Sierra Club Endorsements

Incumbent Dave Somers is running for re-election for Snohomish County Executive. A former member of the Snohomish County Council, Somers has served as executive since 2016, where he manages twelve county offices, including Human Services, Medical Examiner, and Emergency Management.

As county executive, Somers has supported measures to create parks and open spaces, invest in alternative fuels, aid salmon recovery, and develop the Snohomish County Housing Task Force to help meet the affordable housing needs of the community. More recently, Somers announced the Snohomish County Outreach Team (SCOUT) to pair social workers with law enforcement on behavioral health calls. Somers has also awarded $500,000 in federal recovery dollars for two new youth and family resource centers: the South County Korean Community Service Center and The Clearwater School. These two centers will help provide culturally-appropriate health services, community workshops, food access, and support for LGTBQ youth and families.

Challenging Somers is Republican Bob Hagglund, who has served as the Snohomish County Republican Legislative District committee chairman and election integrity chairman since 2020. He also ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state in 2022. In an interview with The Everett Herald, Hagglund said that he voted for Trump in 2020 and hopes more Republicans will run on new ideas. Despite that, he touts tired old policies that have failed to address the root causes of homelessness and often end in cycling people through jail who may simply need more affordable housing or small amounts of support.

Somers is by far the best choice for Snohomish County Executive. 
 

Susanna Johnson, a 30-year veteran of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, is challenging incumbent Adam Fortney for Snohomish County Sheriff. She has worked in many roles across departments, including as a patrol deputy, detective sergeant, and SWAT Entry Team. Johnson was recently recruited by the Bothell Police Department to serve as a Lateral Police Captain and promoted to deputy chief. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, which is the most sought-after executive law enforcement leadership training.

In our interview with Johnson, she pointed to her vast executive and police experience compared to Fortney's and her desire to return the sheriff's office to steady leadership. She points to Fortney's rehiring of officers fired for dishonesty and improper use of force as well as the hiring of a Proud Boy as two reasons why the public has lost confidence in the office as a neutral body. She also points to internal issues, including the department's loss of accreditation, which costs taxpayers money in higher litigation and insurance fees, as well as increasing reports of PTSD for officers as other reasons for voters to be concerned. If elected, Johnson wants to see the office return to more community policing, building rapport among neighbors and businesses, reducing armed officer responses to calls when it's unnecessary, and using better analysis to prevent crime. 

Incumbent Adam Fortney has served as sheriff since a contentious run against former sheriff Ty Trenary in 2019, whom Fortney worked for as sergeant. Fortney is a so-called "constitutional sheriff" who has refused to enforce laws that he doesn't personally believe in, including public health laws. 

Fortney also used his position to publicly advocate against state laws on police accountability and high speed chases in a video he released from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. These types of communications may be illegal, as sheriff's offices and other public agencies are supposed to be limited to communications with constituents, not lobbying against lawmakers or public policy.

Fortney's term has been marred by endless controversies that have eroded confidence in his leadership and judgement. Johnson's clearheaded vision would return the office to a much healthier place, and her enormous amount of endorsements, from progressive elected officials to other sheriffs' offices, show the strength of her platform and personal character. Johnson is by far the best choice for Snohomish County Sheriff. 
 

Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda is running for King County Council, District 8. Mosqueda was first elected to the Seattle City Council in 2017 and has proved a consistent and progressive policymaker. She previously worked at the Washington State Department of Health, Children’s Alliance, Community Health Plan of Washington, and the Washington State Labor Council, with a focus on workers' rights and childrens' healthcare. Among other community roles, she also served on the board of Fuse Washington, which publishes this guide. Mosqueda is a proud third-generation Mexican-American who would become the first Latina ever to serve on the King County Council if elected.

Mosqueda has distinguished herself as a progressive leader on the Seattle City Council. She championed the Jumpstart Seattle legislation, which funds affordable housing, childcare, and climate resilience through a tax on high earners and wealthy corporations. Mosqueda also helped secure paid sick leave and fair wage protections for working people that are often exploited by their employers - like gig drivers, domestic workers, and hotel workers. Her current goal is passing the 2023 Housing Levy, which will be on the ballot for Seattle voters this November and would provide funding for crucial affordable housing, childcare services, and communal and cultural spaces that are disappearing from the city.

If elected to the county council, Mosqueda hopes to use her experience to address new and pressing issues in the county. Some of her priorities include finding locations for the six new county behavioral health centers, building workforce housing outside of Seattle, increasing apprenticeship programs, and more. 

Mosqueda is the clear choice for King County Council from District 8. 
 

Megan Dunn, the program director for the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, is running for re-election to the Snohomish County Council in District 2. Prior to being elected to the council in 2019, Dunn led the successful effort to improve representation on the Everett City Council by creating local districts and served on the Everett Community Streets Initiative Task Force, which helps address homelessness in downtown Everett.

