Our full endorsement list for the November 2nd, 2021 General Election.
OCTOBER 13: Ballots mailed. Vote centers open.
OCTOBER 14: Ballot drop boxes open.
OCTOBER 25: Deadline to register or update your registration online or by mail.
NOVEMBER 2 – ELECTION DAY: Ballots must be postmarked or dropped off by 8 PM. Last day to register in person and vote.
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Cities
Kirkland City Council
Position 1:
Jay Arnold (Democrat)
Website: votejayarnold.com
An incumbent since 2013 and Deputy Mayor since 2016, Jay Arnold is active on the King County Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C) and served 5 years as a member of the Kirkland Planning Commission and is a former chair.
Priorities: Jay is passionate about growing a diverse, environmentally progressive Kirkland. His top issues include sustainability, climate, transit and multi-modal transportation, as well as providing co-responders to work with the police force.
Position 3:
Penny Sweet (Democrat)
Website: sweetforkirkland.org
Penny Sweet has served 12 years on the Kirkland City Council and 4 as Mayor. She is co-owner of The Grape Choice in Kirkland. She chairs Celebrate Kirkland! 4th of July and organized Kirkland’s 2005 Centennial Celebration. She is also the incoming chair of Hopelink Board of Directors.
Priorities: Penny’s key issues include environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and safe neighborhoods as well as housing, homelessness, transportation, and growth.
Position 5:
Neal Black (Democrat)
Website: votenealblack.com
An incumbent since 2019, Councilmember Black has been involved in public policy and related community service for over 25 years. Before becoming a member of Kirkland City Council, he served as the chair of the Public Policy Committee of the King County Bar Association, where he is now a member of the Board of Trustees, addressing issues associated with diversity in the legal profession and equal access to justice.
Priorities: Neal’s priorities include affordable housing, COVID recovery, growth planning, parks and open spaces, green transportation options, support for the vulnerable, and elimination of systemic barriers to equality.
Position 7:
Jon Pascal (Democrat)
Website: jonpascal.com
An incumbent since 2013, Councilmember Pascal also volunteers as a Transportation and Planning Commissioner. He is co-founder of Finn Hill Neighborhood Alliance, Co-Chair Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods, a Little League coach, and LWSD facility task force member.
Priorities: Jon’s priorities include supporting the community in recovering from the pandemic; implementing transportation improvements that allow us to get around safely and reliably; making smart investments in public safety services to keep us safe; and preserving our remaining open spaces for future generations.
Judge:
John Olson
Judge John Olson has served the people of Kirkland in a judicial capacity for more than 17 years – first as a Court Commissioner and now as a full-time judge. Prior to his current judicial work, Judge Olson served area school districts as a hearing officer for student disciplinary matters.
Priorities: Over the past year John has worked hard to develop a Community Court utilizing existing community resources for housing, addiction recovery, mental health, and education to assist those charged with low level non-violent crimes to get their lives back on track. Judge Olson believes in the power of community – local people addressing local problems.
Redmond City Council
Position 2:
Janet Richards (Independent)
Website: janet4redmond.com
A 12 year Redmond resident, Janet Richards serves as Redmond’s Human Services Commissioner and Vice Chair. She worked at Microsoft for 22 years and is a project management consultant. She has a BA Theology and Management Information Systems, Ambassador University.
Priorities: Janet views Redmond’s priorities as interconnected and complex, with a focus on growth & transportation; safety & policing; the environment & sustainability; Covid recovery & local business; inclusion & equity; and thoughtful governance. All with the goal of retaining the unique charm and prosperity of Redmond, while safely and equitably welcoming new opportunities and diversity.
Position 4:
Melissa Stuart (Democrat)
Website: electmelissastuart.com
Melissa is the Director of Individual Giving at Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. Melissa previously worked to create affordable access to behavioral healthcare for all East King County families at Youth Eastside Services. She earned a Masters of Non-Profit Leadership from Seattle University.
