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Election Day November 5, 2024
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Welcome to the Fuse Progressive Voters Guide to the 2024 November election! Since 2008, we've compiled information about candidates and ballot measures that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. You can learn about our partners and decision-making process here. Please share this guide with your friends and family and vote by November 5!

Statewide Ballot Measures

VOTE NO

Vote NO on I-2066 to keep moving forward on clean energy!

Initiative 2066 is one of four initiatives to be put before voters that is sponsored and funded by millionaire Brian Heywood and a cadre of Washington Republicans. This initiative would raise energy bills and costs for families and businesses by rolling back or eliminating modern standards that make homes more energy efficient. In fact, a study from April found that passing I-2066 could raise the utility bills of gas customers by an average of $150 per year.

Next to transportation, Washington's buildings are the second largest source of pollution, contributing 25% of emissions. To that end, the state Legislature has required that building construction reduce pollution through energy-efficient electrification and other means, including rebates for electric appliances instead of natural gas-fueled ones. Backed by powerful interest groups who want to make more money off of households’ energy use, I-2066 aims to overturn the parts of the state's building code that incentivize clean energy and clean air.

By rolling back some of these laws, I-2066 would force utility companies to continue to invest in costly outdated technology. It would also jeopardize Puget Sound Energy's ability to provide financial assistance to homeowners switching from natural gas to electrification and potentially end neighborhood electrification programs. Finally, it would prevent towns, cities, and counties from making their own decisions that work best for their communities by forcing them to subsidize the use of natural gas in appliances or buildings.

The fossil fuel industry and wealthy conservatives want to stop energy efficiency and clean energy in order to increase their profits, saddling us with higher energy bills. Don’t let them raise our costs while polluting our air — vote No on I-2066 this year.

Last updated: 2024-10-25

Initiative 2066 is one of four initiatives to be put before voters that is sponsored and funded by millionaire Brian Heywood and a cadre of Washington Republicans. This initiative would raise energy bills and costs for families and businesses by rolling back or eliminating modern standards that make homes more energy efficient. In fact, a study from April found that passing I-2066 could raise the utility bills of gas customers by an average of $150 per year.

Next to transportation, Washington's buildings are the second largest source of pollution, contributing 25% of emissions. To that end, the state Legislature has required that building construction reduce pollution through energy-efficient electrification and other means, including rebates for electric appliances instead of natural gas-fueled ones. Backed by powerful interest groups who want to make more money off of households’ energy use, I-2066 aims to overturn the parts of the state's building code that incentivize clean energy and clean air.

By rolling back some of these laws, I-2066 would force utility companies to continue to invest in costly outdated technology. It would also jeopardize Puget Sound Energy's ability to provide financial assistance to homeowners switching from natural gas to electrification and potentially end neighborhood electrification programs. Finally, it would prevent towns, cities, and counties from making their own decisions that work best for their communities by forcing them to subsidize the use of natural gas in appliances or buildings.

The fossil fuel industry and wealthy conservatives want to stop energy efficiency and clean energy in order to increase their profits, saddling us with higher energy bills. Don’t let them raise our costs while polluting our air — vote No on I-2066 this year.

Last updated: 2024-10-25
VOTE NO

Vote NO on I-2109 to keep the capital gains tax

Washington Initiative 2109 (I-2109) represents a tax break for Washington’s multi-millionaires and billionaires. If passed, the initiative would repeal Washington's current capital gains excise tax on stock market profits greater than $250,000, thereby eliminating more than $2.2 billion in funding for early learning, childcare, K-12 education, and school construction over the next five years.

All of Washington's kids, no matter their zip code or how much money their parents earn, should have the same access to care and early learning. In its first year, Washington’s capital gains tax provided funding for early learning and schools to the tune of nearly $900 million, creating a significant positive impact on kids and schools. Further, the education funding saved Washington’s childcare system from collapse, avoiding the pitfalls that other states are facing. Without the public revenue raised by the tax, childcare programs will be cut, schools will stay underresourced, and much-needed repairs and construction of schools will grind to a halt. This will hurt working families who rely on childcare, students trying to learn with outdated textbooks, and rural communities who need overdue upgrades to crumbling school buildings.

Washington's capital gains tax affects just 0.2% of the population, only the wealthiest sliver of our state community. With exemptions for home sales, retirement accounts, college funds, farm sales, and more, the remaining 99.8% of us will never pay the capital gains tax. In 2023, fewer than 4,000 extremely rich people paid the tax. Nevertheless, some of our state’s wealthiest people have spent the last two years trying to repeal this tax or get it thrown out in court, and they have failed. Now, they’re trying to convince voters to eliminate it for them so they don’t have to pay.

Leading this effort is Republican mega-donor and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who personally spent $6 million to put this measure on the ballot. He and MAGA Republican party chair Jim Walsh would rather deprive our kids of learning opportunities than pay what they actually owe in taxes. 

Vote No on I-2109.

Last updated: 2024-10-23

Washington Initiative 2109 (I-2109) represents a tax break for Washington’s multi-millionaires and billionaires. If passed, the initiative would repeal Washington's current capital gains excise tax on stock market profits greater than $250,000, thereby eliminating more than $2.2 billion in funding for early learning, childcare, K-12 education, and school construction over the next five years.

All of Washington's kids, no matter their zip code or how much money their parents earn, should have the same access to care and early learning. In its first year, Washington’s capital gains tax provided funding for early learning and schools to the tune of nearly $900 million, creating a significant positive impact on kids and schools. Further, the education funding saved Washington’s childcare system from collapse, avoiding the pitfalls that other states are facing. Without the public revenue raised by the tax, childcare programs will be cut, schools will stay underresourced, and much-needed repairs and construction of schools will grind to a halt. This will hurt working families who rely on childcare, students trying to learn with outdated textbooks, and rural communities who need overdue upgrades to crumbling school buildings.

Washington's capital gains tax affects just 0.2% of the population, only the wealthiest sliver of our state community. With exemptions for home sales, retirement accounts, college funds, farm sales, and more, the remaining 99.8% of us will never pay the capital gains tax. In 2023, fewer than 4,000 extremely rich people paid the tax. Nevertheless, some of our state’s wealthiest people have spent the last two years trying to repeal this tax or get it thrown out in court, and they have failed. Now, they’re trying to convince voters to eliminate it for them so they don’t have to pay.

Leading this effort is Republican mega-donor and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who personally spent $6 million to put this measure on the ballot. He and MAGA Republican party chair Jim Walsh would rather deprive our kids of learning opportunities than pay what they actually owe in taxes. 

Vote No on I-2109.

Last updated: 2024-10-23
VOTE NO

Vote NO on I-2117 to keep the CCA in place

The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) makes big polluters pay for the harm they cause to our air, water, and communities and creates a roadmap for reducing emissions over time. I-2117 is a multi-millionaire-funded initiative that would eliminate the CCA and ban Washington from ever creating something similar.

Voting no on I-2117 is critical for our environment and communities. Without the funds raised by the CCA, many popular programs would be terminated, threatened, or reduced — including wildfire resilience, school-based bike programs, free bus fare for students, updating our ferry system, restoring fish habitats, and increasing the sustainable supply of water. The revenue from the Climate Commitment Act also creates good-paying, local job opportunities such as making homes more energy-efficient and installing heat pumps and solar panels. Ending the CCA would shift the burden of paying for the impacts of pollution away from polluters and onto our families and communities. 

Behind this initiative is Republican mega-donor and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who has personally spent more than $6 million to put this measure on the ballot. He’s partnered with MAGA Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh to roll back the ways our elected leaders have made life better in Washington in recent years with no care about the damage to our communities he leaves in his wake.

I-2117 would mean more toxic air pollution and wildfires, causing more kids and seniors to suffer from asthma and heart conditions. The Climate Commitment Act is our state's best shot at creating a healthy future for all of us in Washington. Vote no on I-2117 to keep the CCA in place.

Last updated: 2024-10-25

The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) makes big polluters pay for the harm they cause to our air, water, and communities and creates a roadmap for reducing emissions over time. I-2117 is a multi-millionaire-funded initiative that would eliminate the CCA and ban Washington from ever creating something similar.

Voting no on I-2117 is critical for our environment and communities. Without the funds raised by the CCA, many popular programs would be terminated, threatened, or reduced — including wildfire resilience, school-based bike programs, free bus fare for students, updating our ferry system, restoring fish habitats, and increasing the sustainable supply of water. The revenue from the Climate Commitment Act also creates good-paying, local job opportunities such as making homes more energy-efficient and installing heat pumps and solar panels. Ending the CCA would shift the burden of paying for the impacts of pollution away from polluters and onto our families and communities. 

Behind this initiative is Republican mega-donor and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who has personally spent more than $6 million to put this measure on the ballot. He’s partnered with MAGA Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh to roll back the ways our elected leaders have made life better in Washington in recent years with no care about the damage to our communities he leaves in his wake.

I-2117 would mean more toxic air pollution and wildfires, causing more kids and seniors to suffer from asthma and heart conditions. The Climate Commitment Act is our state's best shot at creating a healthy future for all of us in Washington. Vote no on I-2117 to keep the CCA in place.

Last updated: 2024-10-25
VOTE NO

Vote NO on I-2124 to reject this attempt to take away long-term care insurance

If passed, Washington Initiative 2124 (I-2124) would eliminate long-term care coverage for nearly 4 million of us, costing all of us more. I-2124 will drive more people, disproportionately women, to leave their jobs to provide unpaid care for loved ones who have disabilities, chronic illnesses, or are aging. 

I-2124 is misleading. Experts say it will cause a "death spiral" and quickly bankrupt Washington's insurance funds. I-2124 only benefits the private insurance industry, which charges women more, routinely jacks up premiums without warning, and denies coverage to those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cancer, or high blood pressure. Less than 5% of us have private long-term care insurance, and I-2124 will send more people into debt or onto Medicaid as they have no choice but to pay for long-term care costs out of their own pockets.

Leading the effort to sabotage long-term care is Republican mega-donor and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who has personally spent more than $6 million to put four initiatives on the ballot, alongside MAGA Republican Party Chair Rep. Jim Walsh. Their continued efforts to repeal any source of funding for public needs like health care are not just deeply cynical but dangerous for the majority of us. 

An estimated 70% of Washingtonians will need long-term care assistance at some point in our lives due to an injury, illness, disability, or aging. This short-sighted, millionaire-backed effort will leave most of us without a choice. Vote no on I-2124 and reject this attempt to eliminate Washington's long-term care insurance program.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

If passed, Washington Initiative 2124 (I-2124) would eliminate long-term care coverage for nearly 4 million of us, costing all of us more. I-2124 will drive more people, disproportionately women, to leave their jobs to provide unpaid care for loved ones who have disabilities, chronic illnesses, or are aging. 

I-2124 is misleading. Experts say it will cause a "death spiral" and quickly bankrupt Washington's insurance funds. I-2124 only benefits the private insurance industry, which charges women more, routinely jacks up premiums without warning, and denies coverage to those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cancer, or high blood pressure. Less than 5% of us have private long-term care insurance, and I-2124 will send more people into debt or onto Medicaid as they have no choice but to pay for long-term care costs out of their own pockets.

Leading the effort to sabotage long-term care is Republican mega-donor and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who has personally spent more than $6 million to put four initiatives on the ballot, alongside MAGA Republican Party Chair Rep. Jim Walsh. Their continued efforts to repeal any source of funding for public needs like health care are not just deeply cynical but dangerous for the majority of us. 