Dunn ran for Snohomish County Council in 2019 to continue her work on community-building and environmental sustainability. She's met her campaign promises by using pandemic recovery funding for district organizations that are committed to helping neighbors, including the Interfaith Family Shelter, Everett Recovery Café, and Madres de Casino Road's meal program.

She's focused on voting for policies that would best uplift people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Dunn was one of three council members who voted to convert two hotels into low-barrier shelters for people experiencing homelessness. She correctly noted that putting up barriers like drug testing would have put 20 million federal dollars at risk of being lost and likely prevented the shelter from being built. 

Dunn faces a challenge from Georgia Fisher. a precinct committee officer for the Snohomish County Republican Party and district chair for the 21st Legislative District Republicans. In addressing the opioid and drug epidemic, she wants to see more people arrested for addiction, sending more people in crisis to jail. Much of her campaign platform follows a familiar path for conservatives this year, with promises to support business and pour even more funds into militarized police. For reference, the county already spends over 75 percent of its $288.5 million general budget on police and the criminal legal system. 

If elected, Dunn will continue to advocate for those who need it most in the country. She is by far the best choice for the Snohomish County Council in District 2. 
 

Wayne Fournier is running for Thurston County Commissioner, Position 4 - a new seat created this year. Born and raised in Tenino, Fournier served as a parole officer, firefighter, and city council member before being elected as Tenino's mayor in 2015.

Fournier's platform includes preserving Thurston County's natural beauty by opposing a new airport, providing better representation for south Thurston County residents, and funding infrastructure, first responders, and local culture.

During his years as mayor, Fournier doubled the city budget, renovated every city-owned facility, and obtained a $750,000 grant for playgrounds. He was named best mayor in Western Washington by KING5 in 2017 and gained national attention during the pandemic for starting a local currency program that gave residents wooden money to spend exclusively at businesses in the city.

Fournier has faced a few notable scandals. He served two years in a diversion program for allegedly slapping a phone out of the hand of a local bartender in 2019. In 2020, while under his mayorship, the city of Tenino was scammed out of $280,000, leading to a recall effort. However, the recall attempt was dismissed and Tenino ended up netting $70,000 when the city sued their insurance company over the scam.

The other candidate for this position is conservative Vivian Eason, who ran for county commissioner as a Republican in 2022. Eason is a retired army veteran who previously worked with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office. She blames the commonsense accountability measures that Washington placed on police for peoples' struggle with drug addiction and homelessness and would make funding police her top priority. She has also been present at events with far-right MAGA Republican Joe Kent.

Although his career is not free of controversy, Fournier's mayorship has shown his support for labor unions and funding the public infrastructure that helps our communities thrive. Fournier is the best choice in this race.
 

Emily Clouse is running for Thurston County Commission to represent the newly-created District 5. Clouse is the executive director of CARE Olympia, a nonprofit that connects formerly-incarcerated youth with counseling, education, and mutual aid. She is also a union member through her work in human services, and she is a veteran of the U.S. Army, where she worked as a military intelligence analyst.

If elected, Clouse would prioritize funding programs that serve youth and families, protecting the environment, and ensuring working people can all access affordable homes. Her platform contains bold, progressive proposals like powering utilities through renewable public power instead of wealthy fossil fuel corporations, bringing social housing and mandatory affordable housing to the county, and creating a new board with the sheriff's office to include the voices of people impacted by the legal system. While she works to create more housing that working people can afford, she would also fund case managers to work with residents of existing camps and RV settlements to help them transition to permanent homes.

Terry S. Ballard is Clouse’s conservative opponent for Thurston County Commission, District 5. He believes climate change is not a “here and now” issue and has made very divisive statements regarding people struggling with addiction. If elected, he would prioritize removing county offices from Olympia and allowing developers to build on land without mitigating their impact on the habitats of protected species. 

Clouse's strong emphasis on racial equity and her dedication to restorative justice makes her an excellent choice to represent Thurston County, District 5. 
 

Jasmine Vasavada is running in District 1 for the Port of Olympia seat being vacated by the retiring Commissioner Joe Downing. Vasavada is the director of policy and government affairs for the Washington State Department of Commerce where she strives to help Washington communities and economies thrive. She has worked in public service for years and, before that, she used her law degree for public interest advocacy and legislation.

Vasavada is running on a broadly progressive platform to generate community economic prosperity, protect Thurston’s ecosystem, and build a culture of diversity and belonging at the port. She wants to invest in broadband for rural farms and ranches, innovate support for small businesses, create living wage jobs, clean up Budd Bay, restore the Deschutes Estuary, and collaborate with the community, including seeking partnerships with tribal governments. In this race, Vasavada has been endorsed by progressive elected leaders at the state and local level and by community organizations including political, labor, and advocacy groups.

