City of Sammamish

Sen. Victoria Hunt is running to retain her state Senate seat representing Legislative District 5 to protect the environment, secure reproductive rights, and modernize our state housing laws. Prior to running for legislature, Hunt served three terms on the Issaquah City Council, where she prioritized environmental protections and protecting open space. She holds a Ph.D. in ecology and serves as the Chief Data Officer at Crosswalk Labs, where she works to track and mitigate carbon pollution for local cities. 

During her first legislative session, Hunt voted to limit rent increases to 10%, which will reduce the cost of housing for renters across the state. She also voted in favor of anti-discrimination protections for students as well as a bill that would improve recycling and reduce the amount of plastic waste going to landfills. 

Hunt used her experience as a local elected official and environmental scientist to make a difference on key issues in just her first few months in office. She has clearly earned your vote for state Senate from the 5th Legislative District.
 

Rep. Janice Zahn is running to retain Position 1 representing the 41st Legislative District. Zahn emigrated from Hong Kong as a child and has dedicated her adult life to stewarding public infrastructure and services. She is the chief engineer for the Port of Seattle and served on the Bellevue City Council until her appointment to the Legislature in January.

Zahn has been a consistent and outspoken progressive leader in our community. In our interview, she shared that her priorities include supporting affordable housing, paid family leave, efficient project management, and protecting public education for students. She approaches policy with an eye on equity and wants to "help those who are furthest from power to create a level playing field for them to advocate for themselves."

One of Zahn's proudest accomplishments during her time on the Bellevue City Council was the development and implementation of a safe parking program. The program supported approximately 60 children experiencing housing instability by providing a safe space for families to park their cars, rest, study, and have a meal. The program particularly supported single working moms, helping them find their own stability and move into transitional housing.

Janice Zahn is a caring and compassionate leader who has hosted over 250 constituent meetings to hear their concerns. She has earned your vote for Position 1 representing the 41st 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 Commissioner Ryan Calkins is running 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 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, expanded the South King County Community Impact Fund, and more. 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.

Amy Lam is running for re-election for Sammamish City Council, Position 1. Lam has been on the council since 2021 and is both the first Asian-American and woman of color elected to the Sammamish City Council. Professionally, she works as a graphic designer at the Washington State Department of Health.

Environmental protections are at the forefront of Lam's re-election campaign, along with developing affordable housing options to meet the requirements of the Growth Management Act. Emergency preparedness is embedded in her public safety plan, noting the imminent effects of climate change. She is an advocate for community education, the development of an overnight emergency shelter, and evacuation awareness. To address the affordable housing crisis, Lam supports the Town Center Plan, which aims to include 2,000 market-rate and affordable housing units, while striking a balance between sustainable development.

We recommend re-electing Amy Lam for Sammamish City Council, Position 1.

Sid Gupta is running to retain Position 3 on the Sammamish City Council. Gupta is a restoration and native plant steward with Washington Native Plant Society. He has also served on both the city's planning commission and the Sammamish Friends board.

Environmentalism and sustainability are at the forefront of his campaign, with Gupta being an avid bicyclist. He aims to enhance mobility throughout the city and reduce residents' reliance on cars. Gupta is an advocate for protected bike lanes and sidewalks that not only help increase mobility but also create safer transit routes. His approach to housing also focuses on improving connectivity by condensing housing development around transit hubs and community centers. Densified housing provides easier access for emergency responders and decreases the impact on stormwater and roads.

Sid Gupta's commitment to environmental preservation and building a more connected city earns him a full term in Position 3 on the Sammamish City Council.

Lin Yang is running for Sammamish City Council, Position 5. Yang is a Chinese-American immigrant who was raised by a single mom in Sammamish. Yang highlighted the community that welcomed him and his mom when they were new to the city and how they became their support system. Yang went on to earn two degrees in public policy and eventually returned to Sammamish to raise his own family. Yang started the Sammamish Independent, a local newspaper that provided student journalists with an opportunity to get involved in their community.

Yang's campaign platform is focused on expanding housing and transit options to reduce the cost of living. Citing the astronomical median home price of $1.7 million, he wants to add more homes and increase affordability requirements for new housing developments. Additionally, he would prioritize creating a community center to foster stronger connections between neighbors.

