City of Seattle

Sen. Emily Alvarado is running unopposed to retain her seat representing the 34th Legislative District. She spent five years working at Seattle's Office of Housing, including two as its director. She was previously an organizer at Planned Parenthood and currently serves on the board of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, among several other leadership roles in community organizations.

Alvarado emerged as a progressive leader in the state Senate during her first legislative session after being appointed to the Senate seat. As it was in the House, her top priority is to maintain and expand affordable housing. She is a proponent of increased housing density and creating "more housing choices in all communities." This year, Alvarado successfully passed her rent stabilization bill to cap yearly rent increases, which will help reduce homelessness and allow families to remain in their homes.

Alvarado is also a champion for early learning. In 2025, she sponsored a bill to change permitting and zoning for childcare centers to integrate them into urban planning. In her current campaign, she continues to advocate for greater access to affordable and quality childcare.

Emily Alvarado has earned your vote to continue representing the 34th Legislative District in the Washington state Senate.

Brianna Thomas is running to retain her position as a state representative in the 34th Legislative District. Thomas was appointed to this position earlier this year to replace former Rep. Emily Alvarado. Prior to becoming a House representative, Thomas was the chief of staff for former Seattle City Council President Lorena Gonzalez. Previously, she led the effort to bring democracy vouchers to Seattle through the Honest Elections Initiative and also worked on the “Yes for SeaTac” campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15.

Since her appointment, Thomas has followed through on her previous campaign promises. She voted in favor of limiting rent increases to 10%, which will help improve housing affordability, and voted in favor of building more housing near transit. Additionally, she voted to strengthen anti-discrimination policies in schools and prohibit the removal of students from school grounds during the school day without parental authorization.

Her current campaign continues to focus on affordable housing, labor rights, economic recovery. She is a strong supporter of anti-displacement policies and adding to the housing supply. In addition to her work in labor rights, she is also unwavering in her stance on protecting reproductive and social rights. She stands for access to reproductive health, LGBTQ+ equality, and commonsense measures to reduce gun violence.

While Brianna Thomas is running unopposed in this race, she has certainly earned your vote to retain her position representing the 34th Legislative District in Position 1.

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.

Attorney Steffanie Fain is running for King County Council from District 5. Fain has spent her decade-and-a-half-long legal career at law firms and is currently a managing partner at one in Seattle. She is also the current board president of Harborview Medical Center, the county’s public hospital, where she has served since her first appointment in 2015. Fain went through breast cancer treatment and leads on the board with a lens to expand equitable access to healthcare.

Throughout her campaign, Fain has expressed support for left-leaning proposals, but wavers when asked about how to fund these efforts. Her preference is to rely heavily on grants to fund services, such as expanding housing and electrifying the Metro fleet, despite the uncertain availability of federal grants under the current administration. She was notably hesitant to embrace progressive taxes as an option.

Fain's broader campaign goals include public safety, affordability, and homelessness. Unfortunately, she offers largely generic talking points on these important and nuanced issues. Without more specific policy proposals, it’s unclear what her approach to these goals will be. Furthermore, Fain’s endorsements so far have come from a set of more moderate Democrats and Republicans, which appears to reflect her own political alignment. Additionally, Fain has received campaign contributions from a number of right-leaning individuals, elected officials, corporations, and PACs.

While we do not agree with all of her positions, Steffanie Fain is the less conservative candidate in this race.

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.

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 alternative public safety branch has responded to 1,400 crisis calls, diverting work from 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 has further reduced the potential for building more affordable, higher-density housing. Housing advocates point to this backtracking as an example of where a clearer vision and more decisive leadership from the mayor's office were needed 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 that the office add 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. She would be a strong choice 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.

Sarah Clark is running to be retained for the Seattle School Board, Director Position 2, to which she was appointed in April 2024. Clark is an education policy expert and learning consultant, with experience leading the Early Learning Action Alliance. She is a Seattle Public School System alumna and has mentored students at Ballard High School, a District 2 school.

As a policy professional, Clark supported a state House bill aimed at increasing childcare access. On the school board, she has been a voice for making SPS a leader on progressive education, and she is running on the pillars of equity, transparency, and safety. Clark has a holistic view of safety, including social, emotional, and mental health supports, arts programming, and sexual violence prevention.

If retained, Clark would work to rebuild strong lines of communication with district families. In addition, she would pursue an expansive view of equity to ensure that all Seattle students receive a quality education that meets their needs, including English language learners, students of color, students with special education needs, and other groups that have been historically underserved by our education system.

Clark is a good choice for voters seeking a proven leader on school programming and equity for the Seattle School Board.

Community organizer Joe Mizrahi is running to be retained on the Seattle School Board in Director Position 4. He was appointed to the role last year to fill the seat vacated by Vivian Song. Mizrahi is the Secretary-Treasurer and Co-Executive Director of UFCW 3000, a union that represents grocery, retail, cannabis, meat-packing, and other industries in the state. He is also a parent to three students at Seattle Public Schools and comes from a family of teachers with a refugee background.

On the school board, Mizrahi represents schools, students, families, and faculty in Fremont, Queen Anne, South Lake Union, and parts of downtown. He wants to address systemic equity concerns while protecting resources amid the SPS budget crisis, so that our schools can remain a place where all students have the opportunity to build bright futures, regardless of their background or neighborhood. With his union background, Mizrahi brings a unique view of advocacy, financial stability, and opportunity to school board leadership.

In his re-election campaign, Mizrahi is prioritizing equity, community engagement, and accountable leadership. He is an advocate for historically underserved students and protecting programs like dual language instruction. He intends to incorporate community priorities and long-term funding avenues in the district's strategic plan.

Joe Mizrahi is a caring and thoughtful leader who has earned your vote to be retained on the Seattle School Board in Director Position 4.

Vivian Song is once again seeking a seat on the Seattle School Board, this time in District 5. Song served on the school board from 2021 through January 2024, when she resigned after moving outside of her seat’s district lines for family reasons. She is a parent to district students, an Asian American daughter of immigrants, and a former president of the PTSA. Song has a professional background as a small business owner and a finance professional for companies, including Google and Goldman Sachs.

Song has maintained a strong equity orientation over the years, emphasizing the need for every child to have equal educational opportunities, regardless of their identity, background, or family resources. For example, she examined how Seattle’s North-end schools have supplemented their budgets with strong PTA fundraising from parents, while South-end schools operate with fewer resources. Song has advocated for making stronger appeals to the state for equitable funding across all Seattle schools to address this gap. Now, she hopes to rejoin the board and continue fighting to boost enrollment, build vocational and college pathways, and oppose Trump’s attacks on public education.

In her current campaign, Song continues to focus on equity and inclusion in Seattle City Schools. She is prioritizing equitable learning opportunities with multi-cultural curricula such as ethnic studies and language immersion. Song is supportive of student safety measures, especially against rising gun violence, mental health challenges, and threats from the federal government. She supports permanent and equitable funding for counselors, nurses, social workers, and mental health professionals.

Song's campaign leads with compassion and care for the well-being and success of Seattle students. We recommend Vivian Song for Seattle School Board from District 5.