An estimated 70% of Washingtonians will need long-term care assistance at some point in our lives due to an injury, illness, disability, or aging. This short-sighted, millionaire-backed effort will leave most of us without a choice. Vote no on I-2124 and reject this attempt to eliminate Washington's long-term care insurance program.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

County Ballot Measures

Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below ballot measures on your ballot.

San Juan County Ballot Measures

VOTE YES

Vote YES to maintain funding for local land conservation

San Juan County's Conservation Land Bank purchases, cares for, and conserves public lands that keep our communities active, healthy, sustainable, and connected. San Juan County Proposition 1 proposes to extend an existing, local real estate excise tax (REET) that funds this essential conservation work.

If approved, the measure would extend the 1% REET for an additional 12 years and allow the local Conservation Land Bank to continue the acquisition and maintenance of local green space. This effort includes the restoration and protection of wildlife habitats, shorelines, farmland, forests, and community water sources, as well as utilizing land to employ wildfire prevention strategies. An extension of the REET would mean the continuation of a one-time tax paid at the closing of property sales. With the excise tax paired with funding from grants and community partners, San Juan residents have enjoyed a healthy local environment for decades.

As San Juan continues to grow with community development, it is essential to the sustainability of our region to continue our investment in conservation and natural land management for the public. Vote Yes on San Juan County Proposition 1.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

San Juan County's Conservation Land Bank purchases, cares for, and conserves public lands that keep our communities active, healthy, sustainable, and connected. San Juan County Proposition 1 proposes to extend an existing, local real estate excise tax (REET) that funds this essential conservation work.

If approved, the measure would extend the 1% REET for an additional 12 years and allow the local Conservation Land Bank to continue the acquisition and maintenance of local green space. This effort includes the restoration and protection of wildlife habitats, shorelines, farmland, forests, and community water sources, as well as utilizing land to employ wildfire prevention strategies. An extension of the REET would mean the continuation of a one-time tax paid at the closing of property sales. With the excise tax paired with funding from grants and community partners, San Juan residents have enjoyed a healthy local environment for decades.

As San Juan continues to grow with community development, it is essential to the sustainability of our region to continue our investment in conservation and natural land management for the public. Vote Yes on San Juan County Proposition 1.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Whatcom County Ballot Measures

VOTE APPROVED

Vote YES to protect against conflicts of interest in goverment

The Whatcom County Charter outlines the legal foundation of our local government. Whatcom County Proposition 22 proposes an amendment to charter section 4.30 that would strengthen protections against conflicts of interest in public service.

The proposed changes to Section 4.30 are minor and intended only to clarify and expand the existing substance of the section. Currently, the language of the section prohibits any public servant from holding more than one position in county government. However, the new amendment proposes to expand that protection against conflict of interest by prohibiting public servants from holding more than one position at any level of government. For example, a member of the Whatcom County Council would be prohibited from simultaneously working as a state legislator in Olympia. Finally, the amendment would also update the title of the section to “Conflicts of Interest.” These small changes can help to keep corruption and ethical quandaries out of our local government.

Vote Yes to Whatcom County Proposition 22 for this commonsense update to our charter protections against conflicts of interest.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

The Whatcom County Charter outlines the legal foundation of our local government. Whatcom County Proposition 22 proposes an amendment to charter section 4.30 that would strengthen protections against conflicts of interest in public service.

The proposed changes to Section 4.30 are minor and intended only to clarify and expand the existing substance of the section. Currently, the language of the section prohibits any public servant from holding more than one position in county government. However, the new amendment proposes to expand that protection against conflict of interest by prohibiting public servants from holding more than one position at any level of government. For example, a member of the Whatcom County Council would be prohibited from simultaneously working as a state legislator in Olympia. Finally, the amendment would also update the title of the section to “Conflicts of Interest.” These small changes can help to keep corruption and ethical quandaries out of our local government.

Vote Yes to Whatcom County Proposition 22 for this commonsense update to our charter protections against conflicts of interest.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Federal

In this pivotal election, Vice President Kamala Harris embodies a hopeful vision of unity, freedom, and progress for our country’s future. Harris has worked closely with President Biden to implement a broad and impressive agenda. Before that, she had a strong track record, ranging from leading the nation on recidivism reduction as San Francisco district attorney to fighting for marriage equality as California’s first woman attorney general to her hard-fought progressive victories in the U.S. Senate.

Throughout her public service career, Harris has demonstrated integrity, leadership, and tenacity in fighting for regular Americans. Her 2024 campaign priorities include ensuring American billionaires pay what they owe in taxes while alleviating the burden on middle-class families, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, restoring and protecting reproductive health care across the country, defending civil rights against the authoritarian vision of MAGA Project 2025, making housing, childcare, and education more affordable for all Americans, and more.

Joining Harris as a running mate on the Democratic ticket is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a champion of working families and former high school teacher. Walz’s community leadership experience ranges from serving as a local football coach to representing a primarily Republican district as a Democrat in the U.S. House. Walz’s priorities are firmly rooted in his Midwestern upbringing, union membership, and Army veteran background. He worked to lower the prescription cost of insulin to $35 for many Minnesotans. Walz believes in responsible gun ownership, uplifting rural farmers, and protecting LGBTQ+ kids.

While we can continue to push Kamala Harris’ platform towards even more progressive goals, it is clear that she is the best choice to make history as our next president of the United States.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

In this pivotal election, Vice President Kamala Harris embodies a hopeful vision of unity, freedom, and progress for our country’s future. Harris has worked closely with President Biden to implement a broad and impressive agenda. Before that, she had a strong track record, ranging from leading the nation on recidivism reduction as San Francisco district attorney to fighting for marriage equality as California’s first woman attorney general to her hard-fought progressive victories in the U.S. Senate.

Throughout her public service career, Harris has demonstrated integrity, leadership, and tenacity in fighting for regular Americans. Her 2024 campaign priorities include ensuring American billionaires pay what they owe in taxes while alleviating the burden on middle-class families, strengthening the Affordable Care Act, restoring and protecting reproductive health care across the country, defending civil rights against the authoritarian vision of MAGA Project 2025, making housing, childcare, and education more affordable for all Americans, and more.

Joining Harris as a running mate on the Democratic ticket is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a champion of working families and former high school teacher. Walz’s community leadership experience ranges from serving as a local football coach to representing a primarily Republican district as a Democrat in the U.S. House. Walz’s priorities are firmly rooted in his Midwestern upbringing, union membership, and Army veteran background. He worked to lower the prescription cost of insulin to $35 for many Minnesotans. Walz believes in responsible gun ownership, uplifting rural farmers, and protecting LGBTQ+ kids.

While we can continue to push Kamala Harris’ platform towards even more progressive goals, it is clear that she is the best choice to make history as our next president of the United States.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

Other Candidates

Harris is running against former President Donald Trump in this election. Since the last presidential election, he has incited a coup to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, been convicted of 34 felony counts of falsified business records, and continued to amplify white nationalist rhetoric. Donald Trump’s explicit goal with another term is to further dismantle our democratic institutions. His leaked MAGA Project 2025 would lead to an unprecedented rollback of basic civil rights and freedoms that we all enjoy. In his single term, Trump mishandled the national coronavirus response, separated thousands of immigrant children from their families and locked them in cages, sought to strip millions of Americans of health care, and eliminated climate protections that safeguard our air and water. Despite losing the 2020 election, the effects of his catastrophic presidency are still unfolding, most notably with the Supreme Court justices he installed overturning our reproductive freedoms. Trump’s running mate Ohio Governor JD Vance previously described Trump as “a total fraud that is exploiting [his base]” but is now running as another dangerously extremist figurehead. We cannot afford the damage and division of another Trump term.

There are a number of third-party candidates in this race. Perennial Green Party candidate Jill Stein is seeking the presidency again in this race. She sought the party nomination after Cornel West left the party to run separately. Her top priorities include climate policy that is even more aggressive on climate change than the Green New Deal, withdrawing American support of Israel and Ukraine, reforming the size and term limits of the Supreme Court, and securing free education from pre-K through college.

Decorated scholar, author, and professor Cornel West is running as a Justice For All Party candidate. Alongside his running mate Professor Melina Abdullah, West is campaigning against Biden’s strong support for the Israeli military in the ongoing war in Gaza. The rest of his platform is strongly justice-focused, viewing issues Americans face in the full context of their history and attempting to right historical wrongs while building community safety and prosperity.

Libertarian Chase Oliver represents more moderate Libertarian leadership in the face of a rising far-right faction within the party. He is an openly gay candidate and first discovered the Libertarian Party at an Atlanta Pride event. He is running with Mike ter Maat, a George H.W. Bush administration economist and retired “pro-reform” police officer, to decriminalize marijuana, withdraw aid to Ukraine and Israel, streamline citizenship pathways, defend NRA gun ideals, eliminate the Federal Reserve, and more.

Also in this race is Socialism and Liberation Party candidate Claudia De la Cruz running on an anti-capitalist platform. De la Cruz is an educator, working mother, organizer, and theologian from the South Bronx. Her running mate Karina Garcia is a Chicana organizer, working mother, and educator. Together the socialist candidates have a leftist view of what will empower working people and our country, including the nationalization of America’s top 100 largest companies, cutting the U.S. military budget by 90% to fight for a peace agenda, reproductive freedom for all, reparations for Black Americans, and criminalizing corporate lobbying, amongst many other priorities.

Former Baltimore resident Rachele Fruit is running as a pro-Israel, pro-working class candidate with the Socialist Workers Party candidate. Fruit believes that the major parties are too capitalist while other socialist movements do not stand against anti-semitism. The pillar of her campaign is upholding the state of Israel as a refuge for the Jewish diaspora from rising anti-Jewish hatred, and she believes strongly in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s vision, which includes settlement expansion, Palestinian displacement, and the eradication of Hamas. Her single-issue views are on the more extreme side of this debate.

Joseph Kishore, the national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party, is running with Trotskyist Jerry White on the party’s ticket in this election. Kishore’s platform is that of his party which seeks to mobilize the global working class against international, late-stage capitalism. It criticizes the United States’ support of Israel’s war in Gaza, warns of the rise of fascism within Trumpism, and advocates for the nationalization of major corporations, amongst other socialist goals.

Nirvana bassist and co-founder Krist Novoselić recently created his own new, Washington-based party called the Cascade Party to serve as a centrist option. Some priorities of the party include protecting family farming, reforming the judicial appointment process to include voters, environmental conservation and protection, and creating a hypercompetitive health care market where hospitals can reference credit scores when evaluating a patient’s ability to pay.

Finally, Independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai is a known anti-vaccine activist who faced controversy when he claimed to have invented email as we know it when he was a teenager. He lacks a campaign platform in this race but his past Senate run seems to misunderstand progressive priorities adopted by the Democratic party in recent elections.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Harris is running against former President Donald Trump in this election. Since the last presidential election, he has incited a coup to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, been convicted of 34 felony counts of falsified business records, and continued to amplify white nationalist rhetoric. Donald Trump’s explicit goal with another term is to further dismantle our democratic institutions. His leaked MAGA Project 2025 would lead to an unprecedented rollback of basic civil rights and freedoms that we all enjoy. In his single term, Trump mishandled the national coronavirus response, separated thousands of immigrant children from their families and locked them in cages, sought to strip millions of Americans of health care, and eliminated climate protections that safeguard our air and water. Despite losing the 2020 election, the effects of his catastrophic presidency are still unfolding, most notably with the Supreme Court justices he installed overturning our reproductive freedoms. Trump’s running mate Ohio Governor JD Vance previously described Trump as “a total fraud that is exploiting [his base]” but is now running as another dangerously extremist figurehead. We cannot afford the damage and division of another Trump term.