Vasavada is facing Bill McGregor, a former commissioner who served on Olympia’s elected port commission for 15 years. Before that, he spent his decades-long career working at a number of different Washington ports in high-level operations positions, including at the Port of Olympia. McGregor is also active on a number of community boards. If elected to serve again, he wants to improve economic investment in the community, prioritize environmental stewardship, and lead by engaging the community. Unfortunately, in 2021, McGregor vocally opposed public health guidelines that were put in place to keep us all safe during the pandemic.

We recommend Vasavada for Port of Olympia, District 1 because of her strong platform and impressive endorsements from progressive advocates.
 

Sam Cho is running unopposed for re-election for Seattle Port Commissioner, Position 2. Before his election in 2019, he served on Gov. Jay Inslee’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and previously worked on trade issues for a member of Congress. Aside from his work on the commission, Cho also serves on the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Council on International Trade.

Cho has been a standout on the commission in his first term. When Cho became commission president in 2022, he was the first Asian American to serve in the role in port history. As the son of South Korean immigrants and a fluent Korean speaker, Cho has led several international trade efforts with Korea, including creating a green trade corridor with the Port of Busan and working with Hyundai and KIA to make the Port of Seattle the exclusive importer of their cars.

Cho deserves your vote for Position 2 on the Seattle Port Commission. 

Incumbent Fred Felleman is an environmental consultant and marine biologist. He is running for re-election to the Seattle Port Commission, Position 5, as the senior member of the commission, having served since 2016. With his science background, Felleman has pledged to continue supporting environmentally friendly reforms at the port.

As commissioner, Felleman has focused on fighting climate change and increasing the port's green energy jobs. He has been a leader on the commission when it comes to protecting orcas, publicly opposing the dangerous Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, and advocating for well-paying jobs. Elected commission president in 2021, he has recently supported more efficient and greener policies at the port to reduce pollution, including adding solar panels to the Fishermen's Terminal's net shed and powering new docks so ships don't have to idle and burn additional fuel. Felleman often supports social causes as well, including condemning Trump's Muslim ban and government agencies’ response at the airport, as well as welcoming Ukrainian refugees, with Washington hosting 16,000 refugees, the third most among U.S. states.

Challenging Felleman is Jesse Tam, the managing director for Mega Pacific Investments, a strategic development consulting firm. He is a former parks commissioner for the city of Newcastle, as well as past president and current board director for the Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce, among other roles. 

Tam states that he's running to use his business experience to source well-paying union jobs, negotiate business deals, and lead on climate change. While we agree with Tam's listed priorities, Felleman has been an excellent environmental advocate and scientific mind on the board, and we don't see a strong case for how Tam would bring progressive change to the port. 

Felleman has earned your vote for re-election to the Port of Seattle, Position #5. 

Incumbent Don Orange is running for re-election to the Port of Vancouver, District 1. He owns a mechanic shop and has lived in Clark County for over 30 years. Orange also serves on the Battle Ground School District Auto Advisory Council and is a past president of the Columbia Pastoral Counseling Center.

Prior to his election in 2017, Orange was a dedicated opponent of the dirty and dangerous Tesoro-Savage project, which would have been the largest oil-by-rail terminal in the country. This race was particularly notable since oil companies paid around half a million dollars in an attempt to defeat Orange's greener campaign against his opponent. Orange voted alongside his fellow council members in 2018 to unanimously end Vancouver Energy's lease on the oil-by-rail terminal. Now, he serves to make the port more environmentally friendly and attract more family-wage jobs.

Orange's opponent is former restaurant owner and manager Russell Brent. A former board member of the Washington Hospitality Association, Brent has served in many roles in the community, including as a past board chair of the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce and Clark County YMCA. Brent has faced criticism recently for using a fake union label on his campaign materials. Brent hasn't make a solid case for why voters should elect him over incumbent Orange, who has spent years fighting for Clark County families and is committed to preserving the environment for generations to come.

Orange has earned strong support in this campaign from local and state leaders because of his proven record at the port. We recommend re-electing Don Orange for Port of Vancouver from District 1. 

Mo Malakoutian is running for Bellevue City Council, Position 3, to replace Jeremy Barksdale, who chose not to run for re-election. Malakoutian received his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Washington. He now works at Amazon coaching and training employees, particularly those in warehouse and delivery roles, for higher-level positions. He also works part-time as an assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UW. 

Malakoutian has been active in the local community for many years. He is currently the chair of the Bellevue Planning Commission, where he has both worked on the city's plans for sustainable growth and helped develop guidelines for housing and facilities to support people experiencing homelessness. 

Malakoutian's top campaign priority is affordable housing. He wants to use his experience in civil engineering and on the planning commission to build more homes, reduce the cost of housing, and prevent seniors from being priced out of their homes. He would also work with partners in nearby jurisdictions to ensure we continue to address homelessness through a regional response. Malakoutian is also committed to acting on climate change and supports improving transportation and transit options throughout Bellevue. 