Priorities: Melissa’s key issues will be to make sure every neighborhood is a great place to live by reducing our need to travel for recreation or our basic needs. Ensuring everyone who works here is able to live here by increasing the availability of truly affordable housing. And mitigating climate change by reducing emissions from our homes, businesses, and transportation.
Position 3:
Tara Van Niman (Democrat)
Website: taravanniman.com
A 14 year Redmond resident, Tara has worked for 25 years at AT&T Mobility in External Affairs, Project Management, and Network Engineering. Her volunteer experiences include LWSD bond/levy campaigns and managing Senator Manka Dhingra’s campaign Teen Committee. She has a BA in International Relations from UC Davis and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Priorities: Tara’s mission is to deliver responsive and sensible decisions for a sustainable Redmond; create healthy community where all are welcome; and help Redmond residents and businesses grow and emerge stronger post Covid.
Sammamish City Council
Position 1:
Amy Lam (Democrat)
Website: amyforsammamish.com
A Sammamish resident for 26 years, Amy Lam is the mother of two boys. She is the Creative Director of MOHAI. She has a Master’s degree in Graphic Design from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Brandeis University.
Priorities: Amy’s top priorities include municipal broadband as an essential utility; making Sammamish a ‘smart city’ that uses new technologies to improve operational efficiency; supporting open spaces, parks and tree canopy while improving sustainable development; composting and reducing our carbon footprint; better mental health support in schools; and transportation/support for our seniors and those in in need.
Position 3:
Nazir Harb Michel (Democrat)
Website: electdrnazir.com
Nazir earned a Masters in Public Affairs at Princeton University, followed by a Masters in political science and a Ph.D. in linguistics at Georgetown University. After college Nazir returned to Washington State and worked as a political affairs expert. He is now a senior researcher at a Seattle-based fin tech company that empowers immigrant communities around the world by building financial tools that address their needs. He serves on the 41st Legislative District Democrats Executive Committee and is a representative of the King County Democrats.
Priorities: Nazir’s key issues include openness and diversity; COVID solutions; traffic and livability; the environment; government transparency; and fiscal responsibility.
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Position 5:
Kali Clark (Democrat)
Website: electkaliclark.com
A native Washingtonian, Kali is currently a Senior Emergency Manager at Sound Transit. She has previously worked at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and as a wildland firefighter for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. She has a BS in Environmental Science from Regis University and a Masters in Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington.
Priorities: Kali’s focus will be on maintaining quality of life, safety, and our environment, while ensuring regional progress on homelessness, local economic development, and affordable, walkable neighborhoods. She also pledges to work to reduce traffic congestion and take climate action, in a way that will help expand transit access, enhance parks, and improve infrastructure.
Position 7:
Karen Howe (Democrat)
Website: electkarenhowe.com
A 30 year Sammamish resident, Karen is President of SammamishFriends.org, a former Director at Microsoft, VP at AOL, and CEO of a Techniclolor subsidiary. She has a Bachelors degree from Whitman College.
Priorities: Karen’s top priorities include: protecting the Parks & Rec budget; providing safe roads, sidewalks, bike paths, and enhanced public transit options; broadening regional outreach to ensure our interests are represented; leveraging her experience in youth advocacy to serve our youngest community members; ensuring prudent and transparent management of funds; and bringing participatory budgeting to Sammamish and shoring up declining revenue.
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Woodinville City Council
Position 1:
Michelle Evans (Democrat)
Website: michelle4woodinville.com
A Woodinville resident for 14 years, Michelle owns Accelaris, a marketing consulting company. She has a BA from the University of Washington and has completed Masters-level programs at Northwestern, Duke, and Stanford.
Priorities: Michelle’s goals include representation and responsiveness for the community; re-evaluating Woodinville’s city growth plan to ensure that we make Woodinville much more accessible to alternative transportation; expanding sidewalks, bike lanes, and mass transit; finding a way to fund, staff and grow a parks and recreation center; increasing affordable housing; and protecting R1 zones.
Position 3:
Robin Lynn White (Democrat)
Website: robin4woodinville.com
Robin is a Product Manager for a lung disease diagnostics company. She holds a BS in Biochemistry from Arizona State, a MS in Forensic Science, and a Biotechnology Project Management Certificate from University of Washington.