There are a number of third-party candidates in this race. Perennial Green Party candidate Jill Stein is seeking the presidency again in this race. She sought the party nomination after Cornel West left the party to run separately. Her top priorities include climate policy that is even more aggressive on climate change than the Green New Deal, withdrawing American support of Israel and Ukraine, reforming the size and term limits of the Supreme Court, and securing free education from pre-K through college.

Decorated scholar, author, and professor Cornel West is running as a Justice For All Party candidate. Alongside his running mate Professor Melina Abdullah, West is campaigning against Biden’s strong support for the Israeli military in the ongoing war in Gaza. The rest of his platform is strongly justice-focused, viewing issues Americans face in the full context of their history and attempting to right historical wrongs while building community safety and prosperity.

Libertarian Chase Oliver represents more moderate Libertarian leadership in the face of a rising far-right faction within the party. He is an openly gay candidate and first discovered the Libertarian Party at an Atlanta Pride event. He is running with Mike ter Maat, a George H.W. Bush administration economist and retired “pro-reform” police officer, to decriminalize marijuana, withdraw aid to Ukraine and Israel, streamline citizenship pathways, defend NRA gun ideals, eliminate the Federal Reserve, and more.

Also in this race is Socialism and Liberation Party candidate Claudia De la Cruz running on an anti-capitalist platform. De la Cruz is an educator, working mother, organizer, and theologian from the South Bronx. Her running mate Karina Garcia is a Chicana organizer, working mother, and educator. Together the socialist candidates have a leftist view of what will empower working people and our country, including the nationalization of America’s top 100 largest companies, cutting the U.S. military budget by 90% to fight for a peace agenda, reproductive freedom for all, reparations for Black Americans, and criminalizing corporate lobbying, amongst many other priorities.

Former Baltimore resident Rachele Fruit is running as a pro-Israel, pro-working class candidate with the Socialist Workers Party candidate. Fruit believes that the major parties are too capitalist while other socialist movements do not stand against anti-semitism. The pillar of her campaign is upholding the state of Israel as a refuge for the Jewish diaspora from rising anti-Jewish hatred, and she believes strongly in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s vision, which includes settlement expansion, Palestinian displacement, and the eradication of Hamas. Her single-issue views are on the more extreme side of this debate.

Joseph Kishore, the national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party, is running with Trotskyist Jerry White on the party’s ticket in this election. Kishore’s platform is that of his party which seeks to mobilize the global working class against international, late-stage capitalism. It criticizes the United States’ support of Israel’s war in Gaza, warns of the rise of fascism within Trumpism, and advocates for the nationalization of major corporations, amongst other socialist goals.

Nirvana bassist and co-founder Krist Novoselić recently created his own new, Washington-based party called the Cascade Party to serve as a centrist option. Some priorities of the party include protecting family farming, reforming the judicial appointment process to include voters, environmental conservation and protection, and creating a hypercompetitive health care market where hospitals can reference credit scores when evaluating a patient’s ability to pay.

Finally, Independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai is a known anti-vaccine activist who faced controversy when he claimed to have invented email as we know it when he was a teenager. He lacks a campaign platform in this race but his past Senate run seems to misunderstand progressive priorities adopted by the Democratic party in recent elections.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democrat Maria Cantwell is running for another term in the U.S. Senate, where she has served the state of Washington since 2001. Before that, she served in the state Legislature and had a successful career in the private sector, leading marketing efforts for a large tech company.

In Congress, Cantwell has been a strong advocate for environmental protections and clean energy. She recently sponsored bills to protect waterways while promoting clean energy and strengthening tribal involvement in matters relating to conservation and land management. This spring, Cantwell partnered with Sen. Patty Murray to secure $28 million in funding to replace lead pipes in Washington and ensure safe drinking water across the state. In this race, she is running on a broad and detailed platform to address Washington’s most pressing issues, including protecting and restoring reproductive health access, increasing funding for K-12 and student loans, and expanding the affordable housing tax credit and other housing solutions.

Dr. Raul Garcia is the Republican challenger for the U.S. Senate seat. After initially announcing a campaign for governor, he is now running to install conservative leadership in one of Washington’s senate seats. Dr. Garcia is a Yakima-based doctor and hospital medical director who previously ran for governor in 2020. He has served in leadership positions across medical institutions, nonprofits, and small businesses. Garcia has received support from some of Washington’s most prominent conservatives.

Cantwell has been a thoughtful and hard-working advocate for the people of Washington. She has earned your vote for another term in the U.S. Senate.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democrat Maria Cantwell is running for another term in the U.S. Senate, where she has served the state of Washington since 2001. Before that, she served in the state Legislature and had a successful career in the private sector, leading marketing efforts for a large tech company.

In Congress, Cantwell has been a strong advocate for environmental protections and clean energy. She recently sponsored bills to protect waterways while promoting clean energy and strengthening tribal involvement in matters relating to conservation and land management. This spring, Cantwell partnered with Sen. Patty Murray to secure $28 million in funding to replace lead pipes in Washington and ensure safe drinking water across the state. In this race, she is running on a broad and detailed platform to address Washington’s most pressing issues, including protecting and restoring reproductive health access, increasing funding for K-12 and student loans, and expanding the affordable housing tax credit and other housing solutions.

Dr. Raul Garcia is the Republican challenger for the U.S. Senate seat. After initially announcing a campaign for governor, he is now running to install conservative leadership in one of Washington’s senate seats. Dr. Garcia is a Yakima-based doctor and hospital medical director who previously ran for governor in 2020. He has served in leadership positions across medical institutions, nonprofits, and small businesses. Garcia has received support from some of Washington’s most prominent conservatives.

Cantwell has been a thoughtful and hard-working advocate for the people of Washington. She has earned your vote for another term in the U.S. Senate.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

2nd Congressional District

Congressman Rick Larsen is running for re-election to the U.S. House in Washington's 2nd Congressional District. Larsen is a moderate Democrat who is serving his twelfth term in Congress and previously worked as a Snohomish County Council member. In office, he has specialized in areas of global trade, environmental conservation, and transportation and infrastructure, a committee on which he is the lead Democrat.

In office, Larsen has helped to make historic investments to address climate change, modernize infrastructure, and combat the opioid epidemic by giving Americans struggling with substance abuse the support they need. He is a reliable vote with the Biden administration’s priorities such as child tax credits, lowering prescription medication costs, voting rights, student loan reduction, and clean energy. He continues to be a more moderate voice in this race, rather than a leader for bold progress. If re-elected, Larsen wants to support working families and small businesses, address climate change, support reproductive freedom, prevent gun violence, and expand affordable health care so that everyone, regardless of income, can access the care and medication they need.

Conservative Cody Hart is also in this race with the familiar tagline to “Make America Great Again.” Hart is a civil engineer and Navy veteran who is using this campaign to espouse far-right ideas and conspiracy theories that only serve to distract from the issues facing the district. If elected, he wants to enact extremely restrictive laws on reproductive health care access, eliminate gun violence prevention policies, and prevent students from learning age-appropriate sexual health education.

We recommend Rick Larsen.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Congressman Rick Larsen is running for re-election to the U.S. House in Washington's 2nd Congressional District. Larsen is a moderate Democrat who is serving his twelfth term in Congress and previously worked as a Snohomish County Council member. In office, he has specialized in areas of global trade, environmental conservation, and transportation and infrastructure, a committee on which he is the lead Democrat.

In office, Larsen has helped to make historic investments to address climate change, modernize infrastructure, and combat the opioid epidemic by giving Americans struggling with substance abuse the support they need. He is a reliable vote with the Biden administration’s priorities such as child tax credits, lowering prescription medication costs, voting rights, student loan reduction, and clean energy. He continues to be a more moderate voice in this race, rather than a leader for bold progress. If re-elected, Larsen wants to support working families and small businesses, address climate change, support reproductive freedom, prevent gun violence, and expand affordable health care so that everyone, regardless of income, can access the care and medication they need.

Conservative Cody Hart is also in this race with the familiar tagline to “Make America Great Again.” Hart is a civil engineer and Navy veteran who is using this campaign to espouse far-right ideas and conspiracy theories that only serve to distract from the issues facing the district. If elected, he wants to enact extremely restrictive laws on reproductive health care access, eliminate gun violence prevention policies, and prevent students from learning age-appropriate sexual health education.

We recommend Rick Larsen.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Statewide

Attorney General Bob Ferguson is running for governor on his impressive record as an advocate for all Washingtonians. He has served as attorney general since 2012 and has won some of the biggest and most consequential legal cases in Washington's history during that time.

Ferguson has a record of success in litigating against the Trump administration and greedy corporations. When Donald Trump attacked access to contraception, Ferguson took him to court and won. Ferguson has sued the federal government to clean up the Hanford nuclear facility more quickly and has defended the Affordable Care Act from the Trump Administration, helping preserve care for 825,000 Washingtonians. Other wins include protecting statewide water quality from Trump's pro-pollution environmental policies, securing over $1 billion from opioid manufacturers to fund treatment, and fighting back against child detention laws.

All of these wins echo Ferguson's priorities in running for governor: to continue fighting to improve health care access, protect consumers, and strengthen the rights of working families in Washington. If elected, he plans to scale up behavioral health care. Recognizing that currently "our jails are collectively our largest mental health provider," he is committed to a large number of interventions in our communities including prevention, adding more health providers, and more peer service support. He's also committed to breaking up corporate monopolies and reducing the cost of living, establishing Washington as a clean energy hub, and exploring high-speed rail infrastructure.

Republican and former U.S. Representative Dave Reichert is running against Ferguson. Reichert served Washington’s 8th Congressional District in the House for 14 years. During that time, he took some bad votes against climate protections and health care affordability and voted for a national abortion ban, among other anti-abortion votes. He also previously served as the elected King County sheriff, and worked on the prominent Green River Killer case.

While Reichert is adept at sounding more moderate than some of his MAGA colleagues, his policy positions tell the truth, particularly when speaking to friendly crowds of Republicans behind closed doors. Earlier this year, Reichert said that he opposes marriage equality, which Washington voters passed in 2012 and became the law nationwide in 2015. More recently, Reichert finally admitted that he plans to vote for Trump this November and cited his signed MAGA hat as evidence of his Republican credentials. Finally, Reichert questioned humans' impact on climate change, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus. Reichert is clearly out of step with the values of most Washingtonians.

Bob Ferguson is an accomplished progressive who leads with integrity and grit. He is the best choice to be the next governor of Washington.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

Attorney General Bob Ferguson is running for governor on his impressive record as an advocate for all Washingtonians. He has served as attorney general since 2012 and has won some of the biggest and most consequential legal cases in Washington's history during that time.

Ferguson has a record of success in litigating against the Trump administration and greedy corporations. When Donald Trump attacked access to contraception, Ferguson took him to court and won. Ferguson has sued the federal government to clean up the Hanford nuclear facility more quickly and has defended the Affordable Care Act from the Trump Administration, helping preserve care for 825,000 Washingtonians. Other wins include protecting statewide water quality from Trump's pro-pollution environmental policies, securing over $1 billion from opioid manufacturers to fund treatment, and fighting back against child detention laws.

