City of Monroe

Council Chair Jared Mead is running unopposed for another term in the District 4 seat on the Snohomish County Council. Mead has held a number of public service positions, including four years on the Mill Creek City Council, two years as a state lawmaker in Legislative District 44, and his most recent tenure on the county council, where he has sat since he was appointed in 2020 and retained in the following election by voters. Mead, who was born and raised in south Snohomish County, has also worked as a legislative aide and as a campaign manager.

In his re-election campaign, Mead is focusing on several key issues, including affordability, public safety, and transportation. Mead supports expanding mental health resources and violence prevention programs to enhance public safety services. Regarding affordable housing, Mead acknowledges the need to increase the housing supply. However, we would be interested to see his approach expand to include solutions such as renter and tenant protections.

Mead referred to himself as being more right-leaning than his party, which is evidenced by certain votes and policy proposals he made during his time on the council. Earlier this year, Mead introduced the controversial Amendment 3 to the Critical Areas Regulations bill, which the conservative side of the council helped pass. His amendment faced public backlash for its lack of wildlife protections and for reducing buffers of protection around wetlands.

Additionally, Mead proposed an amendment to the Snohomish County budget that reduced funding for the Office of Social Justice and Executive Office after an audit found the department to be unsustainable in the long term. Fellow county council member Strom Peterson criticized the move, saying the council overstepped its authority.

We hope that Mead adopts more progressive positions on some key issues during his next term on the Snohomish County Council.

Kelli Johnson is challenging Republican incumbent Sam Low for Snohomish County Council from District 5. Johnson is a Democrat with ten years of experience as an Emergency Room nurse.

Johnson's campaign aims to improve housing affordability, expand access to quality health care, and achieve a balanced budget. She supports zoning changes that allow for a variety of affordable homes that also include environmental protections. Throughout her nursing career, Johnson has been a health care advocate, most recently raising awareness of the devastating MAGA Congressional cuts to Medicaid on her Instagram.

Although Kelli Johnson's campaign could afford some more detailed policy proposals, we appreciate her health care advocacy and progressive values. We recommend her to replace Sam Low on the Snohomish County Council from District 5.

Patsy Cudaback is running against Heather K. Fulcher for Mayor of Monroe. We are confident Barrans is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we encourage you to visit their website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.

Heather Young is running against Molly Barnes for Monroe School Board, Director District 3. We are confident Young is the best choice in this race based on endorsements from our partners and trusted community leaders. While we have not been able to conduct our standard independent research on this race, we encourage you to visit their website, social media, or voters’ pamphlet statement to learn more.