Priorities: Robin values diversity and working to create a community that benefits everyone. Her goals include listening to Woodinville residents first & foremost; establishing a diverse steering committee; supporting Woodinville businesses; increasing transit options and implementing bike/walk paths to connect to the city center; protecting our environment and land; health and safety; and affordable housing.
Position 5:
Sarah Arndt (Democrat)
Website: arndtforwoodinville.com
Sara is the Vice Chair of the Woodinville Public Spaces Commission and a volunteer with the Northshore PACE program. She has a BA in History from UNCC, an MA in Teaching from WIU, and a PhD in History from Trinity College Dublin.
Priorities: Sara’s main goals for Woodinville include fighting for equitable zoning and distribution of city services; removing systemic racism from public policies and law enforcement, prioritizing areas of potential growth and increased density within the downtown core while allowing less dense zoning to remain on the eastern side of the city and surrounding agricultural lands.
Position 7:
James Randolph (Democrat)
Website: james4woodinville.com
James is a software engineering manager, now at Quip and previously at Tableau. He has a BS in Computer Science from Southern University. He has recently volunteered on the King County Site Advisory Group, working on the placement of the new Eastside transfer station.
Priorities: James is motivated by a desire to keep Woodinville engaged in socially and environmentally conscious growth, manage our traffic, and maintain the unique character in our existing neighborhoods and Sammamish Valley farmland. He pledges to focus on balanced growth, expanding transportation options, and preventing the transfer station from being located in Woodinville.
Schools
Northshore School Board
Position 1:
Jackie McGourty
Website: votemcgourty.com
Dr. Jacqueline McGourty (“Jackie”) is seeking re-election to the Northshore School Board, where she has served for 4 years and is currently Board Vice President. She has a BS in Biology/Chemistry from the University of Puget Sound and a MS and PhD in Biochemistry/Molecular/Cellular Biology from Northwestern University. She is the owner of a biotechnology consulting company.
Priorities: Jackie’s priorities include: being an advocate for our legislature to fully fund education and close the $21M special education funding gap; close opportunity/outcome gaps; continue moving toward students as individual learners; and provide that support and access in early childhood.
Position 4:
Sandy Hayes
Website: sandyhayesforschoolboard
Sandy is seeking re-election to the Northshore School Board, where she has served for 12 years. She has a BA and a JD from the University of Washington. She currently has a restorative justice practice.
Priorities: Sandy feels that we need sound leadership to rethink the how, what, and most especially the why of public education. She pledges to bring the voices of parents, students, and educators together to ensure our students are prepared for jobs that do not yet exist, in a world that will look dramatically different than what existed even a few years ago.
Position 5:
Amy Cast
Website: amycast4nsd.com
Amy is seeking re-election to the Northshore School Board, where she has served for 8 years. She has a BS from Binghamton University. She has owned Bombastic Design, her own web design and marketing firm, since 1998.
Priorities: Amy’s goals for the next 4 year term include preparing students for a dynamic future; creating a culture where every student feels valued, seen, and welcome; being careful stewards of our resources; improving instruction; advancing education equity; and working collaboratively and effectively to find solutions.
Lake Washington School Board
Position 4:
Mark Stuart
Website: markstuart4education.com
Mark is seeking reelection to the Lake Washington School Board, where he has served since 2013. He owns his own public relations consulting company. Mark graduated with a BA from the University of Oklahoma.
Priorities: Mark sees the 2021-2022 school year as a rebuilding year, pledging to increase social emotional learning and equity programs and paying even more attention to students’ social and mental health struggles as they navigate a seemingly ever-changing world. He lists his main areas of focus as being improving equity and inclusion; implementing the recently adopted LWSD Anti-Racism/Anti-Discrimination Resolution; and fostering clear, concise communications throughout the LWSD community.