All of these wins echo Ferguson's priorities in running for governor: to continue fighting to improve health care access, protect consumers, and strengthen the rights of working families in Washington. If elected, he plans to scale up behavioral health care. Recognizing that currently "our jails are collectively our largest mental health provider," he is committed to a large number of interventions in our communities including prevention, adding more health providers, and more peer service support. He's also committed to breaking up corporate monopolies and reducing the cost of living, establishing Washington as a clean energy hub, and exploring high-speed rail infrastructure.

Republican and former U.S. Representative Dave Reichert is running against Ferguson. Reichert served Washington’s 8th Congressional District in the House for 14 years. During that time, he took some bad votes against climate protections and health care affordability and voted for a national abortion ban, among other anti-abortion votes. He also previously served as the elected King County sheriff, and worked on the prominent Green River Killer case.

While Reichert is adept at sounding more moderate than some of his MAGA colleagues, his policy positions tell the truth, particularly when speaking to friendly crowds of Republicans behind closed doors. Earlier this year, Reichert said that he opposes marriage equality, which Washington voters passed in 2012 and became the law nationwide in 2015. More recently, Reichert finally admitted that he plans to vote for Trump this November and cited his signed MAGA hat as evidence of his Republican credentials. Finally, Reichert questioned humans' impact on climate change, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus. Reichert is clearly out of step with the values of most Washingtonians.

Bob Ferguson is an accomplished progressive who leads with integrity and grit. He is the best choice to be the next governor of Washington.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

Democrat Denny Heck is running for a second term as Washington’s lieutenant governor. Heck is a former representative who served the 10th Congressional District from 2013 until 2021. His professional background also includes serving five terms representing Legislative District 17 in the state House, starting small businesses in his community, serving as the chief of staff to Gov. Booth Gardner, and founding one of the nation’s largest statewide public affairs networks.

Heck has fought for a number of Democratic priorities, including rebalancing our upside-down tax code, investing in public infrastructure, reducing health care costs, increasing workforce development and employment opportunities, and making college more affordable. He's running to continue fighting for affordability, health and safety, and opportunity for all Washingtonians.

Heck is running against Republican Dan Matthews, a veteran and former school board member running to deprioritize public schools in favor of private education, cut spending on social services, and roll back laws that hold corporations accountable. He is not a progressive choice and doesn't represent the needs of our communities.

We recommend Denny Heck for another term as the state’s lieutenant governor.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democrat Denny Heck is running for a second term as Washington’s lieutenant governor. Heck is a former representative who served the 10th Congressional District from 2013 until 2021. His professional background also includes serving five terms representing Legislative District 17 in the state House, starting small businesses in his community, serving as the chief of staff to Gov. Booth Gardner, and founding one of the nation’s largest statewide public affairs networks.

Heck has fought for a number of Democratic priorities, including rebalancing our upside-down tax code, investing in public infrastructure, reducing health care costs, increasing workforce development and employment opportunities, and making college more affordable. He's running to continue fighting for affordability, health and safety, and opportunity for all Washingtonians.

Heck is running against Republican Dan Matthews, a veteran and former school board member running to deprioritize public schools in favor of private education, cut spending on social services, and roll back laws that hold corporations accountable. He is not a progressive choice and doesn't represent the needs of our communities.

We recommend Denny Heck for another term as the state’s lieutenant governor.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democrat Steve Hobbs is running for another term as Washington's secretary of state. He first joined the office when he was appointed in 2021 and was retained by voters in 2022. Hobbs, a first-generation Japanese American, previously served as a lieutenant colonel in the Washington Army National Guard and a four-term state senator for the 44th Legislative District.

In office, Hobbs has pursued a progressive set of priorities to ensure Washington’s election integrity, making the state safe from attacks and accessible to all Washington voters. He has worked on strengthening digital security, preventing the spread of misinformation, and promoting voter outreach. Unfortunately, in the last election, he expressed concerns about implementing ranked-choice voting for fear of the fragility of public trust and the accessibility of it to non-English-speaking voters.

In this race, Hobbs’ top two priorities are to ensure our elections remain both secure and accessible for every eligible voter. While he has and will continue to pursue security measures – such as cybersecurity investments and improvement grants, Hobbs also believes it’s his job to restore community trust in him and his office. He has also taken great strides to reach eligible voters from historically disenfranchised communities, including formerly incarcerated voters.

Republican Dale Whitaker, who owns a small tax business, is also in this race. Whitaker serves as the executive director of We Believe We Vote, which claims to educate Christian voters by supporting conservatives with some of the most extreme views in the state, including strong anti-abortion stances, homophobic positions, and a belief that the Christian Bible should be the ultimate guiding text for leaders. In this race, Whitaker’s top priority is election transparency and security. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to our democratic, electoral processes has been incursions from the far-right, of which Whitaker is affiliated. Washington voters deserve a secretary of state who is above divisive, conspiracy-based politics.

Hobbs is the best choice for Washington's secretary of state.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democrat Steve Hobbs is running for another term as Washington's secretary of state. He first joined the office when he was appointed in 2021 and was retained by voters in 2022. Hobbs, a first-generation Japanese American, previously served as a lieutenant colonel in the Washington Army National Guard and a four-term state senator for the 44th Legislative District.

In office, Hobbs has pursued a progressive set of priorities to ensure Washington’s election integrity, making the state safe from attacks and accessible to all Washington voters. He has worked on strengthening digital security, preventing the spread of misinformation, and promoting voter outreach. Unfortunately, in the last election, he expressed concerns about implementing ranked-choice voting for fear of the fragility of public trust and the accessibility of it to non-English-speaking voters.

In this race, Hobbs’ top two priorities are to ensure our elections remain both secure and accessible for every eligible voter. While he has and will continue to pursue security measures – such as cybersecurity investments and improvement grants, Hobbs also believes it’s his job to restore community trust in him and his office. He has also taken great strides to reach eligible voters from historically disenfranchised communities, including formerly incarcerated voters.

Republican Dale Whitaker, who owns a small tax business, is also in this race. Whitaker serves as the executive director of We Believe We Vote, which claims to educate Christian voters by supporting conservatives with some of the most extreme views in the state, including strong anti-abortion stances, homophobic positions, and a belief that the Christian Bible should be the ultimate guiding text for leaders. In this race, Whitaker’s top priority is election transparency and security. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to our democratic, electoral processes has been incursions from the far-right, of which Whitaker is affiliated. Washington voters deserve a secretary of state who is above divisive, conspiracy-based politics.

Hobbs is the best choice for Washington's secretary of state.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democratic incumbent Mike Pellicciotti is running for re-election to Washington state treasurer. Pellicciotti was first elected to the position in 2020. Before that, Pellicciotti served as a representative for Legislative District 30 in the state House, an assistant state attorney general, and a deputy prosecuting attorney for King County.

In public office, he has advocated for transparency and public accountability. He has never accepted corporate campaign donations and previously worked to make the Legislature’s records open for public view. As a treasurer, he has prioritized economic security and prosperity for all, especially working families and retirees. In office, he has worked to strengthen budget reserves, increase pension funds, and manage debt costs.

Republican Sharon Hanek is challenging Pellicciotti in this race. Hanek is a certified public accountant and serves as the vice chair of the Pierce County Planning Commission. Hanek has run for office unsuccessfully several times before, including losing by more than 17% statewide in her 2012 run for state Treasurer. Hanek is the founder of My Family My Choice, a far-right group aligned with Moms for Liberty that wants to ban books and promotes conspiracy theories about public schools. We can't afford to give Hanek a statewide platform for her dangerous, far-right agenda.

Pellicciotti has been a reliable Democratic leader in the Washington state treasurer’s office and he has earned your vote for another term.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Democratic incumbent Mike Pellicciotti is running for re-election to Washington state treasurer. Pellicciotti was first elected to the position in 2020. Before that, Pellicciotti served as a representative for Legislative District 30 in the state House, an assistant state attorney general, and a deputy prosecuting attorney for King County.

In public office, he has advocated for transparency and public accountability. He has never accepted corporate campaign donations and previously worked to make the Legislature’s records open for public view. As a treasurer, he has prioritized economic security and prosperity for all, especially working families and retirees. In office, he has worked to strengthen budget reserves, increase pension funds, and manage debt costs.

Republican Sharon Hanek is challenging Pellicciotti in this race. Hanek is a certified public accountant and serves as the vice chair of the Pierce County Planning Commission. Hanek has run for office unsuccessfully several times before, including losing by more than 17% statewide in her 2012 run for state Treasurer. Hanek is the founder of My Family My Choice, a far-right group aligned with Moms for Liberty that wants to ban books and promotes conspiracy theories about public schools. We can't afford to give Hanek a statewide platform for her dangerous, far-right agenda.

Pellicciotti has been a reliable Democratic leader in the Washington state treasurer’s office and he has earned your vote for another term.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Incumbent Democrat Pat McCarthy is running for a third term as Washington state auditor. McCarthy made history as the state’s first woman auditor when she took office in 2017. Before that, she served Pierce County in the elected roles of both executive and auditor and was previously a member of the Tacoma School Board, including as board president. She serves in multiple community leadership positions including on the Asian Pacific Cultural Center Advisory Board and with the Pierce County Sexual Assault Center.

In her first two terms, McCarthy has worked hard to bring accountability and transparency to the auditor’s office. She previously launched important investigations into both white-collar crime and unemployment benefit cases and even oversaw the largest fraud case in state history pertaining to misappropriated local housing funds. Looking towards another term, McCarthy wants to prioritize public and private sector integrity, responsible resource use, and advancing the office’s technology infrastructure to serve the public better.

Spokane County Republican Party leader Matt Hawkins is challenging incumbent McCarthy in this race. Hawkins created the We The People interactive calendar, which details events in U.S. history that he deems important. He has run for elected office before including vying for the top Republican Party job in the state last year, as well as the Washington state Senate in 2018. In this race, Hawkins boasts a typically conservative platform which includes continuing to cast doubt on the security of our local elections and worsening the imbalance in our state’s tax code.

McCarthy has earned your vote for another term as Washington's state auditor.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Incumbent Democrat Pat McCarthy is running for a third term as Washington state auditor. McCarthy made history as the state’s first woman auditor when she took office in 2017. Before that, she served Pierce County in the elected roles of both executive and auditor and was previously a member of the Tacoma School Board, including as board president. She serves in multiple community leadership positions including on the Asian Pacific Cultural Center Advisory Board and with the Pierce County Sexual Assault Center.

In her first two terms, McCarthy has worked hard to bring accountability and transparency to the auditor’s office. She previously launched important investigations into both white-collar crime and unemployment benefit cases and even oversaw the largest fraud case in state history pertaining to misappropriated local housing funds. Looking towards another term, McCarthy wants to prioritize public and private sector integrity, responsible resource use, and advancing the office’s technology infrastructure to serve the public better.

Spokane County Republican Party leader Matt Hawkins is challenging incumbent McCarthy in this race. Hawkins created the We The People interactive calendar, which details events in U.S. history that he deems important. He has run for elected office before including vying for the top Republican Party job in the state last year, as well as the Washington state Senate in 2018. In this race, Hawkins boasts a typically conservative platform which includes continuing to cast doubt on the security of our local elections and worsening the imbalance in our state’s tax code.

