City of Woodinville

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.

Ahmad Corner is also running for King County Council from District 5. Corner grew up in tight-knit neighborhoods where community was highly regarded. He is a graduate of UW and the founder of Young Professionals of Seattle.

Corner is running a progressive campaign with inclusivity at its forefront. He is a proponent of improving affordability, community well-being, and youth development. However, in our interview with him, we were hoping to hear more concrete policy proposals that he would implement or support if elected. His website also mentions that he will fight for opportunities for all, but lacks specifics on how he plans to achieve this.

While Ahmad Corner is an enthusiastic candidate, there are other candidates in this race with more relevant experience and policy knowledge.

Attorney Steffanie Fain is running for King County Council, District Position 5. Fain has spent her decade-and-a-half-long legal career at law firms and is currently a managing partner at one in Seattle. She is also the current board president of Harborview Medical Center, the county’s public hospital, a position she has held since her first appointment in 2015. Fain went through breast cancer treatment herself and leads on the board with a lens to expand equitable access to health care.

Fain has yet to release a detailed campaign platform as of late June. Her website also lists public safety, affordability, and addressing homelessness as priorities, but does not provide any specific solutions to address these issues. Without detailed policy proposals, it’s unclear what her approach to these issues will be. However, she uses coded language on her website that is more common among Republicans who are skeptical of essential services. Even more concerning is her extensive list of endorsements from moderate Democrats and Republicans, which suggests she would likely lean to the right if elected. Fain is not a progressive choice in this race.

Peter Kwon, a current SeaTac City Council member, is running for King County Council, District 5. Kwon has been on the council since 2016 and served as Deputy Mayor from 2020 to 2022. He is also the founder of the Neighborhood Locking Mailbox program.

While he declares himself a true non-partisan elected official, Kwon's work on the SeaTac council often leans conservative. In 2024, Kwon spoke in favor of the FLOCK camera system as a deterrent to crime. However, the ACLU is skeptical of these cameras as its developer will not allow an independent review of its surveillance devices. Additionally, when residents of the Firs Mobile Home Park expressed concern over being pushed out by zoning changes, Kwon doubled down on the issue, saying he's "done quite a lot" to help the residents. Peter Kwon will not be a progressive voice if elected to the King County Council.

Angela Henderson is running for King County Council. As of late June, Henderson does not have a published campaign website, and their platform remains unknown. According to her voter pamphlet entry, Henderson's campaign is prioritizing accountability and access to affordable housing and health care. Her platform does not include specific policies that she intends to implement if elected.

Pahaliyah Brown is running for King County Council, District 7. According to his website, he is a graduate of the University of Washington and has experience in public service, environmental policy, and community leadership.

Brown is running a progressive campaign, with a primary focus on environmental issues. He is a proponent of clean policies, including reducing waste and protecting natural resources. Brown would also like to improve street safety through enhanced lighting, better sidewalks, and increased access to reliable transit options. Additionally, he would like to make King County friendlier to small and local businesses.

While we appreciate his progressive values, we would like to see more concrete policy proposals or suggestions from Brown. We lean towards voting for Maya Vengadasalam for King County Council, District 7, due to her relative experience.

Incumbent Pete Von Reichbauer is running for his ninth term on the King County Council in District 7, which covers South King County. Reichbauer is a conservative voice on the council and has not led community progress in his more than three decades of leadership. Before that, he served two decades in the state Senate, where he was also a proponent of right-leaning policy.

On the council, Reichbauer has focused on improving and expanding public space, including projects such as the Hylebos Wetlands, the South King County Baseball fields, and the 317th HOV ramps on Interstate 5. Last year, he and Republican Reagan Dunn were the only council members to vote against a commonsense effort to raise the regional minimum wage to better align with the higher cost of living and modern inflation. Reichbauer has not yet published his current campaign goals, but he is likely to continue implementing a conservative agenda if re-elected.

It’s time for new leadership in District 7. We recommend Maya Vengadasalam due to her experience in public service.

Rachel Best-Campbell is running for re-election for Woodinville City Council, Position 3. She previously ran a more moderate platform that included expanding public green spaces, reducing traffic congestion, and opposing the Woodinville transfer station. Since joining the council in 2019, she has not been a strong progressive voice and has been particularly disappointing in her approach to climate action.

Of greater concern is that Best-Campbell is endorsed by Democratic Woodinville, a local PAC created by Jeff Lyon. The PAC's mission is "to influence the outcome of City of Woodinville elections, ballot measures, and other local government activities." While the PAC positions itself as an advocate for affordable housing and sustainable neighborhoods, it publicly opposes strategies that would support those goals. On their website, they express disdain for developers who "fail to address our community's needs while creating urban sprawl." Yet, they oppose dense housing developments downtown that would help avoid urban sprawl. Rachel Best-Campbell and the entire Democratic Woodinville slate would be an obstacle to progress for the city.

