City of Bothell

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 funding 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 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.

Arun Sharma is running for Director Jacqueline McGourty’s District 1 seat on the Northshore School Board. Sharma is the founder of a local nonprofit that represents the South Asian community and works to advance equity, helping people access essential services such as housing, education, food, and health care.

Sharma's campaign prioritizes holistic development, inclusive teaching, empowered learning, and equitable funding. He is supportive of expanding college and career readiness programs as well as STEAM opportunities, special education, and technical education. He emphasizes the need for a new funding model to support critical programs like the arts, music, STEAM, and enrichment.

Arun Sharma is an active community member who would also be a reliable voice on the Northshore School Board.

Director Sandy Hayes is running for re-election to the Northshore School Board in District 4, where she has served since 2009. Hayes runs her own restorative justice-oriented group for criminal defense mitigation cases, working at the grassroots level to reform our criminal legal system while working to reduce overcrowding in our prisons. She formerly served as the president of, and still sits on the board of, the Washington State School Directors’ Association.

Hayes is a progressive leader on the school board with past achievements including introducing electric school buses to the fleet, launching a career day for local students, finding critical funding to build Ruby Bridges Elementary and North Creek High School, advocating for special education and students with disabilities, and increasing technology resources across the district.

Sandy Hayes has consistently been a respected progressive voice for Northshore schools and will undoubtedly bring a community-centered vision to another term on the board. We recommend Hayes for re-election to the Northshore School Board from District 4.

Also in this race is Holly Muenchow, a member of the Washington State PTA Advocacy Committee, a district parent, and a former operations programs manager at Microsoft. Muenchow gave live testimony to the Legislature this year in support of a progressive bill to increase funding for school supplies and operating costs across the state, calling attention to how funding inequities impact our students.

Muenchow's campaign is prioritizing an inclusive approach to education that starts with meeting the basic needs of all students. She emphasizes the need for educator support through livable wages, classroom resources, and professional development. Muenchow has earned some progressive endorsements in this race, including from the MLK Labor Council. While we appreciate Holly Muenchow's inclusive and thoughtful campaign, we recommend Kimberlee Kelly in this race due to her extensive educational experience.