McCarthy has earned your vote for another term as Washington's state auditor.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Nick Brown is a former U.S. attorney for Western Washington running to protect the climate, our democracy, and Washingtonians' civil rights. Before his appointment by the Biden Administration in 2021, Brown worked as the general counsel for Gov. Jay Inslee. He also served in the US Army as a judge advocate general (JAG) officer, where he represented soldiers and the Army in legal matters, followed by working as a prosecutor. Brown has also served as chair of the attorney general’s Advisory Subcommittee on Civil Rights.

As the first Black U.S. attorney in the state's history, Brown notes that Washington is experiencing the highest number of hate crimes in 20 years. He wants to use the attorney general's office to implement laws that prosecute domestic terrorists, especially the burgeoning white supremacist movements that have threatened local leaders and committed violent hate crimes.

In our interview with Brown, he identified his top three priorities as strengthening the operations of the office, holding local jurisdictions accountable for upholding the law, and enforcing environmental protections. He emphasized his work with the attorney general's office as a special assistant attorney general and said that he would strive to build a more representative office and ensure they resolve problems with legal standards that led to the office receiving a fine last year. One of Brown's biggest accomplishments as an attorney was helping write Initiative 1639, Safe Schools and Safe Communities, which makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to own a semi-automatic rifle. He later defended the law against the NRA. Building on that success, Brown wants to continue to enforce laws against deadly weapons and defend the state against voter suppression, wage theft, and more. Brown also wants to enforce environmental laws strictly and uphold strong consumer protections by, for example, pursuing the ongoing investigation on monopolistic practices by landlords and rental companies to keep prices inflated.

Republican and Pasco attorney Pete Serrano is running to bring a conservative agenda to the attorney general's office. Serrano is the board president and general counsel of an organization that fights commonsense gun laws and public health mandates, and he was recently elected mayor of Pasco. He states that while he disagrees with these laws he will follow the state Constitution, but the Seattle Times also reported that he intended to remain "actively engaged" with the organization in a Facebook video on the organization's page. If elected he promises to "Make Washington Safe Again" and make the office more transparent. Serrano is not a progressive choice in this race.

Brown is the clear choice in the race to be Washington's next attorney general.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Nick Brown is a former U.S. attorney for Western Washington running to protect the climate, our democracy, and Washingtonians' civil rights. Before his appointment by the Biden Administration in 2021, Brown worked as the general counsel for Gov. Jay Inslee. He also served in the US Army as a judge advocate general (JAG) officer, where he represented soldiers and the Army in legal matters, followed by working as a prosecutor. Brown has also served as chair of the attorney general’s Advisory Subcommittee on Civil Rights.

As the first Black U.S. attorney in the state's history, Brown notes that Washington is experiencing the highest number of hate crimes in 20 years. He wants to use the attorney general's office to implement laws that prosecute domestic terrorists, especially the burgeoning white supremacist movements that have threatened local leaders and committed violent hate crimes.

In our interview with Brown, he identified his top three priorities as strengthening the operations of the office, holding local jurisdictions accountable for upholding the law, and enforcing environmental protections. He emphasized his work with the attorney general's office as a special assistant attorney general and said that he would strive to build a more representative office and ensure they resolve problems with legal standards that led to the office receiving a fine last year. One of Brown's biggest accomplishments as an attorney was helping write Initiative 1639, Safe Schools and Safe Communities, which makes it illegal for anyone under 21 to own a semi-automatic rifle. He later defended the law against the NRA. Building on that success, Brown wants to continue to enforce laws against deadly weapons and defend the state against voter suppression, wage theft, and more. Brown also wants to enforce environmental laws strictly and uphold strong consumer protections by, for example, pursuing the ongoing investigation on monopolistic practices by landlords and rental companies to keep prices inflated.

Republican and Pasco attorney Pete Serrano is running to bring a conservative agenda to the attorney general's office. Serrano is the board president and general counsel of an organization that fights commonsense gun laws and public health mandates, and he was recently elected mayor of Pasco. He states that while he disagrees with these laws he will follow the state Constitution, but the Seattle Times also reported that he intended to remain "actively engaged" with the organization in a Facebook video on the organization's page. If elected he promises to "Make Washington Safe Again" and make the office more transparent. Serrano is not a progressive choice in this race.

Brown is the clear choice in the race to be Washington's next attorney general.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

King County Council chair Dave Upthegrove is running for commissioner of public lands to fill the vacancy left by Hilary Franz. Upthegrove previously served in the Legislature for five terms, where he made history as the first openly gay representative from outside of Seattle. He joined the King County Council in 2013, where he has been a strong advocate for climate concerns and environmental protections. 

Upthegrove has an inclusive vision for using the office to improve the quality of life for all Washingtonians. Upthegrove wants to mitigate the damage of wildfire seasons, bring good jobs and services to rural Washington, preserve mature legacy forests, expand recreational opportunities on public lands, and center the idea of environmental justice to guide policy. While he lauds the incumbent Franz for her work on wildfire prevention, Upthegrove wants to be more ambitious when it comes to reforming forestry policies. He believes the department needs a more honest accounting of the carbon impacts of forestry and timber work, which he is well positioned to lead having managed King County's forest carbon program. Upthegrove also wants to use his experience and relationships in the Legislature to help pass laws and increase funding for the department's conservation work.

Former congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is back on the ballot this election. In 2022, she lost her re-election primary to ultra-conservative Joe Kent and current Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. In Congress, Herrera Beutler voted with Trump more than 80% of the time, though she has received criticism from her party after voting to impeach Donald Trump following the January 6th insurrection. Herrera Beutler has overwhelmingly opposed bills that protect our environment including the 2021 Build Back Better Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, both of which contained bold policies to alleviate the climate crisis. She lacks a detailed campaign platform in this race but mentions wildfire mitigation, habitat preservation, and public land use as top issues.

The race for this open seat will determine whether our state will be a leader in fighting climate change, protecting our forests, and preventing forest fires or bow to the demands of big timber companies. Upthegrove's environmental track record in office and endorsements from Washington Conservation Action, the Sierra Club, and other environmental champions make him the clear choice in this race.

Last updated: 2024-10-25

King County Council chair Dave Upthegrove is running for commissioner of public lands to fill the vacancy left by Hilary Franz. Upthegrove previously served in the Legislature for five terms, where he made history as the first openly gay representative from outside of Seattle. He joined the King County Council in 2013, where he has been a strong advocate for climate concerns and environmental protections. 

Upthegrove has an inclusive vision for using the office to improve the quality of life for all Washingtonians. Upthegrove wants to mitigate the damage of wildfire seasons, bring good jobs and services to rural Washington, preserve mature legacy forests, expand recreational opportunities on public lands, and center the idea of environmental justice to guide policy. While he lauds the incumbent Franz for her work on wildfire prevention, Upthegrove wants to be more ambitious when it comes to reforming forestry policies. He believes the department needs a more honest accounting of the carbon impacts of forestry and timber work, which he is well positioned to lead having managed King County's forest carbon program. Upthegrove also wants to use his experience and relationships in the Legislature to help pass laws and increase funding for the department's conservation work.

Former congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is back on the ballot this election. In 2022, she lost her re-election primary to ultra-conservative Joe Kent and current Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. In Congress, Herrera Beutler voted with Trump more than 80% of the time, though she has received criticism from her party after voting to impeach Donald Trump following the January 6th insurrection. Herrera Beutler has overwhelmingly opposed bills that protect our environment including the 2021 Build Back Better Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, both of which contained bold policies to alleviate the climate crisis. She lacks a detailed campaign platform in this race but mentions wildfire mitigation, habitat preservation, and public land use as top issues.

The race for this open seat will determine whether our state will be a leader in fighting climate change, protecting our forests, and preventing forest fires or bow to the demands of big timber companies. Upthegrove's environmental track record in office and endorsements from Washington Conservation Action, the Sierra Club, and other environmental champions make him the clear choice in this race.

Last updated: 2024-10-25

Incumbent Chris Reykdal is running for a third term in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Reykdal has been a strong champion for public education as superintendent, during his six years in the Legislature, and in 14 years on local school boards and leadership positions at educational institutions.

The superintendent's office provides resources and guidance on language access, student safety, school district budgeting, and student needs to Washington's 295 public school districts and six state-tribal education compact schools. In office, Reykdal has worked to reduce learning gaps, raise educator salaries, increase free meal access, and expand dual and tribal language learning programs.

In our interview, Reykdal acknowledged that the pandemic and declining birth rates have affected enrollment rates in public schools. Despite this challenge, he was proud that districts have made gains in other areas like retaining teachers of color. He identified the decrease in state funding, relative to inflation, as a fundamental challenge facing public schools. He reiterated his commitment to advocating for the Legislature to increase funding per student and allow districts to fund special education. He also expressed his commitment to keeping schools public, rejecting vouchers, and improving mental health support for students. This year, OSPI offered legislation to increase paraeducator pay to attract and retain these critical classroom supports. Finally, he cited his experience running a large state agency for the last eight years as a key strength compared to his less experienced opponent.

Gig Harbor School Board member David Olson is challenging Reykdal on a reactionary right-wing platform. Like many conservative school board directors, he welcomes conservative, politically motivated censorship that would block access to books and multicultural programming. Olson also wants to employ strict guidelines in our schools that penalize students who are struggling the most. According to The Seattle Times, he told the Washington Republican Party convention "that if every high school graduate opted for the skilled trades instead of pursuing a four-year degree, universities 'could all go bankrupt and that would save America.'" Olson's extremism and conspiracy theories are completely disqualifying for someone looking to lead our state's public education system.

Reykdal has strong support from educators across the state and has earned your vote for re-election.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Incumbent Chris Reykdal is running for a third term in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Reykdal has been a strong champion for public education as superintendent, during his six years in the Legislature, and in 14 years on local school boards and leadership positions at educational institutions.

The superintendent's office provides resources and guidance on language access, student safety, school district budgeting, and student needs to Washington's 295 public school districts and six state-tribal education compact schools. In office, Reykdal has worked to reduce learning gaps, raise educator salaries, increase free meal access, and expand dual and tribal language learning programs.

In our interview, Reykdal acknowledged that the pandemic and declining birth rates have affected enrollment rates in public schools. Despite this challenge, he was proud that districts have made gains in other areas like retaining teachers of color. He identified the decrease in state funding, relative to inflation, as a fundamental challenge facing public schools. He reiterated his commitment to advocating for the Legislature to increase funding per student and allow districts to fund special education. He also expressed his commitment to keeping schools public, rejecting vouchers, and improving mental health support for students. This year, OSPI offered legislation to increase paraeducator pay to attract and retain these critical classroom supports. Finally, he cited his experience running a large state agency for the last eight years as a key strength compared to his less experienced opponent.

Gig Harbor School Board member David Olson is challenging Reykdal on a reactionary right-wing platform. Like many conservative school board directors, he welcomes conservative, politically motivated censorship that would block access to books and multicultural programming. Olson also wants to employ strict guidelines in our schools that penalize students who are struggling the most. According to The Seattle Times, he told the Washington Republican Party convention "that if every high school graduate opted for the skilled trades instead of pursuing a four-year degree, universities 'could all go bankrupt and that would save America.'" Olson's extremism and conspiracy theories are completely disqualifying for someone looking to lead our state's public education system.

Reykdal has strong support from educators across the state and has earned your vote for re-election.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

State senator and attorney Patty Kuderer is running for Washington insurance commissioner. She has served the 48th Legislative District since 2015 when she was appointed to the state House before being appointed to fill the Senate seat vacancy in 2017.