Troy Anderson is also running for Woodinville City Council, Position 3. Anderson is a member of the Woodinville Chamber of Commerce and was the Board Chair for two years. He is also on the Planning Commission supporting the 2044 strategic plan.

Anderson is prioritizing economic development and affordable housing in his campaign. He is particularly invested in attracting businesses to enhance the wine and tourism industries in Woodinville. He also hopes to expand cultural and artistic experiences for residents. Anderson is a proponent of increasing the housing supply through zoning reform and non-profit partnerships.

Troy Anderson is running a thoughtful campaign but has not earned the same level of endorsements as Wise and Elbaum in this race.

Luke Bakun is the final candidate running for Woodinville City Council, Position 3. As of late June, Bakun's website does not have a detailed campaign available, and their platform is unknown.

Three other candidates are running for Woodinville City Council, Position 5.

Tanner Mills is a Continuous Improvement Engineer in the aerospace industry. At one point earlier in the campaign, Mills was endorsed by the deceptive "Democratic Woodinville" group, however, it appears they have withdrawn their endorsement as of late June. It is unclear why.

Mills' campaign is prioritizing affordable housing, transportation, neighborhoods, and representation. While he is supportive of some progressive solutions, such as transit-oriented housing and greener transit, Mills consistently paints the current council as having untrustworthy motives that prioritize profits over the community. He suggests that certain housing projects prioritized profit over function and "flashy projects with unclear benefits." It is unclear what he is referring to. Mills is not a progressive choice in this race.

Bobby Amiri is also running for Woodinville City Council, Position 5. According to his campaign website, Amiri has lived in Woodinville for over thirty-five years and "helped thousands of families navigate complex situations," but did not elaborate further.

Amiri is running a conservative campaign for local businesses, strengthening the police force, and promoting affordable housing. His policy proposals are somewhat vague, saying he will advocate for policies that "support local businesses" and "promote public safety," but he does not provide further details. If elected, Bobby Amiri would not be the progressive voice that Woodinville needs.

Susan Milke is the final candidate running for Woodinville City Council, Position 5. As of late June, Milke does not have a detailed campaign website available, and their platform is unknown. She is another candidate endorsed by the Democratic Woodinville PAC.

Brandon Finley is a flight attendant running for Woodinville City Council, Position 7. While Finley is backed by the misleading Democratic Woodinville, he lacks a detailed campaign strategy, and his platform remains unknown. In his voters' pamphlet entry, Finley said "affordable housing, traffic congestion, and overcrowded schools" are challenges brought on by progress. His unclear positions on housing raise questions about his commitment to increasing density to reduce housing costs and make Woodinville more accessible to all.

Jaren Hanson is running for Woodinville City Council, Position 7. He is a former police officer, which he says gives him "a hands-on understanding of public safety and infrastructure preservation." As of late June, Hanson lacks a detailed campaign website, but he stated that he is running to protect Woodinville from rampant traffic and overcrowding, which would only further increase the cost of living in Woodinville's already expensive neighborhoods.

Conservative candidate Brian Travis has run for this Northshore School Board, District 1 seat in both 2017 and 2021. In past campaigns, Travis has expressed strongly anti-union, homophobic, and antiquated views, including opposing support for queer and trans students. He opposes multi-cultural and inclusive programming, preferring instead a colorblind, less inclusive approach. Northshore students, parents, and staff deserve school board leaders who are in touch with the real challenges facing the school district, rather than getting caught up with MAGA distractions that seek to sow division.

JoAnn Tolentino is a far-right candidate running for Northshore School Board Director, District 4. In a since-deleted Facebook post, Tolentino admitted she attended the January 6th Insurrection, referring to it as an exercise of her freedom of speech. Not surprisingly, she is recommended as the "best choice" in this race by the King County GOP. JoAnn Tolentino is an extremist and is out of touch with the needs of the Northshore School District.

Sehaj Dhaliwal is also challenging incumbent Sandy Hayes for the Northshore School Board. She is a product of the Northshore School District and is running to bring her perspective as a young leader and recent graduate. She recognizes the need to continue funding mental health services, extracurriculars, and school programs as essential services to benefit both students and teachers. Dhaliwal also brings public service experience in many fields to this role.

We appreciate Sehaj Dhaliwal's vision, passion, and progressive values. However, we would like to see more specific solutions or policies she would implement if elected. We recommend re-electing Sandy Hayes due to her progressive work on the board and her endorsements.

Lynda Schram is running for Northshore School Board Director, District 5. Originally from New York, Schram studied physics in school and obtained a teaching certificate. She is running a conservative campaign, saying, "Our kids aren't losers - we are failing them." She consistently echoes conservative anti-trans talking points that are meant to divide us. Lynda Schram's dangerous rhetoric is not representative of the Northshore School District.