His opponent is Alex Tsimerman, who is best known for verbally abusing city council members at public hearings. He is an outspoken Trump supporter who regularly compares Democrats to Nazis and uses racial slurs during public meetings. Tsimerman has no place in elected office.

Malakoutian is a strong first-time candidate for office with extensive professional and community experience that will serve him well on the council. We recommend Mo Malakoutian for Bellevue City Council, Position 3.
 

Kim Lund is a former director of the Bellingham Public Schools Foundation and currently serves on the Whatcom County Planning Commission. She is now running for mayor of Bellingham to bring her non-profit leadership and management skills to city hall.

Like many other candidates on the Bellingham ballot this year, Lund would prioritize affordable housing, community safety, and fighting climate change. She is seeking to differentiate herself in this race with her leadership experience. She stresses themes like listening and taking accountability for decision-making, which she feels have been lacking during the current administration. Unfortunately, Lund's platform on "Community Health and Safety" focuses heavily on the concerns of downtown business owners with less emphasis on the underlying needs of people experiencing homelessness or struggling with addiction. Her goals around implementing the Climate Action Protection Plan are more thoughtful, including exploring eliminating transit fares to increase ridership. 

While Lund has long been active in the community, she is newer to the political sphere. As a result, it's less clear exactly what agenda she would pursue as mayor, especially compared with Fleetwood's demonstrated track record in elected office. Lund is a good choice if you're looking for new leadership in Bellingham that emphasizes strong management and collaboration across the city. 
 

Mayor and incumbent council member Mason Thompson is running for another term for Bothell City Council, Position 2. Prior to joining the council in 2020, Thompson worked in account management for a number of companies and he has served on the city’s parks and recreation board.

In office, Thompson has worked to implement a progressive vision of efficiency in both public services and city planning. He believes this approach can create a more livable, accessible, and climate-friendly Bothell. Some of his accomplishments on the council include leading RADAR (a bridge between law enforcement and mental health services), pedestrianizing Main Street, tripling human services funding, and securing Bothell’s first federal grant for the Bothell-Everett Highway. Now, Thompson is running to make strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, to build diverse housing options to meet a variety of needs, and to invest in public spaces like Main Street and parks. 

Fellow city council member James McNeal, who currently serves in Position 4, is challenging Thompson in this race. McNeal spent nearly three decades in the construction industry and served as the former president of an organization dedicated to preserving the Wayne Golf Course. He joined the council in 2016 and is running in this race without a detailed platform, updated social media, or a campaign website as of mid-October.

Thompson has been an exceptional leader for Bothell and has helped make the city a hub of innovation for the entire region. Mason Thompson has earned your vote for Bothell City Council, Position 2. 
 

Carston Curd is a natural resources planner and licensed geologist running to bring a progressive and sustainable vision to the Bothell City Council in Position 4. He currently serves as vice chair of the Bothell Planning Commission, Sound Transit Community Oversight Panel, and third vice chair for the First Legislative District Democrats. Curd is also a volunteer for a number of grassroots and community initiatives within the Northshore area.

Curd is an advocate for green spaces and educates the community on complex topics that impact the solutions to the lack of affordable homes. As a progressive environmental advocate, his platform priorities include increasing the number of affordable homes, making transit accessible, and building resilience to urban flooding. As a current public servant in Snohomish County, Curd brings valuable experience and has garnered the support of many local leaders including Bothell Mayor Mason Thompson.

Curd's opponent is retired engineer Mark Swanson. Swanson has stated in local interviews that he's "not actively campaigning," though he made it through the primary election. Unfortunately, he has no website available with policy proposals, though he denies there is an affordable housing crisis in Bothell, despite much evidence to the contrary. Much of his platform seems to be anti-growth, and in a League of Women Voters forum he stated that he will curb growth in the city by preventing the building of affordable and family apartments in the area.

Carston Curd will work to fight climate change, improve housing affordability, and expand transit access in Bothell. He is the best choice for Bothell City Council, Position 4.  

Incumbent Amanda Dodd is running for re-election to Position 6 on the Bothell City Council. Dodd first joined the council in October 2022 when she was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Davina Duerr’s resignation. Before that, Dodd served on the city’s planning commission, to which she was appointed in 2020. Outside of government service, she works for Salesforce in account management and volunteers her time as a board member for the Snohomish County Transportation Coalition.

Dodd is running to make Bothell a welcoming, affordable, and vibrant place to live. If retained, her priorities include growing a strong small business community, creating more attainable housing options, and investing in environmental protections to safeguard Bothell’s ecosystem for generations to come. Her progressive vision for the city has already earned her an impressive array of endorsements in this race.

Former city council member and veteran Thomas Agnew is challenging Dodd. Last year, Agnew was considered alongside Dodd for the council appointment. His platform is not very detailed as of mid- October, focusing primarily on more policing in our neighborhoods and preserving car parking over making streets safer. In past elections, Agnew has run on a more conservative platform, advocating for cutting some critical community funding while directing more money to police and making some infrastructure investments.

