City of Des Moines

After 15 years representing the 33rd District in the state House of Representatives, Tina Orwall was appointed in January to replace Senator Karen Keiser, who retired. Before being elected in 2009, she spent 20 years as a professional in the public mental health system, holding a position in Seattle’s Office of Housing, where she worked to connect people to direct services and resources. Orwall is now running unopposed to retain her seat in the state Senate.

During her tenure in Olympia, Orwall has been a strong advocate for survivors of sexual assault. In particular, she has worked to end Washington’s backlog of rape kits and pass legislation to support sex-trafficking victims.

Since her appointment to the Senate, Orwall has continued to be an advocate for mental health and housing initiatives. In January, Orwall sponsored a bill that would not only arrange for social workers in schools but would increase services in high-poverty schools. Additionally, she voted to increase education funding and expand access to special education services.

Tina Orwall has been a compassionate advocate and leader for the district. We are excited to see what she accomplishes in her full term representing the 33rd Legislative District in the Washington state Senate.

Democrat Edwin Obras is running to retain his seat representing the 33rd Legislative District, Position 1. Obras was appointed to this seat after former Rep. Tina Orwall moved to the Senate. Obras has over 25 years of experience working in human services, including homelessness, anti-hunger, capacity building, and youth development.

Since his appointment, Obras has been a champion of thoughtful solutions to the challenges local families face. He voted in favor of several progressive bills, including capping rent increases at 10%, reducing landfill waste, and establishing anti-discrimination protections in schools. He also sponsored a bill to limit excessive home buying, a move intended to open the market to first-time home buyers. He also won praise from labor unions for his steady hand and hard work on bills to protect low-wage janitors and hotel workers.

If elected, Obras plans to continue advocating for housing affordability, criminal justice reform, and workers' rights. He is an advocate for labor protections for low-income and gig economy workers, fighting for fair wages and safe working conditions. He also hopes to use his professional background to help expand statewide access to mental health resources.

Edwin Obras is the best and most progressive choice in this race. He has earned your vote for the Legislature from the 33rd 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 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.

Harry Steinmetz is running for re-election to Des Moines City Council, Position 1. Steinmetz worked in the King County Prosecutor's office, as a city prosecutor for the city of Olympia, and as a staff attorney for the Washington state Senate Judiciary Committee. He also directed government relations for the Washington Association for Housing and Services for the Aging, advocating for not-for-profit senior housing.

Steinmetz's re-election campaign is focused on public safety, downtown improvements, and fiscal responsibility. We appreciate that his approach to public safety extends beyond traditional policing to include mental and behavioral health professionals in responding to non-emergency calls. Steinmetz's vision for the downtown area includes more walkable infrastructure that allows for more ability and access to businesses. He is a proponent of the Marina Steps and Redondo Pier projects, as well as an advocate for a passenger ferry service in Des Moines. He expressed his desire for fiscal responsibility in the city's budget; however, he did not detail what that would entail.

Harry Steinmetz is a steady leader who would continue to serve the community well. We recommend re-electing him for another term on the Des Moines City Council in Position 1.

Pierre Blosse is running for Des Moines City Council, Position 5. Born in France, Blosse moved to the US at age 10. He has been living in Des Moines since 2019 and currently works as the Vice President of the Des Moines Legacy Foundation.

Blosse is running a mixed campaign, focused on creating a better Des Moines for future generations. He is an advocate for community spaces, such as parks and playgrounds, as well as for maintaining youth center programs. He has set an ambitious goal of making the city carbon neutral by 2050, but it is unclear how he plans to move Des Moines towards this goal. He is opposed to increased taxation, which can make it difficult to maintain essential services and programs. Additionally, Blosse aims to enhance community engagement through more transparent practices, including budget summaries and community outreach before final votes. While his campaign could afford more specific ideas and proposals, Blosse has earned the endorsements of local Democratic affiliates, such as the King County Democrats and the 33rd District Democrats.

While Pierre Blosse is not the most progressive candidate on the ballot this year, we lean towards voting for him for Des Moines City Council, Position 5.

Angelica Alvarez is running for re-election as Highline School Board Director, Position 2. She is currently serving her fourth term on the board, two of which she served as the board president.

Alvarez's re-election campaign is focused on accessibility and inclusion. As a child of immigrants, she is deeply committed to serving multilingual students and families, making sure they have the resources needed to be successful. During her time on the board, Alvarez has been a champion of inclusive policies, such as the family engagement and financial aid initiatives. She continues to be a representative leader for all students in the district, regardless of background.

Angelica Alvarez has earned your vote to serve another term as Highline School Board Director, Position 2.

Joe Van is running for re-election for Highline School Board Director, Position 3. Van was first appointed, then elected, to the board in 2015. He is the child of Vietnamese refugees and a graduate of the Highline schools.

While Van does not have a campaign website published as of early October, his platform is based on equity and inclusion for students of all backgrounds and experiences. We recommend re-electing Joe Van for Highline School Board Director, Position 3, so he can continue the work towards achieving the Highline Promise: securing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students in the district.

Incumbent Damarys Espinoza is running to be retained on the Highline School Board in District 2, to which she was appointed this past March. Espinoza has worked in public health and social advocacy in various roles for over two decades. She manages community engagement and research at the Environmental Health department of Public Health Seattle & King County, works as an affiliate nursing instructor for the University of Washington, and serves as the chief equity and policy officer at Mary’s Place. Espinoza is a leader in the nonprofit sector, having founded Indigenous advocacy-aligned organizations such as alterNative Consulting, Tlaloktekuhtli, and the Community Health Board Coalition.

Much of Espinoza’s community leadership centers on environmental justice, public health, and Indigenous advocacy, and her voice on the school board is similarly aligned with a community-centric, progressive vision for our district. Her re-election campaign is focused on fostering a welcoming and positive environment for both students and staff. She emphasizes the need for high-quality professional development, as well as community collaboration to build trust and engagement with the school district.

Damarys Espinoza is the best candidate in this race to bring thoughtful leadership to the Highline School Board from District 2.