Kuderer has been one of the most active sponsors of progressive bills in the Legislature. This year, she was the primary sponsor of a successful bill to ensure Narcan is available in Washington schools. As a secondary sponsor, she helped to pass a slate of progressive bills, including ensuring that valid ballots are not unduly rejected, limiting the ability to bring firearms to public places like zoos, transit stations, and libraries, and aligning state and federal financial aid programs. Kuderer is now campaigning for insurance commissioner on a progressive platform that includes exploring universal health care, reducing auto insurance costs, expanding cancer screening for firefighters, and improving access to climate change insurance for homeowners and businesses.

Republican state Senator Phil Fortunato is also running for the commissioner position. Fortunato was first elected to serve the 31st Legislative District in Olympia in 2016 as a representative before being immediately appointed to an open Senate seat. Outside public service, his professional background is in erosion control and stormwater management. In the Legislature, Fortunato was the primary sponsor of many far-right bills, including legislation to strip abortion rights for some Washingtonians and to oppose commonsense gun safety policy. If he's elected insurance commissioner, Fortunato wants to remove regulations that keep health care costs lower. He is vehemently opposed to universal health care policies that would allow all Washingtonians, regardless of income status, to access the care and medicine they need.

We recommend Patty Kuderer for Washington insurance commissioner because of her strong background in public service and clear vision for the office.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

State senator and attorney Patty Kuderer is running for Washington insurance commissioner. She has served the 48th Legislative District since 2015 when she was appointed to the state House before being appointed to fill the Senate seat vacancy in 2017.

Kuderer has been one of the most active sponsors of progressive bills in the Legislature. This year, she was the primary sponsor of a successful bill to ensure Narcan is available in Washington schools. As a secondary sponsor, she helped to pass a slate of progressive bills, including ensuring that valid ballots are not unduly rejected, limiting the ability to bring firearms to public places like zoos, transit stations, and libraries, and aligning state and federal financial aid programs. Kuderer is now campaigning for insurance commissioner on a progressive platform that includes exploring universal health care, reducing auto insurance costs, expanding cancer screening for firefighters, and improving access to climate change insurance for homeowners and businesses.

Republican state Senator Phil Fortunato is also running for the commissioner position. Fortunato was first elected to serve the 31st Legislative District in Olympia in 2016 as a representative before being immediately appointed to an open Senate seat. Outside public service, his professional background is in erosion control and stormwater management. In the Legislature, Fortunato was the primary sponsor of many far-right bills, including legislation to strip abortion rights for some Washingtonians and to oppose commonsense gun safety policy. If he's elected insurance commissioner, Fortunato wants to remove regulations that keep health care costs lower. He is vehemently opposed to universal health care policies that would allow all Washingtonians, regardless of income status, to access the care and medicine they need.

We recommend Patty Kuderer for Washington insurance commissioner because of her strong background in public service and clear vision for the office.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

40th Legislative District

Sen. Liz Lovelett is running for re-election in Legislative District 40. Lovelett is a fifth-generation Anacortes resident who previously served on the Anacortes City Council.

In her time in office, Lovelett has prioritized passing bills that support environmental conservation. This year, she was the prime sponsor of a bill to explore geothermal energy in the state and has helped secure local funding for ferries, addressed chemical pollutants (PFAS) in the water supply in the San Juans, and supported the construction of the new Lopez Food Center. She has also played a key role in passing legislation protecting orcas and the Salish Sea. If re-elected this November, Lovelett wants to continue her work expanding investments in the ferry system, increasing access to nutritious food and housing for residents in need, and addressing climate-critical projects.

Lovelett faces a challenge from Republican Charles Carrell, who ran against her in 2020 and lost by nearly 40 points. Though he has no website available as of mid-October, his 2020 campaign focused almost entirely on the vague promise of eliminating government redundancy without any specific path or experience that he would use to achieve that. He also supports conservative efforts to ban books, censor history, and eliminate multicultural literacy in our public schools.

Lovelett has earned your vote for state Senate from the 40th District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Sen. Liz Lovelett is running for re-election in Legislative District 40. Lovelett is a fifth-generation Anacortes resident who previously served on the Anacortes City Council.

In her time in office, Lovelett has prioritized passing bills that support environmental conservation. This year, she was the prime sponsor of a bill to explore geothermal energy in the state and has helped secure local funding for ferries, addressed chemical pollutants (PFAS) in the water supply in the San Juans, and supported the construction of the new Lopez Food Center. She has also played a key role in passing legislation protecting orcas and the Salish Sea. If re-elected this November, Lovelett wants to continue her work expanding investments in the ferry system, increasing access to nutritious food and housing for residents in need, and addressing climate-critical projects.

Lovelett faces a challenge from Republican Charles Carrell, who ran against her in 2020 and lost by nearly 40 points. Though he has no website available as of mid-October, his 2020 campaign focused almost entirely on the vague promise of eliminating government redundancy without any specific path or experience that he would use to achieve that. He also supports conservative efforts to ban books, censor history, and eliminate multicultural literacy in our public schools.

Lovelett has earned your vote for state Senate from the 40th District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Rep. Debra Lekanoff is running unopposed for re-election to Legislative District 40, Position 1. Lekanoff is currently the only Native American woman in the Washington State Legislature. She formerly worked for the Swinomish Tribe as the governmental affairs director and now serves as vice chair of the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

In her last term, Lekanoff was the prime sponsor of historic legislation that created the country’s first alert system for missing Indigenous women. This year, she was the prime sponsor for a bill to improve coordination between Washington's behavioral health system and the Indian behavioral health system. Lekanoff has also sponsored and supported bills that would expand much-needed middle housing to Washington (like triplexes and duplexes), fund food relief programs for people in need, and form rapid care teams to help children in crisis. In addition, Lekanoff recently spoke about her past challenges with addiction as a way to motivate the community to be proactive about dealing with substance abuse and how we can come together to solve them.

Lekanoff is a strong progressive who will continue to prioritize the environment, tribal representation, and community economic security. She has earned your vote for Position 1 representing the 40th Legislative District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Rep. Debra Lekanoff is running unopposed for re-election to Legislative District 40, Position 1. Lekanoff is currently the only Native American woman in the Washington State Legislature. She formerly worked for the Swinomish Tribe as the governmental affairs director and now serves as vice chair of the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

In her last term, Lekanoff was the prime sponsor of historic legislation that created the country’s first alert system for missing Indigenous women. This year, she was the prime sponsor for a bill to improve coordination between Washington's behavioral health system and the Indian behavioral health system. Lekanoff has also sponsored and supported bills that would expand much-needed middle housing to Washington (like triplexes and duplexes), fund food relief programs for people in need, and form rapid care teams to help children in crisis. In addition, Lekanoff recently spoke about her past challenges with addiction as a way to motivate the community to be proactive about dealing with substance abuse and how we can come together to solve them.

Lekanoff is a strong progressive who will continue to prioritize the environment, tribal representation, and community economic security. She has earned your vote for Position 1 representing the 40th Legislative District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Rep. Alex Ramel is running unopposed for re-election to Position 2 in the 40th Legislative District. Ramel has been a strong progressive leader in the Legislature since his appointment in 2020 and re-election in 2022. He previously served on the board of the Whatcom chapter of Washington Conservation Action and now works as a climate policy advisor for an environmental nonprofit.

As a climate expert and former environmental organizer, Ramel has worked hard to protect Washington's clean air and water. This year, Ramel sponsored bills to upgrade the districts' energy systems in state-owned buildings and mitigate wildfire risk through electric utility planning. He also supported last year's successful bill to expand "middle housing" options like duplexes and triplexes to alleviate the state's immense need for affordable homes. Finally, he helped secure millions in funding for local projects like the Lopez Island Food Hub.

Ramel has been an outstanding advocate for progressive causes and has earned your vote to continue serving the 40th Legislative District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Rep. Alex Ramel is running unopposed for re-election to Position 2 in the 40th Legislative District. Ramel has been a strong progressive leader in the Legislature since his appointment in 2020 and re-election in 2022. He previously served on the board of the Whatcom chapter of Washington Conservation Action and now works as a climate policy advisor for an environmental nonprofit.

As a climate expert and former environmental organizer, Ramel has worked hard to protect Washington's clean air and water. This year, Ramel sponsored bills to upgrade the districts' energy systems in state-owned buildings and mitigate wildfire risk through electric utility planning. He also supported last year's successful bill to expand "middle housing" options like duplexes and triplexes to alleviate the state's immense need for affordable homes. Finally, he helped secure millions in funding for local projects like the Lopez Island Food Hub.

Ramel has been an outstanding advocate for progressive causes and has earned your vote to continue serving the 40th Legislative District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Skagit County, District 2

Depending on the county district you live in, you may have the following races on your ballot.

Mount Vernon City Council member Richard Brocksmith is challenging incumbent Peter Browning to represent District 2 on the Skagit County Commission. Brocksmith is the principal at his own consulting firm and works for the Skagit Watershed Council as the executive director. Beyond his two terms on the Mount Vernon City Council, he has strong public service experience including as the founding director of the Skagit Housing Consortium.

Brocksmith is running for Skagit County Commission with a grassroots vision to unite the county and create opportunity for all. If elected, he wants to support community-driven density rather than the recent movement for Fully Contained Communities that proposes private developments on farmlands. Brocksmith also wants to strengthen relationships between local Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous farmers to create a shared vision for the region. His other top priorities are investments in county infrastructure, more good-wage jobs and workforce development, and protections for our local ecosystems to support environmental health and sustainable economic growth.

Brocksmith is challenging incumbent Peter Browning, who is running for a second term. Before that, Browning served on the Skagit Regional Health Public Hospital Commission for four years. His professional background is in business leadership and public health, and he has previously served as the director of public health for Skagit County and ran a number of small businesses. Browning wants to continue to address homelessness, engage Indigenous leaders in county planning, protect our natural environment, and support the local tourism economy.

We recommend Richard Brocksmith in this race for Skagit County Commission, District 2 because of his optimistic vision and the strong community endorsements he has earned.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

Mount Vernon City Council member Richard Brocksmith is challenging incumbent Peter Browning to represent District 2 on the Skagit County Commission. Brocksmith is the principal at his own consulting firm and works for the Skagit Watershed Council as the executive director. Beyond his two terms on the Mount Vernon City Council, he has strong public service experience including as the founding director of the Skagit Housing Consortium.

Brocksmith is running for Skagit County Commission with a grassroots vision to unite the county and create opportunity for all. If elected, he wants to support community-driven density rather than the recent movement for Fully Contained Communities that proposes private developments on farmlands. Brocksmith also wants to strengthen relationships between local Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous farmers to create a shared vision for the region. His other top priorities are investments in county infrastructure, more good-wage jobs and workforce development, and protections for our local ecosystems to support environmental health and sustainable economic growth.

Brocksmith is challenging incumbent Peter Browning, who is running for a second term. Before that, Browning served on the Skagit Regional Health Public Hospital Commission for four years. His professional background is in business leadership and public health, and he has previously served as the director of public health for Skagit County and ran a number of small businesses. Browning wants to continue to address homelessness, engage Indigenous leaders in county planning, protect our natural environment, and support the local tourism economy.

We recommend Richard Brocksmith in this race for Skagit County Commission, District 2 because of his optimistic vision and the strong community endorsements he has earned.