Lin Yang is clearly an involved community member who wants to give back to his community what they gave to him. Lin Yang is the best choice for Sammamish City Council, Position 5.

Karen Howe is running to retain her seat in Position 7 on the Sammamish City Council. She currently serves as the Mayor of Sammamish.

During her time on the council, Howe has been an advocate for improving affordable housing options available to residents of all income levels. She is supportive of the Town Center Plan, which includes 2,000 market-rate and affordable housing units, while balancing sustainable development. A home is the most basic human need, and increased options allow our teachers, healthcare workers, and service providers to continue living in the communities they serve.

Howe advocates for maintaining the things that keep Sammamish beautiful and connected: well-maintained parks, safe bike paths, and enhanced public transit options. She is a proponent of introducing a teen community center to help youth engagement in the town.

Karen Howe has earned your vote to serve another term on the Sammamish City Council in Position 7.

Natalie Anderson is an aerospace professional and active PTA member seeking the District 2 position on the Issaquah School Board. Anderson has spent more than a decade at an aerospace company where she now works in quality performance and control. She is also the director of ongoing programs for the Maple Hills PTA. Anderson has two children enrolled in Issaquah public schools.

Anderson is running on a community-oriented platform. Despite the Trump administration’s focus on division and hatred, Anderson wants to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in Issaquah schools to ensure that all students can access opportunity. She also wants to invest in school infrastructure, fixes for overcrowding, special education, career and technical education programming, and mental health resources. She has earned strong local support in this race.

We recommend Natalie Anderson due to her many endorsements from educators and progressive organizations.

Sydne Mullings is running for another term in Position 4 on the Issaquah School Board, to which she was first appointed in 2019. Mullings is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who moved her family to Issaquah in 2014. She has been a community leader ever since, including her service on the After-School All-Stars Puget Sound advisory board to help bring enrichment programs to the local region’s underserved young people. Outside of public service, she is a general manager at Microsoft, where she has worked for nearly 17 years.

As an incumbent school board director and parent to two students in the school district, Mullings has a strong grasp of the challenges and opportunities facing the district. Mullings has been a voice for the holistic well-being of students, modern and sustainable learning infrastructure, and a district that is welcoming and diverse. Her re-election campaign continues to focus on improving student resources, such as robust activities, athletics, and arts. She is supportive of broadening course offerings that match students' interests and fostering a welcoming environment for students, families, and staff.

Sydne Mulings is a proven progressive leader and has earned your vote to serve another term on the Issaquah School Board.

Angela Meekhof is running for Lake Washington School Board Director, District #3. She is a social worker, foster parent, and a volunteer in the school district. Meekhof has also garnered positive community support, with folks highlighting her commitment to supporting students of color and LGBTQ+ students specifically.

Meekhof's campaign focuses on providing students with better mental health support, reducing financial barriers, and creating personalized pathways for students. She demonstrates a thorough understanding of the needs of students in the district, advocating for better trauma-informed practices in schools. Meekhof takes a kind and considerate approach to schooling, paying extra attention to those historically left out or underrepresented. She is an advocate for technical and professional training and programs like Running Start, as well as celebrating the district's diversity.

Angela Meekhof is a thoughtful and experienced leader who will make an excellent choice to serve on the Lake Washington School Board representing District #3.

Aspen Richter is running for the Lake Washington School Board from District 4. Richter is a community leader with broad professional experience, including serving as a family caregiver, working for a mortgage compliance company, and consulting with companies on waste reduction. They have an extensive record of volunteering for a number of local organizations, including the Lake Washington School District Advisory Committee, the Lake Washington Citizens Levy Committee, Eastside Urbanism, and more. Richter is also a parent to three students in the school district.

Richter's campaign is focused on collaboration, progress, opportunity, and inclusion. Their campaign includes finding and retaining exceptional teachers, community engagement, and sustainable funding that ensures longevity. They are committed to advocating for all students and being a forward-thinking voice in the district.

In addition to their thoughtful campaign platform, Richter has earned impressive support from local elected officials and community leaders. We enthusiastically recommend Aspen Richter for the Lake Washington School Board from District 4.