Amanda Dodd is the best choice in this race and deserves your vote for Bothell City Council, Position 6. 

Technology analyst Jon Culver is running for Kenmore City Council, Position 5. Culver is a small business owner, five-term Democratic precinct committee officer, former legislative PTA co-chair, and UFCW Local 400 union member. 

He has organized several local projects, including Pride art at city hall and a local fire proposition, earning him the endorsement of the local firefighters. He now wants to bring that energy to the city council with a focus on truly affordable housing, climate action, and more. He wants the council to carefully track emissions to meet goals, ensure safety for marginalized community members, and continue to empower residents to engage with city government. 

Culver is challenging local business owner David Baker, who is running for re-election to Position 5. He has been a council member since 2003 and has also served as mayor during that time. Baker also sits on numerous local and regional committees, including serving on the board of Sound Transit and as caucus chair for the King County Regional Transportation Committee.

Baker has had his share of controversies this term on the council. He was one of two council members who voted against tenant protections last year in a 5-2 vote. This legislation limited late fees to 1.5 percent of one month's rent and required landlords to provide between 120 and 180 days notice of rent hikes, dependent on the cost. He also made heated comments in a discussion of the purchase of a warehouse for a public works facility that was later determined to have significant community and cultural value. Baker stated, “I think it’s absolutely disgusting that the community has stooped to levels like this" during resident testimony about the importance of the site to them. He later apologized after his fellow council members and residents said his comments were irresponsible and devaluing, and even potentially worthy of a recall vote against him.

Culver has picked up a large number of endorsements, including from unions, environmental groups, local Democratic leaders, and more. He is the more progressive choice in this race. 

Dontae Derrell Payne is a U.S. Army veteran and Olympia City Council member running for Mayor of Olympia. He has national experience as a staffer in the U.S. House and currently works as a policy advisor for civil rights and racial justice in the office of the governor. He became the first Black man to serve on the Olympia City Council when he was elected in 2016.

Payne was first motivated to run for office because of the lack of representation for Black and brown people in city government. He says his experience as a gay, Black, former military member will bring the voice of marginalized people to the table. In his bid for mayor, his main goals are to increase affordable housing, provide community safety outside of law enforcement, and create financial wellbeing for all Olympia families.

During his time on city council, Payne has supported renters' rights legislation that capped move-in fees and required landlords to give more advanced notice of rent increases. He also voted to create a tiny home village and build more than 100 units of affordable housing. Unlike his opponent, Payne knows sweeps and criminalizing encampments just shuffles people around. As mayor, he would focus on meeting peoples' basic needs, funding case workers, and creating more types of housing that working people can afford.

Payne has a nuanced opinion on public safety. Although he has a personal negative experience with a patrol officer and wants to get systemic racism out of policing, he sees the discussion of the budget as "a convenient distraction from white supremacy" when there is still a need for officers. He supported implementing police accountability measures like body and car cameras, and wants to increase non-law enforcement resources for people experiencing mental health crises or substance abuse issues.

Payne's challenger is David Ross, a conservative-leaning candidate whose platform focuses on increasing policing and labeling everyone without a home a criminal by making homelessness itself a crime. Despite having a background doing social work and outreach to homeless residents, Ross calls approaches to homelessness that prioritize housing first "wrong-headed." He believes in enforcing penalties for living in public spaces, even though sweeping people from place to place and criminalizing homelessness would only add to peoples' struggles. While Ross has some progressive suggestions to tackle the issue, such as increasing density downtown and sending social workers alongside police, his single-minded focus on eliminating visible homelessness should be a red flag for voters. Unlike his opponent, Ross’ platform does not address any of the other issues that Olympia faces.

Because of his extensive experience, proven track record, and dedication to racial justice, Payne is the best choice in this race.
 

Yến Huỳnh is running unopposed for re-election to the Olympia City Council, Position 2. She was first appointed to the council in early 2021 and won her election in November of that year to serve the final two years of her term. She is an equity and social justice consultant at the Washington State Department of Corrections, where she aims to reduce recidivism, and is a former Olympia planning commissioner. She is one of two people of color currently serving on the council and is the youngest member representing Olympia.

Over the last two years, Huỳnh has prioritized public health, economic resiliency, and climate justice. The council member wants to see public safety reimagined through the input of the community and wants to see first responders and diverse community members included as part of the city's public safety decision-making process. Huỳnh joined her colleagues voting in favor of increased protections for renters that will help keep costs down. The legislation capped move-in fees and pet fees, and required landlords to provide more advanced notice for rent increases. In addition, she voted for $4 per hour hazard pay for frontline grocery store workers early in the pandemic. 

Huynh's solid track record on the council and support from the progressive community make her the best choice for Olympia City Council, Position 2. 
 

Dani Madrone is running unopposed for re-election to the Olympia City Council, Position 3. She has lived in Olympia for nearly two decades, attending Evergreen State College and now working for the American Farmland Trust. She has also been active in the community, serving on the boards of The Olympian and the Olympia Food Co-op. 