Last updated: 2024-10-24

Endorsed By: UFCW 3000 , NW Washington Central Labor Council, Skagit County Democrats, Skagit County Professional Firefighters - IAFF Local 1983

State Supreme Court

Sal Mungia is an awarded and experienced local attorney running for retiring Justice Susan Owens’ Position 2 on the state Supreme Court. Mungia is a partner at a Tacoma- and Seattle-based firm where he works in trial and appellate law primarily focused on injury law and medical malpractice. He has a long history of leadership and service including, among other experiences, as the former president of the Washington State Bar Association, former chair of the Equal Justice Coalition, and a cooperating attorney with the ACLU of Washington.

Mungia’s career has been strongly community-oriented. He has done significant pro bono legal work while working to improve our criminal legal system. Now, he has earned wide and impressive support in his bid for the court including from sitting Supreme Court Justice Yu and Chief Justice González.

Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Dave Larson is also in this race. Before joining the Municipal Court, Larson worked as a trial attorney. Larson is the endorsed candidate by Washington state's MAGA Republican Party, known for its far-right positions and aggressive opposition to abortion access. Progressives are backing Mungia in this race.

We recommend Sal Mungia in this race to bring trusted, just, and community-minded leadership to Washington’s Supreme Court.

Last updated: 2024-10-14

Sal Mungia is an awarded and experienced local attorney running for retiring Justice Susan Owens’ Position 2 on the state Supreme Court. Mungia is a partner at a Tacoma- and Seattle-based firm where he works in trial and appellate law primarily focused on injury law and medical malpractice. He has a long history of leadership and service including, among other experiences, as the former president of the Washington State Bar Association, former chair of the Equal Justice Coalition, and a cooperating attorney with the ACLU of Washington.

Mungia’s career has been strongly community-oriented. He has done significant pro bono legal work while working to improve our criminal legal system. Now, he has earned wide and impressive support in his bid for the court including from sitting Supreme Court Justice Yu and Chief Justice González.

Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Dave Larson is also in this race. Before joining the Municipal Court, Larson worked as a trial attorney. Larson is the endorsed candidate by Washington state's MAGA Republican Party, known for its far-right positions and aggressive opposition to abortion access. Progressives are backing Mungia in this race.

We recommend Sal Mungia in this race to bring trusted, just, and community-minded leadership to Washington’s Supreme Court.

Last updated: 2024-10-14

Chief Justice Steven González is running unopposed for re-election to Position 8 on the Washington Supreme Court. González was first appointed to the bench in 2012 and was chosen by his peers to serve in the chief justice position in 2021, making him Washington’s first chief justice of color. Before becoming a judge, González’s law career ranged from international business law and terrorism prosecution to civil rights pro bono work. He serves on the board of the Washington Leadership Institute to provide opportunities and support for legal professionals from backgrounds and identities that have previously been excluded from legal spaces.

In his leadership role on the state’s top court, González has sought to make the legal system a place for justice and dignity for all Washingtonians. He worked to make our courts more accessible to non-English speakers. González has received bipartisan support in past races but consistently received support from some of the state’s top progressive leaders. González has been ranked highly by some of the state’s most progressive bar associations including QLaw, Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, Washington Women Lawyers, and more.

We recommend Justice Steven González for another term in Position 8 on Washington's Supreme Court to continue bringing just and experienced judicial leadership to our top court.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Chief Justice Steven González is running unopposed for re-election to Position 8 on the Washington Supreme Court. González was first appointed to the bench in 2012 and was chosen by his peers to serve in the chief justice position in 2021, making him Washington’s first chief justice of color. Before becoming a judge, González’s law career ranged from international business law and terrorism prosecution to civil rights pro bono work. He serves on the board of the Washington Leadership Institute to provide opportunities and support for legal professionals from backgrounds and identities that have previously been excluded from legal spaces.

In his leadership role on the state’s top court, González has sought to make the legal system a place for justice and dignity for all Washingtonians. He worked to make our courts more accessible to non-English speakers. González has received bipartisan support in past races but consistently received support from some of the state’s top progressive leaders. González has been ranked highly by some of the state’s most progressive bar associations including QLaw, Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, Washington Women Lawyers, and more.

We recommend Justice Steven González for another term in Position 8 on Washington's Supreme Court to continue bringing just and experienced judicial leadership to our top court.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Justice Sheryl McCloud is running unopposed for re-election to Position 9 on the Washington Supreme Court. McCloud is a former public defender who has served on Washington’s top court since 2013. She co-chairs the court’s Gender & Justice Commission and serves as the liaison to the state bar's Council on Public Defense. On the bench, Justice McCloud’s top areas of attention include constitutional and individual rights, and she authored the 2017 opinion barring a private business open to the general public from refusing to serve a gay couple. She was the founding member of the Washington Appellate Lawyers Association.

In this election, her focus is on protecting constitutional rights. She has been rated “Exceptionally Well Qualified” by a number of the state’s top bar associations, including the King County Bar Association, QLaw, and the Washington Women Lawyers. These organizations ensure that our justices are treating all Washingtonians fairly and protecting constitutionally outlined civil rights.

Justice McCloud deserves your vote to continue bringing fair and experienced leadership to the state Supreme Court.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Justice Sheryl McCloud is running unopposed for re-election to Position 9 on the Washington Supreme Court. McCloud is a former public defender who has served on Washington’s top court since 2013. She co-chairs the court’s Gender & Justice Commission and serves as the liaison to the state bar's Council on Public Defense. On the bench, Justice McCloud’s top areas of attention include constitutional and individual rights, and she authored the 2017 opinion barring a private business open to the general public from refusing to serve a gay couple. She was the founding member of the Washington Appellate Lawyers Association.

In this election, her focus is on protecting constitutional rights. She has been rated “Exceptionally Well Qualified” by a number of the state’s top bar associations, including the King County Bar Association, QLaw, and the Washington Women Lawyers. These organizations ensure that our justices are treating all Washingtonians fairly and protecting constitutionally outlined civil rights.

Justice McCloud deserves your vote to continue bringing fair and experienced leadership to the state Supreme Court.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Court of Appeals, Division One, District Three

Judge Cecily Hazelrigg is running unopposed for re-election to her seat on the Court of Appeals in District 1, Division 3. Hazelrigg was first elected to the court in 2018. She also has litigation experience as a Skagit County public defender and as the owner of her own law firm. Hazelrigg has also gained strong judicial experience as pro tem justice for the Washington Supreme Court.

Judge Hazelrigg’s term on the Court of Appeals has been productive, impartial, and widely respected. She currently serves on the Court of Appeals Executive and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees to ensure that the court is as community-focused and efficient as possible. Her strong reputation has earned her impressive support in this re-election campaign, including from every sitting state Supreme Court justice.

We recommend Cecily Hazelrigg for another term serving Washingtonians on the Court of Appeals.

Last updated: 2024-10-25

Judge Cecily Hazelrigg is running unopposed for re-election to her seat on the Court of Appeals in District 1, Division 3. Hazelrigg was first elected to the court in 2018. She also has litigation experience as a Skagit County public defender and as the owner of her own law firm. Hazelrigg has also gained strong judicial experience as pro tem justice for the Washington Supreme Court.

Judge Hazelrigg’s term on the Court of Appeals has been productive, impartial, and widely respected. She currently serves on the Court of Appeals Executive and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees to ensure that the court is as community-focused and efficient as possible. Her strong reputation has earned her impressive support in this re-election campaign, including from every sitting state Supreme Court justice.

We recommend Cecily Hazelrigg for another term serving Washingtonians on the Court of Appeals.

Last updated: 2024-10-25

Charter Review Commission

The Charter Review Commission is elected every 10 years and is responsible for writing the rules for how the government operates, much like a county constitution. Depending on where you live you may have the following races on your ballot.

Charter Review Commission, Whatcom County, District 1

Every ten years the county forms a Charter Review Commission to provide a community-led reassessment of the legal document that outlines the rules of local government. Voters will be able to elect three commissioners for each of Whatcom’s five county council districts for a total of fifteen charter commissioners.

Andrew Reding, the highly successful chair of the Whatcom County Democrats, is running for a seat on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission in Board District 1. Reding supports charter considerations such as employing ranked choice voting, easing the signature requirements for charter amendments to support direct democracy, and limiting conflicts of interest in local government. He strongly believes that the integrity of the county council structure must be protected in order to avoid a conservative minority rule. His candidacy for the commission is supported by all three of the 40th LD lawmakers and all four Democratic county council members.

We recommend Andrew Reding for one of the three Board District 1 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Every ten years the county forms a Charter Review Commission to provide a community-led reassessment of the legal document that outlines the rules of local government. Voters will be able to elect three commissioners for each of Whatcom’s five county council districts for a total of fifteen charter commissioners.

Andrew Reding, the highly successful chair of the Whatcom County Democrats, is running for a seat on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission in Board District 1. Reding supports charter considerations such as employing ranked choice voting, easing the signature requirements for charter amendments to support direct democracy, and limiting conflicts of interest in local government. He strongly believes that the integrity of the county council structure must be protected in order to avoid a conservative minority rule. His candidacy for the commission is supported by all three of the 40th LD lawmakers and all four Democratic county council members.

We recommend Andrew Reding for one of the three Board District 1 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Joel Pitts-Jordan is the agency legislative coordinator for the state’s Department of Health. Previously, he worked for the state attorney general’s office as a legislative office assistant and legal fellow. Pitts-Jordan also serves on the board of the Whatcom County Democrats and has earned their support in this race. His robust knowledge of policy and track record of legislative work make him a strong fit to contribute to the charter review process. We recommend Joel Pitts-Jordan for one of the three Board District 1 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Joel Pitts-Jordan is the agency legislative coordinator for the state’s Department of Health. Previously, he worked for the state attorney general’s office as a legislative office assistant and legal fellow. Pitts-Jordan also serves on the board of the Whatcom County Democrats and has earned their support in this race. His robust knowledge of policy and track record of legislative work make him a strong fit to contribute to the charter review process. We recommend Joel Pitts-Jordan for one of the three Board District 1 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Liz Darrow has a long track record as a community activist and organizer, including a previous run for Bellingham City Council. Darrow is a video editor who has worked closely with the Cascadia International Women's Film Festival. She has worked with the Immigration Advisory Board, Community to Community Development group, and the Lettered Streets Neighborhood Association. Her last run promoted bold action on building more affordable housing units and instituting a climate resiliency plan with fare-free public transit.

A throughline of her advocacy is an emphasis on making local government more accessible, accountable, and action-oriented. Darrow will bring these values to a seat on the charter review commission to ensure that the charter works first and foremost to make life better for residents. She has the support of the county Democrats and we recommend her for one of the three Board District 1 seats on the review commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Liz Darrow has a long track record as a community activist and organizer, including a previous run for Bellingham City Council. Darrow is a video editor who has worked closely with the Cascadia International Women's Film Festival. She has worked with the Immigration Advisory Board, Community to Community Development group, and the Lettered Streets Neighborhood Association. Her last run promoted bold action on building more affordable housing units and instituting a climate resiliency plan with fare-free public transit.

A throughline of her advocacy is an emphasis on making local government more accessible, accountable, and action-oriented. Darrow will bring these values to a seat on the charter review commission to ensure that the charter works first and foremost to make life better for residents. She has the support of the county Democrats and we recommend her for one of the three Board District 1 seats on the review commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Charter Review Commission, Whatcom County, District 2

Colton Kaltenfeldt is a local marketing director and former Whatcom Democrats executive board member. Kaltenfeldt served on the county’s Child & Family Well-Being Task Force and helped to pass the local Healthy Children’s Fund, which has already provided critical support for children and working families across the district.

