City of Shoreline

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.

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.

Laura Mork is running unopposed for re-election to Shoreline City Council, Position 3. She works for Premera Blue Cross and previously worked in technical services for an aircraft company. Mork chairs the Shoreline Planning Commission and has served as a wastewater commissioner. Her campaign platform includes investing in the infrastructure of all neighborhoods, local park improvements, and efforts to reduce Shoreline's climate footprint. Mork also pledged to apply an equity lens to the needs of everyone who lives and works in the community.

Mork has been actively involved in improving affordable housing options in Shoreline. Mork advocated for zoning changes to allow for more varied housing development, as well as neighborhood cafes, corner stores, restaurants, and more. This decision sets Shoreline apart from neighboring cities, making it a leader in designing more walkable and accessible neighborhoods.

Laura Mork's track record has earned your vote to serve another term on the Shoreline City Council, Position 3.

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.

Christopher "Chris" Roberts is running unopposed for re-election to Shoreline City Council, Position 7. He served as mayor of Shoreline from 2016 to 2017 and has served on the council since 2010. A member of the Choctaw Nation, Roberts has pushed for inclusive policies in local government and in the city itself.

Roberts was part of the council that advocated for removing parking mandates in new housing development, a move that significantly removes barriers and costs for building affordable housing. In support of the decision, Roberts said, "We should want people to come and live here" because of how wonderful Shoreline is. The Shoreline City Council also took bold action in legalizing neighborhood businesses, which brings the city closer to fostering more walkable and localized neighborhoods.

Christopher Roberts has helped make progressive change in Shoreline that meets the needs of all residents. He has earned your vote to serve another term on the Shoreline City Council, Position 7.