Madrone is running to tackle the big issues of affordable housing, homelessness, and climate change with a science-based and community-forward approach. In her second term, she wants to expand community partnerships with groups like Habitat for Humanity to build more homes. Madrone will also prioritize making Olympia a friendly and welcoming city by creating more shared spaces for people to come together, including new community gardens. 

Madrone has earned your vote for re-election to the Olympia City Council, Position 3. 
 

Roisin O’Farrell is running to retain Position 2 on the Sammamish City Council. O’Farrell was first appointed to the council in July 2022 to fill a vacancy left by Christie Malchow. She currently works as a neighborhood coordinator for the Sammamish Issaquah Food Project and is a board member for the Sammamish YMCA. Previously, O’Farrell served on the city’s planning commission.

O’Farrell herself is an immigrant and she wants to continue making Sammamish an inclusive community where all residents can thrive. O’Farrell has a strong vision for environmental stewardship in the city, such as creating a Climate Action Plan by the end of 2023, establishing Sammamish as a Tree City, reviving the freshwater Kokanee salmon population, and preserving local greenery. She also wants to create a teen center in Sammamish and maintain the city's senior programming to provide ongoing mental health support in the community. Finally, she wants to develop a comprehensive transit plan to meet the needs of the rapidly growing city.

The other candidate in this race is Uma Coimbature. Before taking an early retirement to focus on public service, Coimbature worked at Microsoft. Originally from India, she holds two business degrees with expertise in marketing and international business. Coimbature lacks a detailed campaign platform but lists empowering communities and preserving the environment as priorities.

We recommend Roisin O’Farrell in this race because of her strong endorsements and clear, inclusive vision for Sammamish.
 

Maren Costa is the progressive candidate in the race to replace Lisa Herbold on the Seattle City Council from District 1. A former Amazon principal designer, Costa advocated for a climate action plan that eventually became the company's official Climate Pledge. In 2020, Costa was illegally fired from the company after sending out an email to rally her coworkers around poor warehouse conditions for workers. With the backing of an open letter from nine U.S. senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Costa won her case against Amazon and continued advocating for workers and her community.

Costa is now running to bring her tenacity and experience in management to city hall. In our interview with Costa, she spoke about the importance of raising more money to maintain services as the city faces a $100 million dollar budget shortfall. Her proposals, including a vacancy tax, were squarely aimed at making the wealthiest pay their share. 

Costa wants to look out for working people as well as the vulnerable to make Seattle more livable for all. She spoke to a desire to improve affordability by allowing more mixed-use developments and “four floors and corner stores” in neighborhoods. She believes well-designed, denser neighborhoods are critical as the state faces a severe housing shortage, making living here hard for teachers, nurses, and other working professionals. On homelessness, Costa wants the city to take a housing-first approach, working on getting people into secure housing instead of criminalizing them for sleeping outside. On public safety, Costa offers a vision that funds gun violence prevention, community policing, and alternative response models. 

The other candidate in this race is Air Force veteran and cybersecurity lawyer Rob Saka. He formerly served on the county's charter review commission, which helped move the county sheriff from an elected position to an appointed one. However, Saka's campaign is somewhat low on specific details that make it unclear exactly how he would vote if elected to the council. In his interview with the Stranger, he said that the city needs more police officers, but declined to say how many or how the city could increase the number of unarmed officers, which he has also proposed. Saka was a no on increasing the JumpStart tax on businesses grossing over $8 million to pay for affordable housing and rent control, but a yes on continuing sweeps of people experiencing homelessness according to the Seattle Times. 

In addition, since the primary election, every one of the six candidates who ran in this race endorsed Costa over Saka, many citing her experience, management skills, and growth during the campaign.

Costa's experience managing million-dollar budgets and successfully advocating for corporate climate action makes her stand out as a progressive among the top candidates in the district. That experience plus an impressive set of endorsements, including every other candidate who ran in this race in the primary, make her the best choice for Seattle City Council in District 1. 
 

Ron Davis is running for Seattle City Council, District 4 as an outspoken progressive for affordable housing, community safety, and more. Davis has served in the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association and has been a board member at Futurewise, which advocates for sustainability and livable communities. In our interview with Davis, he emphasized that he's running to be the opposite of retiring incumbent council member Alex Pedersen, who stood in the way of many progressive policies, including efforts to build more housing that's affordable to middle-income Seattlites. 

If elected, Davis would focus on housing supply, subsidizing housing so that everyone has more affordable access, and increasing stability for renters. Many policies are on the table for Davis to achieve this, including prohibiting rent price gouging, funding social housing, expanding midrise housing, ensuring the "right to return" for people displaced by developers, and offering square footage and height bonuses. Davis is also rigorously pro-science when it comes to treating homelessness as a housing problem. He points out that many challenging and displacing life events like domestic abuse, addiction, and job loss are less catastrophic when people can afford rent and stay off the streets. Aside from the many housing policies above, Davis wants to see 3,500 permanent supportive housing units built. 