His top priorities when reassessing our county charter include increasing citizen involvement in local government, ensuring that Whatcom ballots and elections are working for voters, and equipping Whatcom leaders with the resources to meet the needs of residents and the county. He has earned strong endorsements in this race including from state lawmakers, Whatcom County Council members, and many sitting Bellingham City Council members. We recommend Colton Kaltenfeldt for one of the three Board District 2 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Colton Kaltenfeldt is a local marketing director and former Whatcom Democrats executive board member. Kaltenfeldt served on the county’s Child & Family Well-Being Task Force and helped to pass the local Healthy Children’s Fund, which has already provided critical support for children and working families across the district.

His top priorities when reassessing our county charter include increasing citizen involvement in local government, ensuring that Whatcom ballots and elections are working for voters, and equipping Whatcom leaders with the resources to meet the needs of residents and the county. He has earned strong endorsements in this race including from state lawmakers, Whatcom County Council members, and many sitting Bellingham City Council members. We recommend Colton Kaltenfeldt for one of the three Board District 2 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Eamonn Collins is an affordable housing champion and Lummi Nation high school science teacher who previously ran a close, but unsuccessful, bid for Bellingham City Council. Collins previously worked as a U.S. Senate legislative assistant and education policy advisor in the U.S. House. He also works as a trustee for Kulshan Community Land Trust, the affordable housing nonprofit.

If elected, he would ensure all voices are heard and fairly represented on the commission and support implementing Ranked-Choice Voting for all county elections. Collins’ community leadership record as a teacher, policy professional, and local advocate positions him as a great choice for one of the three Board District 2 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Eamonn Collins is an affordable housing champion and Lummi Nation high school science teacher who previously ran a close, but unsuccessful, bid for Bellingham City Council. Collins previously worked as a U.S. Senate legislative assistant and education policy advisor in the U.S. House. He also works as a trustee for Kulshan Community Land Trust, the affordable housing nonprofit.

If elected, he would ensure all voices are heard and fairly represented on the commission and support implementing Ranked-Choice Voting for all county elections. Collins’ community leadership record as a teacher, policy professional, and local advocate positions him as a great choice for one of the three Board District 2 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Maya Morales, she/they, is a legislative advocate who helped pass the My Health My Data Act in 2023 to protect patients seeking abortion and gender-affirming care. She founded WA People’s Privacy to defeat a Big Tech data privacy bill and worked on the People First Bellingham campaign to pass a slew of progressive initiatives in 2021. She previously ran for Bellingham City Council, and if elected, would become Whatcom’s first openly lesbian and first Latina elected leader in the district. More recently, she has worked on an Unhoused Bill of Rights, which she has brought to Olympia.

Their top policy priorities as charter review commissioner would include employing ranked choice voting in our county elections and protecting civil rights at the county level, including potentially enshrining a bill of rights into our county charter. Morales is an experienced and principled progressive advocate who will make a strong addition to the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission in one of the three Board District 2 seats.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Maya Morales, she/they, is a legislative advocate who helped pass the My Health My Data Act in 2023 to protect patients seeking abortion and gender-affirming care. She founded WA People’s Privacy to defeat a Big Tech data privacy bill and worked on the People First Bellingham campaign to pass a slew of progressive initiatives in 2021. She previously ran for Bellingham City Council, and if elected, would become Whatcom’s first openly lesbian and first Latina elected leader in the district. More recently, she has worked on an Unhoused Bill of Rights, which she has brought to Olympia.

Their top policy priorities as charter review commissioner would include employing ranked choice voting in our county elections and protecting civil rights at the county level, including potentially enshrining a bill of rights into our county charter. Morales is an experienced and principled progressive advocate who will make a strong addition to the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission in one of the three Board District 2 seats.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Charter Review Commission, Whatcom County, District 3

Jennifer Wright is a teacher and member of the teacher’s union with strongly rooted progressive values. Wright has a strong vision for the charter review process, which she believes must include broad community input, bipartisan collaboration, and a commitment to finding common ground that serves all residents.

If elected to the commission, Wright would support instituting ranked-choice voting, creating greater transparency in our local government processes and finances, and empowering the ethics board and other ethical oversight. She has earned strong endorsements in this race from the county Democrats and elected progressive leaders at state, county, and city levels. We recommend Jennifer Wright for one of the three Board District 3 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Jennifer Wright is a teacher and member of the teacher’s union with strongly rooted progressive values. Wright has a strong vision for the charter review process, which she believes must include broad community input, bipartisan collaboration, and a commitment to finding common ground that serves all residents.

If elected to the commission, Wright would support instituting ranked-choice voting, creating greater transparency in our local government processes and finances, and empowering the ethics board and other ethical oversight. She has earned strong endorsements in this race from the county Democrats and elected progressive leaders at state, county, and city levels. We recommend Jennifer Wright for one of the three Board District 3 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Jessica Rienstra is a health care worker and a small business owner. She is dedicated to providing and advocating for low-barrier access to care for underserved populations. In this race, Rienstra has earned the support of the county Democrats.

If elected to the commission, Rienstra will work hard to ensure the county charter represents the needs of all Whatcom residents. Rienstra is a great choice for one of the three Board District 3 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Jessica Rienstra is a health care worker and a small business owner. She is dedicated to providing and advocating for low-barrier access to care for underserved populations. In this race, Rienstra has earned the support of the county Democrats.

If elected to the commission, Rienstra will work hard to ensure the county charter represents the needs of all Whatcom residents. Rienstra is a great choice for one of the three Board District 3 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective, FairVote Washington

Kelly Krieger is a small business owner with a background in entrepreneurship and marketing. Krieger previously ran a climate-focused campaign for a Port of Bellingham commissioner seat and has long been involved with the county Democrats. She also formerly served on the Puget Consumers Cooperative board.

Krieger is running to bring community-minded leadership to the Charter Review Commission. She has once again earned strong Democratic Party and progressive support in this campaign. We recommend Kelly Krieger for one of the three Board District 3 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Kelly Krieger is a small business owner with a background in entrepreneurship and marketing. Krieger previously ran a climate-focused campaign for a Port of Bellingham commissioner seat and has long been involved with the county Democrats. She also formerly served on the Puget Consumers Cooperative board.

Krieger is running to bring community-minded leadership to the Charter Review Commission. She has once again earned strong Democratic Party and progressive support in this campaign. We recommend Kelly Krieger for one of the three Board District 3 seats on the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Riveters Collective

Public Utility District 1 (Whatcom County PUD)

Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below races on your ballot.

Eddy Ury is running for Whatcom Public Utility District (PUD), Commissioner District 1. Ury is an environmental advocate who narrowly lost a 2021 bid for Whatcom County Council. He serves on the Climate Action Advisory Committee and works as a climate & energy policy manager at a nonprofit working to protect the Salish Sea and surrounding ecosystems. Ury’s commitment to building a green future in Washington earned him a “4 Under Forty” award from Northwest Energy Coalition.

Ury has achieved major policy wins in his advocacy positions including restricting fossil fuel development at Cherry Point and preventing major shipment expansions for coal and oil. As a PUD commissioner, Ury would be a thoughtful steward of our region’s natural resources, healthy ecosystems, and community health. His vision to fight for clean air and water for Whatcom generations to come is backed up by his proven track record in community policy and the support he has earned locally in this campaign.

Also in this race is Jeremiah J. Goggins, whose campaign website is not functioning as of mid-October. The PUD position will have an immense impact on our local ecosystems and community resources for generations to come, and Whatcom residents deserve a candidate with a strong, community vision for the position.

Eddy Ury is the clear choice in this race for Whatcom PUD Commissioner in District 1 to ensure our county utilities are managed with a focus on sustainability.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Eddy Ury is running for Whatcom Public Utility District (PUD), Commissioner District 1. Ury is an environmental advocate who narrowly lost a 2021 bid for Whatcom County Council. He serves on the Climate Action Advisory Committee and works as a climate & energy policy manager at a nonprofit working to protect the Salish Sea and surrounding ecosystems. Ury’s commitment to building a green future in Washington earned him a “4 Under Forty” award from Northwest Energy Coalition.

Ury has achieved major policy wins in his advocacy positions including restricting fossil fuel development at Cherry Point and preventing major shipment expansions for coal and oil. As a PUD commissioner, Ury would be a thoughtful steward of our region’s natural resources, healthy ecosystems, and community health. His vision to fight for clean air and water for Whatcom generations to come is backed up by his proven track record in community policy and the support he has earned locally in this campaign.

Also in this race is Jeremiah J. Goggins, whose campaign website is not functioning as of mid-October. The PUD position will have an immense impact on our local ecosystems and community resources for generations to come, and Whatcom residents deserve a candidate with a strong, community vision for the position.

Eddy Ury is the clear choice in this race for Whatcom PUD Commissioner in District 1 to ensure our county utilities are managed with a focus on sustainability.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Clean energy expert Atul Deshmane is running for another term representing Whatcom Public Utility District 1, Commissioner District 2. Deshmane was first elected to the role in 2018 and has also served on the Whatcom County Planning Commission since 2016. Previously, Deshmane worked in the auto industry in hybrid engineering and now works as a clean energy consultant while operating his own family farm.

As a commissioner, Deshmane has worked to achieve widespread broadband and clean energy solutions, modernizing our community for a more equitable and sustainable future. He is highly knowledgeable on green energy and has led the commission in exploring innovative ways to make the county more sustainable for generations to come. If re-elected, he wants to continue fighting for new fiber projects for districtwide broadband, explore geothermal energy, and protect the Nooksack Watershed for community needs.

Marine veteran and towing professional Dan Johnson lacks a campaign website and a detailed public platform in this race as of mid-October. Johnson states that a top priority is expanding renewable energy sources, though he falls far short of Deshmane's demonstrated track record and area expertise.

Deshmane has a long list of progressive endorsements in this race, including tribal governments, labor organizations, county elected officials, and environmental groups. Deshmane has earned your vote for Whatcom Public Utility District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Clean energy expert Atul Deshmane is running for another term representing Whatcom Public Utility District 1, Commissioner District 2. Deshmane was first elected to the role in 2018 and has also served on the Whatcom County Planning Commission since 2016. Previously, Deshmane worked in the auto industry in hybrid engineering and now works as a clean energy consultant while operating his own family farm.

As a commissioner, Deshmane has worked to achieve widespread broadband and clean energy solutions, modernizing our community for a more equitable and sustainable future. He is highly knowledgeable on green energy and has led the commission in exploring innovative ways to make the county more sustainable for generations to come. If re-elected, he wants to continue fighting for new fiber projects for districtwide broadband, explore geothermal energy, and protect the Nooksack Watershed for community needs.

Marine veteran and towing professional Dan Johnson lacks a campaign website and a detailed public platform in this race as of mid-October. Johnson states that a top priority is expanding renewable energy sources, though he falls far short of Deshmane's demonstrated track record and area expertise.

Deshmane has a long list of progressive endorsements in this race, including tribal governments, labor organizations, county elected officials, and environmental groups. Deshmane has earned your vote for Whatcom Public Utility District.

Last updated: 2024-10-22

Endorsed By: Washington Conservation Action , NW Washington Central Labor Council