Port
Port Of Seattle
Position 1:
Ryan Calkins
Website: ryanforport.com
Ryan is seeking reelection to the Port of Seattle Commission, where he has been a Commissioner since 2017. He also works as a consultant and coach at Ventures, a charitable organization that helps low-income entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses in the Puget Sound area. He has a BA from Willamette University and an MA in International Relations from Yale.
Priorities: Ryan’s priorities include utilizing the Port as an engine for jon creation as we recover from COVID; strengthening and creating new career and entrepreneurial pathways; and continuing to make our Port the nation’s most environmentally sustainable.
Position 3:
Hamdi Mohamed
Website: hamdiforport.com
Hamdi is a Policy Advisor for the King County Executive Office of Equity and Social Justice, working to advance equitable economic development for King County. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards and as a regional Organizing Director for President Biden’s campaign. She has a BA and an MA in Policy Studies from the University of Washington and a Harvard Business School Certificate in Global Business.
Priorities: Hamdi’s areas of focus will include economic justice; creating a safe and welcoming port; addressing climate change and environmental justice; labor and jobs; building an inclusive workforce and expanding diversity in contracting; and prioritizing worker’s and constituent’s services.
Position 4:
Toshiko Hasigawa
Website: hasegawaforport.com
Toshiko Hasegawa has worked as Executive Director of the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) since 2018. As a member of Governor Inslee’s cabinet, she advises the Governor, State Legislature, and other agencies on issues impacting marginalized communities in our state. She has Bachelors and Masters degrees from Seattle University.
Priorities: Toshiko’s top priorities are to build a resilient port and economy while eliminating the use of fossil fuels and achieving a sustainable economy; creating jobs and affordable housing; protecting human rights and public safety; and enabling the Port to remain globally competitive in the marketplace.
Metropolitan King County Council
Position 1:
Rod Dembowski
Website: vote4rod.com
Rod is seeking reelection to the King County Council. Prior to joining the Council in 2013, he was a partner at the Foster Pepper law firm. Rod has a BS from Georgetown and a law degree from the University of Washington.
Priorities: Rod lists his top issues as facilitating a strong and growing regional economy; transit and mobility (he intends to seek a seat on the Sound Transit board); protecting the environment; affordable housing and bringing our homeless neighbors indoors; human services; and the criminal justice system.
Position 3:
Sarah Perry (Democrat)
Website: electsarahperry.org
Sarah is a small business owner and longtime executive in the non-profit and government sectors. She has studied at Bowling Green State University, Ohio State University, and Seattle University.
Priorities: Sarah Perry pledges her commitment to improving lives and preserving our beautiful lands in King County. Her top areas of focus include working to provide relief to small businesses who have suffered under COVID, investing in mental health services, gun violence prevention, protecting the environment, improving housing and transit options, making infrastructure improvements and helping reduce the prohibitive costs of childcare and elder care.
Measures
State Measures
Advisory Vote 36: Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1477
“The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, a 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention tax on telephone lines, costing $432,000,000 in its first ten years, for government spending.”
Advisory Vote 37: Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5096
“The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, a 7% tax on capital gains in excess of $250,000, with exceptions, costing $5,736,000,000 in its first ten years, for government spending.”
Advisory Vote 38: Second Substitute Senate Bill 5315
“The legislature imposed, without a vote of the people, a tax on captive insurers* in the amount of 2% of premiums from owners/affiliates, costing $53,000,000 in its first ten years, for government spending.”
*“captive insurers” refers to insurers that are owned as a subsidiary of corporations, and provide internal risk insurance, with profits from that insurance benefiting the owner. This bill intended to require captive insurers to pay a fair share of insurance premium taxes.
King County Measures
Charter Amendment
No. 1
Preamble
Shall the Preamble of the King County Charter be amended to make a grammatical correction and to include among other charter purposes, equitable government, protection and enhancement of the urban and rural environment and economy, and promotion of a superior quality of life?
Charter Amendment
No. 2
Initiative, Referendum and Charter Amendment Timelines and Processes
Shall the King County Charter be amended to comply with state law timelines for initiative, referendum and charter ballot measures and to clarify definitions and terms related to the referendum and initiative process?