In the primary election, Davis was one of the few candidates, not just in the district but citywide, to acknowledge that even Seattle's own police don't think they can hire 400 more officers during a nationwide shortage. Rather than lowering standards on hires and pouring more money into bonuses, he wants to see aggressive expansion into alternatives to policing for people in crisis. Other top priorities for Davis are worker's rights, including subsidized childcare, closing minimum wage loopholes, and more.

Davis' opponent, Maritza Rivera, works in Mayor Bruce Harrell's office as Deputy Director of the Department of Arts & Culture. Her number one campaign priority is public safety, specifically in the form of getting 5-minute response times to 911 calls, taking "home and car break-ins seriously," and aggressively targeting drug users. The lack of details on how she would achieve this or any of the city's many other needs does not instill confidence. Rivera doesn't support rent control and wants the city to continue its expensive and inhumane sweeps of encampments. She has no firm stance on increasing revenue for all the 400 additional officers she wants to hire, despite a projected city budget shortfall in the years to come.

Rivera was also highlighted in a Stranger article around the contents of a letter that the majority of the staff at the Seattle Arts and Culture Department (ARTS) signed, citing "defensive, hostile, and condescending interactions with Rivera." She has taken a large number of donations from corporations and conservatives, including those who often donate to Trump and other Republican campaigns. 

Vote for Ron Davis for progressive change on the Seattle City Council from District 4.  

Incumbent Dan Strauss is seeking re-election to the Seattle City Council from District 6. Strauss was first elected in 2019 and previously served as a senior policy advisor to Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and worked for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. 

Strauss is running for a second term to continue bringing community-focused leadership to District 6. On the council, Strauss has prioritized creating more affordable housing options and strengthening tenant rights. With investments of $250 million in 2022, permanent supportive housing was purchased in Green Lake, Ballard, and Greenwood. As the land use chair, he also points to how he has cleared encampments without sweeps by connecting people to services. Unfortunately, Strauss recently voted in favor of allowing Republican City Attorney Ann Davison to prosecute people for drug use. In addition, Strauss disappointed many advocates by pushing for larger police budgets, which would increase the presence of militarized police in our communities instead of making us safer. 

If re-elected, Strauss will continue to develop Ballard Commons Park as a community green space, support the local small business economy, and ensure corporations and the wealthy pay what they owe. While he has not been the progressive leader some had hoped for, his opponent would be a step backward for the district and the city overall.

Pete Hanning is challenging Dan Strauss for this city council seat. Hanning owned Red Door in Fremont for twenty years and is currently the executive director for the Fremont Chamber of Commerce. Hanning's platform was one of the most conservative in the primary race for this seat. Hanning does not want to increase revenue from large corporations through the Jumpstart tax. His questionnaire with The Seattle Times states that he does not want the city to raise any additional revenue at all, leaving voters to wonder how he intends to pay for proposed infrastructure revitalization on the West Seattle Bridge or continue the expensive and inhumane practice of sweeping homeless encampments. 

Strauss has earned the majority of endorsements from progressive leaders and organizations and is the clear choice for city council from District 6.
 

Councilmember Andrew Lewis is running for re-election to the Seattle City Council from District 7. Lewis was first elected to the seat in 2019 and previously served as an assistant city attorney, including working on the Seattle Human Rights Commission. He also serves as the president of the Seattle Metropolitan Park District where he has worked to create jobs, ensure the cleanliness of public green space, and advance environmental goals for the city.

In his first term on the council, Lewis prioritized funding affordable housing programs, ensuring community safety, and achieving greater climate protections to make Seattle a healthier place for all of us. He secured funding to fully renovate the Queen Anne Community Center and expanded the JustCARE program, which offers outreach, shelter, and wrap-around services to Seattleites without housing. In this race, he is running on a progressive platform to expand crisis support services, invest in social and transitional housing options, and improve the city’s public transit infrastructure to reduce both traffic and greenhouse gas emissions.

Navy veteran Bob Kettle is challenging incumbent Lewis for the District 7 seat. Kettle is not running a progressive campaign. He would ignore the public call for policing alternatives and community investments that would actually keep our neighbors safe. If elected, Kettle also wants to criminalize addiction and increase inhumane sweeps that don’t alleviate our housing crisis. 

Lewis has earned an impressive list of endorsements from elected officials and key community leaders and is the most progressive choice in this race. Vote Andrew Lewis for Seattle City Council from District 7. 

Lisa Brown is a former state representative, senate majority leader, and chancellor of Washington State University Spokane. She has also served as the Washington State Director of Commerce. Brown has spent many years advocating for and volunteering in Spokane, including organizing the first Take Back the Night rally to bring awareness to victims of domestic violence.

