City of Mercer Island

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 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.

Daniel Becker is running unopposed to retain Position 2 on the Mercer Island City Council. Becker was appointed to the position in June 2025 and is the owner of Kotis Design. As of mid-October, Becker does not have a detailed campaign website available. However, he has been a thoughtful leader in his first few months on the council, advocating for environmental protections and improved transparency. Daniel Becker has earned your vote for a full term on the Mercer Island City Council.

Ted Weinberg is running unopposed for re-election to Mercer Island City Council, Position 4, where he has served since 2022. Weinberg works for the City of Seattle in IT resource and project management, helping to oversee budget and resource allocations for 60 municipal IT projects, such as court information systems and police video systems. Previously, he served on Mercer Island’s planning commission, the Mercer Island Sister City Association, and Friends of Seward Park.

On the council, Weinberg has prioritized council efficiency and transparency while addressing the community’s biggest challenges. He’s worked to ensure that local schools, public infrastructure, and green space are maintained to meet the needs of the community while the council continues strategic planning for the future.

In this race, Weinberg is running to build up Town Center in anticipation of the light rail development, repair water and sewage infrastructure, fund mental health services and senior services within the city’s Youth and Family Services, build a new City Hall, and more. His campaign has earned the support of state and local elected progressives. Weinberg has earned your vote for re-election to Mercer Island City Council, Position 4.

Johana Beresky is running for Mercer Island City Council, Position 6. She is a Colombian immigrant and a graduate of both Cornell University and Pepperdine University. She works as an Operations and HR Management professional.

Beresky's campaign is prioritizing health, sustainability, and revitalizing the town center. With her experience as a CERT volunteer and training in Mental Health First Aid, she is a proponent of mental health care and compassionate crisis support. She is an advocate for emergency preparedness with sustainable infrastructure. Beresky hopes to expand the shuttle service downtown and improve walkability in the area.

We recommend Johana Beresky for Mercer Island City Council, Position 6.

Julie Hsieh is running for Mercer Island City Council, Position 7. Hsieh is a physician and the owner of the Yuan Ru Art Center in Bellevue. She serves as the chair of the Mercer Island Fine Arts Advisory Council and a member of the Mercer Island Visual Arts League.

Hsieh is running a thoughtful and inclusive campaign, prioritizing the well-being of all residents. She endorsed the City Bond for the Public Safety and Maintenance Facility to improve working conditions for our emergency responders. Hsieh is supported by the Alliance for Gun Responsibility for her advocacy for responsible gun ownership strategies that help keep all community members safe. She is a collaborative leader who takes a balanced approach to housing development, carefully planning to meet state regulations while still considering environmental impacts on the island and helping residents at all stages of life continue to live within their communities. Overall, her campaign seeks to incorporate all communities on the island and encourages residents to work together to care for one another.

Julie Hsieh is a compassionate leader with a creative and thoughtful vision for Mercer Island. We recommend her for Mercer Island City Council, Position 7.