Harrell has pursued an agenda focused on public safety, economic opportunity, and a high quality of life. Harrell has received mixed reviews from progressive organizations and advocates.

His supporters praise his steady and balanced support for Seattle's post-COVID economic recovery in the city’s struggling downtown core. While he hasn’t been an outspoken advocate of police reform, Harrell's supporters point to his launch of the CARE department. This public safety branch has responded to 1,400 crisis calls, augmenting law enforcement and providing a more appropriate behavioral health response.

Harrell won praise from a coalition of unions representing city workers for negotiating a new contract that respects their work and helps keep up with the cost of living. In addition, he blocked City Council efforts to undermine Seattle’s minimum wage. He earned the endorsements of some transportation advocates due to his support for transit choices in the largest transportation levy in the city's history. He also led the development and passage of the largest low-income housing levy in Seattle's history. Harrell’s platform emphasizes his continued support for the revitalization of the downtown core, as well as protecting Seattle residents from the Trump administration.

Harrell recently proposed addressing the city’s revenue shortfalls by substantially increasing business taxes on larger businesses. He significantly increased the exemption for small businesses and used the proceeds to fund programs that support housing stability, homeless services, food security, and small business sustainability.

Harrell has also faced criticism from some progressives in Seattle on many issues. His critics argue that he has not demonstrated the leadership and vision necessary to make progress on daunting challenges. One example is the high cost of housing. The Harrell administration has a unique opportunity to reshape Seattle's housing market through the 20-year comprehensive plan, which sets the city's strategy for building and growth. While the Mayor’s office has proposed a substantial expansion of the city’s housing capacity, they also scaled back growth opportunities from an early proposal last year. In recent months, following pushback from some vocal anti-density city council members, Harrell's office further reduced the potential for building more affordable, higher-density housing. Housing advocates point to this backtracking as an example of the need for a clearer vision and more decisive leadership from the mayor's office to overcome opposition on the city council. If this weakened plan is adopted, Seattle will miss out on a critical opportunity to support badly needed affordable housing, which will make it even more difficult for teachers, nurses, and artists to live in our city.

Harrell has also come under fire for the workplace culture in his office. Multiple sources described it as sexist and toxic, according to KUOW.

Harrell is not a visionary progressive leader who will drive major changes, but he is a moderate Democrat who is doing a reasonable job of balancing competing interests and managing major challenges. He is a good choice for voters who want a more centrist and experienced candidate for mayor. 

Former federal prosecutor Erika Evans is running a progressive campaign for Seattle City Attorney. Evans quit her position as a federal prosecutor earlier this year, after four years of working on hate crimes, drug trafficking, and violent crimes, due to the increasingly dangerous executive orders she saw from the Trump administration. She has a diverse legal background, which also includes work as a pro tem judge for the SeaTac, Tukwila, and Puyallup municipal courts, as well as four years spent in Seattle’s city attorney's office.

Evans’ departure from the federal prosecution position is emblematic of her defining priority in this race: opposing Trump’s undemocratic and unjust policies. In our interview, Evans shared her vision for preparing the city attorney’s office to defend DEI, reproductive health freedoms, and climate protections, even proposing the addition of an entirely new and staffed environmental law section. She is proud of Seattle’s status as a sanctuary city and is unafraid to sue the Trump administration for violations of civil liberties in our community, drawing on her prosecutorial and federal experience.

If elected, Evans would reinstate the Seattle Community Court and expand the employment office to protect against wage theft. In addition, she would prioritize negotiating a new police contract with a greater emphasis on accountability, which is motivated by her own experience of being illegally detained by the police as a law student.

Erika Evans is a fearless and passionate leader who will stand up to attacks from the Trump administration. We enthusiastically recommend Evans for Seattle City Attorney.

Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck is seeking re-election to the Seattle City Council in Position 8, a citywide seat she first won last year. Before joining the city council, Rinck worked as an assistant director for policy, planning, and state operations for the University of Washington. She also worked as a policy analyst for the Sound Cities Association and with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. She has a long history of community empowerment, including raising funds for reproductive health care and previously serving on the board of Fuse Washington, the organization that produces this guide.

Rinck's familial experience with homelessness, incarceration, and substance abuse guides her approach to city issues and our local social safety net. Since January, Rinck has worked to protect Seattle residents from the effects of Trump’s dangerous agenda. Her council policy goals include making progress on climate change through investments in clean energy, electrification infrastructure, and public transportation. Rinck also aims to support greater housing access across all income levels, increase pathways to higher education, and continue building lasting community safety through policy initiatives that address gun violence and explore alternatives to policing.

Alexis Mercedes Rinck is the clear choice for Position 8 on the Seattle City Council.

Dionne Foster is running for Seattle City Council, Position 9 (At-Large), challenging incumbent Sara Nelson. Foster enters this race with government experience and a robust background in the nonprofit sector. Her previous work includes serving as a climate policy analyst for Puget Sound Sage, a senior advisor in the city's Office of Policy and Innovation, and a senior program officer at the Seattle Foundation. Most recently, Foster served as the executive director of the Progress Alliance of Washington, a nonprofit committed to racial justice and equity.

In our interview with her, Foster demonstrated her passion for finding progressive solutions to the issues facing our community. Her goals include promoting healthy and safe communities through investing in intervention and prevention strategies to treat drug addiction, as well as continued support for the CARE Team and gun violence prevention. Foster is also a proponent of affordable housing solutions, such as increased density, rent stabilization, and anti-displacement policies. In addition, she supports housing with wraparound services for individuals experiencing housing instability.

Foster's other priorities include climate resilience, workforce protections, and thriving communities. She strongly supports policies that ensure equitable energy access and fair pricing, while also improving accessibility to public transit.

Throughout her professional career, Dionne Foster has consistently demonstrated a clear commitment to collaboration and equitable policies that benefit everyone in our community. She is a practical progressive who understands government and will bring much-needed leadership to the City Council. We enthusiastically recommend Dionne Foster for Seattle City Council, Position 9.

Eben Pobee is running unopposed for re-election to Shoreline City Council, Position 5. Pobee is the CEO of a technology innovation and collaboration company, and he serves on the board of trustees for Shoreline Community College. He is also the president and founding member of the Just Humanitarian Project, a Shoreline nonprofit run by and for the local African immigrant community, which celebrates the continent’s cultural heritage in the city.

Pobee leads with a strong sense of what it takes to help communities thrive, from resource allocation to cultural investments. In 2021, he ran unopposed on a platform that focused on improving infrastructure, building community programming, and promoting health and safety within the city. He has yet to release an updated platform in this race as of late September.

We recommend Eben Pobee to continue advocating for and implementing progressive policies that benefit the Shoreline community.

Thomas Garrard is running against Jason Moore for Edmonds School Board, Director District 4. We are confident Garrard is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. 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.