She wants to use her experience to see the city invest in improving the quality of life for all residents. According to Brown, one of the most pressing issues is balancing the city's budget crisis while making sure that residents have the opportunity to safely live, work, and play in Spokane.

A keystone of her campaign is increasing affordable housing to help the many residents who are struggling to find shelter or stay in their homes with housing cost increases. Some of the strategies she wants to implement include making sure that the city has fully applied for available affordable housing funds from the federal and state government, and expanding "missing middle housing," or the mid-cost housing that many professionals like teachers or firefighters need to stay in the community. Brown wants to improve community safety by investing in proven strategies like expanding mental health services, offering job apprenticeships, and building more affordable housing.

Brown is running against incumbent and former news anchor Nadine Woodward, whose conservative platform includes prioritizing her big-dollar donors and trying to make us fear those turning to cars and tents for shelter while she makes it impossible for many of us to afford any place to live.

Like many conservative incumbents running this year, Woodward has taken the stance that public safety has declined under her watch. But in this year’s budget, police have again received the most funding, with 32 percent going to police, compared to 4 percent for libraries or just 2 percent going to housing and human services. At the same time, Woodward has refused to authorize an investigation into Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl's relationship with wealthy downtown business owners with whom he shared non-public information to attack his political opponents, potentially a violation of state and local law. 

On top of this, Woodard faced calls for her resignation and widespread condemnation for her decision this August to join far-right former state representative Matt Shea at an event. A state House investigation deemed Shea a domestic terrorist for provoking a civil war, intimidating political opponents, and writing violent religious manifestos. Despite this clear record, Woodard accepted his blessing and endorsement as she stood with him onstage at the event.

Spokane has had conservative mayors for the last twelve years and Brown offers the chance to transform city and local government in Spokane. Vote for Lisa Brown for a more compassionate and affordable Spokane. 

Kelly Von Holtz is running for Tumwater City Council, Position 7. The seat is currently held by Charlie Schneider, who is not seeking re-election. Holtz works in public relations and marketing at Evergreen State College. She sits on the city’s planning commission and previously served on the Parks and Recreation Board Commission.

Holtz moved to Tumwater as a single, working mother and has since been involved in public service and community engagement. In this race, she is focused on upgrades to public infrastructure, implementing community solutions to the opioid epidemic and substance abuse, addressing the housing crisis, and reducing barriers for marginalized communities to access educational opportunities. She also wants to build more bridges and communication between the council and residents. Holtz has strong endorsements in this race, including from the local Democrats.

Andrea McGhee is a loan officer at a mortgage company and a first-time candidate in this race. She is running on a sparse platform with a core policy of putting businesses first. McGhee’s definition of public safety does not seem thoughtful nor progressive.

We recommend Kelly Von Holtz for Position 7 on the Tumwater City Council.
 

Mayor Pro Tem Ty Stober is running unopposed for re-election to Vancouver City Council, Position 5. He is the former board chair of Equal Rights Washington and volunteers as a Hough & Fruit Valley Lunch Buddy. Stober is a progressive who believes in investing in all forms of transportation, ensuring first responders have the funding and equipment they need, and a “housing first” approach to solving homelessness. 

He's running for re-election to continue his work supporting small businesses, making housing more affordable, improving transportation options, and keeping our community safe for all residents. 

Stober has once again earned a strong set of progressive endorsements, which reflects his values and track record on the council. Ty Stober has earned your vote for Vancouver City Council, Position 5. 
 

Charles Adkins is running for Everett School Board for Director-at-Large Position 5. Adkins grew up on the Yurok Indian Reservation and remains an enrolled member of the nation today. There, he attended one of the last standing federally-run Indian boarding schools, which existed to erase Indigenous culture and language. Adkins experienced homelessness as a child, which eventually brought him to Cocoon House in Everett. Today he works as a legislative policy analyst for the Tulalip tribes and previously served as the health policy director of the Children’s Alliance. 

Adkins’ extensive background in policy leadership and community advocacy, and his unique experience of how education can be misused to erase some kids' identities, position him well to improve the school district for all students. He has a detailed and exceptionally progressive platform with policy ideas such as partnerships between local youth homelessness resources and the school district, advocating for healthy and safe work environments for teachers and staff, and strengthening the relationships between Everett public schools and local tribes including through the curriculum. In this race, Adkins has been endorsed by a large number of progressive leaders, community organizations, unions, and Democratic groups.

Also in this race is Ryne Rohla, an economist in the Washington State Office of the Attorney General and professor in the subject at Washington State University. Rohla is running to invest in public education in order to improve economic mobility in our community. He wants to bring his expertise in economics to focus on raising competency scores for Everett students. Unfortunately, Rohla has not offered progressive solutions for helping all students achieve their greatest potential and seems to offer a less holistic approach to raising scores.

Charles Adkins' strong progressive values, policy expertise, and community relationships make him the clear choice for Director-at-Large Position 5 on the Everett School Board.