City of Sammamish

Republican Chad Magendanz is running once again for the Legislature, this time challenging Victoria Hunt. He is a former Microsoft program manager who previously served as the president of the Issaquah School Board and in the state House from 2013 to 2017. Magendanz stepped down to run for the state Senate in 2016, losing to Sen. Mark Mullet, and then ran again for the state House in 2018, losing to the late Rep. Bill Ramos. He lost to Ramos a second time in 2024.

While in the Legislature, Magendanz maintained a conservative track record, including being the sole East King County legislator of either party to vote against a transportation bill that would've reduced traffic gridlock on the I-405 corridor. Magendanz is running to cut corporate oversight laws that protect workers, consumers, and the environment. Magendanz is proud of his "A" rating from the National Rifle Association during his last campaign, which raises questions about his willingness to keep our communities safe from gun violence.

In 2024, Magendanz originally planned to run for Superintendent of Public Instruction and, in a campaign interview, referenced “trans ideology” and “critical race theory,” echoing far-right conspiracy theories about our schools.

Chad Magendanz is not a progressive choice and has been repeatedly rejected by the voters of Legislative District 5. Victoria Hunt is the clear choice for state Senate.

Janice Zahn is running against two candidates: Vinita Kak and John Whitney.

Kak has worked in the finance industry for over 25 years and served on the Planning Commission for the City of Newcastle.

Kak's platform includes prioritizing smart growth, fiscal responsibility, investing in education, supporting seniors, and improving public transit. While her goals have a progressive lean, her plan remains vague and unspecified. Additionally, in early 2025, Kak was part of the majority that voted to remove inclusive language from the city's planning documents. The council restored the edits in April 2025, a move that was a win for progressives. Kak's opposition to diversity and inclusion makes it clear she's not a progressive choice in this race.

Republican John Whitney is running a religious and conservative campaign, saying, "As your legislator, I will lead with love, truth, and justice, guided by a biblical worldview." His campaign primarily focuses on economic impacts, like reducing taxes and cutting government spending. Additionally, he stated that he will support law enforcement, but did not specify how he intends to do so. John Whitney's far-right values are vastly out of step with the people of the 41st Legislative District.

Zahn is the clear choice for state House from the 41st Legislative District.

John Wilson, the current King County Assessor, is running for King County Executive. During his campaign, Wilson stated that he would fight for "safe and thriving communities," citing his experience as King County Assessor.

In 2025, Wilson was accused of stalking and harassment by a former domestic partner. This was an alarming and serious allegation, which led to the current King County Council calling for Wilson's resignation. He continues to deny the allegations and has rejected calls for him to resign as Assessor. John Wilson is not fit to be King County Executive. Wilson withdrew from this race in mid-July but will still appear on the ballot.

Amiya Ingram is also running for King County Executive. Ingram has worn many hats professionally, from serving as a government military researcher to founding her own athleisure brand. While Ingram's campaign includes some progressive ideas, it also features other proposals that lean more moderate or conservative. She is a proponent of establishing more housing shelters that offer wrap-around services to address the housing crisis and help those struggling with addiction.

Rebecca Williamson is also running for King County Executive. Williamson's campaign website is linked to The Militant, which is a weekly socialist newsletter. As of early July, they do not have a detailed campaign website available, and their platform is unknown.

Bill Hirt is running for King County Executive. Hirt has run for various offices around Washington state, primarily to criticize light rail. Bill Hirt is not a serious candidate for King County Executive.

Don L. Rivers is the final candidate running for King County Executive. Rivers is prioritizing homelessness, safety, and small business support. He proposes some progressive solutions, such as housing-first programming and investments in affordable housing. His approach to public safety also includes public health measures and points to international models of community policing. Don L. Rivers is running a progressive campaign, however, there are other candidates in this race with more experience in public service.

Yang is facing two opponents in this race: Karthik Seetharaman and Michael Boyer.

Seetharaman has two degrees in engineering and currently works as a Director of Software Development at Amazon. His priorities include fiscally smart decisions, emergency preparedness, and drawing small businesses to operate in Sammamish. Some of his proposals lean conservative, like his opposition to the increased housing units in the town center. He also said he would eliminate spending that "doesn't provide value to residents," however did not expand on what these eliminations would include. Due to his more conservative stance on some issues, we cannot recommend Karthik Seetharaman.

Michael Boyer is running for Sammamish City Council, Position 5. Boyer's platform is primarily focused on fiscal responsibility, saying he will pursue "prosperity, preservation and public good." He does not expand further to explain what he means, and offers limited solutions. Boyer cited his retirement and living on a fixed income as his call to public service, seeing the rising cost of living in Sammamish. However, his platform is too narrow and moderate for us to support.

There are three other candidates in this race.

Chinmay Nagarkar is a computer science teacher and WA Science Olympiad judge. His professional background also includes work at large tech companies like Amazon and Google. In this race, Nagarkar is running on a thin, conservative platform that does not propose community solutions to the problems facing this district. If elected, he plans to introduce AI teaching to supplement or, in some cases, replace teachers, increase law enforcement to enforce policy, and establish quarterly progress goals to measure traditional academic success in our schools. Kagarkar was named the best choice in this race by the King County GOP, which speaks to his conservative priorities if elected.

Software engineer Darren Cheung is also in this race. Cheung is a district parent and traces his campaign credentials to his volunteer coaching for his children’s sports teams. He has yet to release a detailed campaign platform as of mid-July, and it's unclear what his priorities will be if elected to the school board.

Insurance broker Jarrod Huffaker has yet to release a campaign platform as of mid July, failed to submit a public statement to the county voters’ pamphlet, and does not appear to have any previous community leadership experience.

Aiya Kravi is also running for Lake Washington School Board Director. She held a career in consulting and served as a PTSA Board Member, with experience in real estate investment. Her priorities include promoting healthier food options, after-school programs, and career counseling to support post-graduate success. Kravi proposes expanding access to after-school programs and removing barriers like language, gender, cost, transportation, and special needs.

The third candidate in this race is Susan Hughes. a conservative running for Lake Washington School Board Director. Her campaign website remains vague and lacks concrete policy solutions she would implement if elected. In a survey administered by the King County GOP, Hughes echoed far-right talking points about transgender youth athletic participation. She also promised to look for school programs to cut to save money in the district, which would undermine educational opportunities for local students. Susan Hughes' priorities are out of touch with the needs of families in the Lake Washington School District.

Two other candidates are running for the Lake Washington School Board representing District 4.

Incumbent director Mark Stuart is seeking another term on the Lake Washington School Board in District 4. Stuart first joined the school board in 2014 and works in public relations and advertising outside of elected office.

Stuart was censured by his colleagues last year for violating Board Policy and the Code of Conduct after he lied about and tried to cover up that his wife threatened a district parent in retaliation for their advocacy at a school board meeting. As a result, he is prohibited from serving as the school board’s legislative chair or on any of the school district committees. Stuart is now running on a platform that emphasizes bettering communication between district residents, school families, and board members. He also aims to enhance anti-discrimination and equity throughout the school district. Unfortunately, Stuart's conduct makes it clear he's not the right person to pursue these goals or continue representing the community in school district decision-making.

Kim Martin is a hospitality professional, small business owner, and district parent. She has volunteered for her PTSA, and has children who have been part of public, private, co-op, and homeschooled education locally. More than policy recommendations, Martin’s platform is centered on relationship-building: between parents and educators, schools and their surrounding communities, and families and the district leadership. While Martin has some laudable campaign priorities, she lacks the endorsements and community support of Richter.