National politics are abysmal right now, as this administration tramples on civil rights, shreds the constitution, poisons diplomatic relationships, and eviscerates basic social programs to line the pockets of the rich. By controlling what we can control, we can begin to turn it around, preparing for the challenges ahead and greener pastures beyond. We must elect good people who are ready to fight for our values to local office, and luckily we have just such people to recommend.
It’s very tempting to give in to hopelessness and cynicism, given decades of federal gridlock on key issues and Trump’s blowing up institutions and norms before our eyes with little immediate resistance. Despite the direness of the hour and the increasing vitriol and violence accompanying our discourse, capable leaders have stepped up. Some are running for office for the first time, and others are seeking greater responsibility — even with the scarcity of tools before them as the federal government adjudicates its duty and moves to implode itself.
This is precisely when good leaders are needed, and we are glad good people continue to put themselves forward. We’ve sought to select people with the conviction and skills to meet the moment. In some races we were blessed with multiple seasoned urbanist leaders or credible “baby” urbanists quickly growing into their own, which made our selections difficult. We’re thankful to all who ran and to everyone who continues to fight for this democracy. Even an act is small as casting a ballot and believing change is possible and brighter days are ahead is an act of resistance. Don’t sit this one out.
Ballots will soon be arriving in your mail boxes. Washington voters have until 8pm Tuesday, August 5 to return a ballot at a drop box or get it postmarked. Visit the Vote WA portal to register or check your voter information. (Note, that in some races we have great urbanists running, but if they only face one opponent they do not have a primary and automatically advance to the General Election in November.)
The Urbanist Elections Committee consists of Forest Baum, Emma Biscocho Pelletier, Angela Compton, Caitlin Hepworth, Kacie Masten, Jason Merges, Oliver Moffat, Ryan Packer, Aparna Rae, Maya Ramakrishnan, Hannah Sabio-Howell, Jazmine Smith, Doug Trumm, and Kelsey Vanhee.
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King County Executive: Claudia Balducci
Help Wanted: Adept leader with the ability to manage Washington’s largest county. Must bring experience to handle structural budget issues, deal with impending federal cuts to public health, handle a countywide housing crisis, and avert a looming fiscal cliff at King County Metro. Another prerequisite: the ability to accelerate King County’s work to stand up and operate voter-approved crisis care centers in the face of community opposition. And then there’s a full-time side hustle: steering the entire Sound Transit board toward a stable ST3 delivery plan.
More than just about every other local elected official we can name, Claudia Balducci has been in the policy trenches, playing a long game and pushing for reforms that often don’t bear fruit until years down the line. Balducci has helped lead a wave of progressive urbanist leaders on the Eastside, helping the region break out of a suburban mindset and embrace rapid transit and urbanization.
When she was Bellevue’s Mayor, she committed to bringing more homelessness services to an area of the county that only had one single men’s shelter. She was able to fulfill that promise on the County Council, leading on a property sale that paved the way for the Porchlight shelter – a significant achievement on its own, but one that opened the door to more tools to help people exit homelessness on the Eastside.
From bringing the K Line back from the dead, to bringing regional attention to the issue of traffic safety as president of the Puget Sound Regional Council, to championing arts funding via the Doors Open levy and ensuring those dollars actually reach arts organizations, Balducci has had a hand in so many regional wins over the past decade.
Of course, we’re also impressed with Balducci’s work on the Sound Transit board. She’s one of the main reasons that the agency is still considering ways to make a promised Jackson Street transit hub work as a part of Ballard Link right now. We’d love to see what Baducci can do with more staff and the ability to directly pick who she serves with on the board.
Baldduci has pledged to make housing her top priority as County Executive and setting a tangible but ambitious goal of delivering 44,000 affordable homes in her first five years is refreshing and much needed to galvanize action.
We’ve been impressed with what Girmay Zahilay, Balducci’s primary challenger, has done during his time on the County Council. His proposal to use county bonding capacity to fund badly needed workforce housing is still in its inception, but it shows promise. Zahilay is charismatic, and elevating the needs of disadvantaged, often overlooked residents of South King County has in turn elevated the political debate. He’s brought renewed focus to improving road safety in the Rainier Valley by fixing the most dangerous set of light rail tracks in the region.
On the other hand, Zahilay plans for the office have remained high-level. A pledge to use performance metrics and ratchet up government efficiency doesn’t tell us much on its own, without more concretely defining the goals toward which they’d serve. Zahilay is clearly a rising star in local politics, but it’s crucial the next County Executive hits the ground running and tackles big problems, rather than using the office as a stepping stone or a testing ground.
Both candidates are inspiring leaders we are very thankful to have in public service. When it comes down to it, we have more confidence in Balducci’s ability to execute ambitious plans and navigate choppy waters on the horizon due to federal chaos that is sure to strain budgets and put many people at risk. Vote Balducci.
King County Proposition 1
The King County Parks Levy is a funding source that’s benefited King County’s park system since it was initially approved by voters in 2003, and makes up about 80% of the King County Parks Department’s budget. Renewed by voters every six years since, the levy has paid for maintenance and repairs to existing parks, trails, fields, and play areas, as well as the creation of new ones through grant programs designed to expand park access to under-resourced communities.
King County’s parks and trail systems are some of the best in the country, largely due to the resources from this levy. The 2025 renewal would help fund the completion of the 42-mile Eastrail trail as well as complete and improve other regional trail connections, getting us closer to a truly interconnected trail system for bikes and pedestrians to move through all of King County.
The property tax’s renewed rate would cost property owners 23.29 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, totaling less than the cost of some streaming services per month for most homeowners. It’s only a slight increase over the current levy, which charges about 19 cents per $1,000 assessed property value. The renewed rate would cost the owner of a median-valued home about $17.18 per month, about $3.44 more per month than they currently pay, according to the County.
Add to the benefits increased accessibility at urban and rural parks, continued investments in habitat and waterways, and resources for educational programs for kids, the choice couldn’t be clearer. Ensure King County’s public spaces remain beautiful, safe, and accessible by voting YES to renew the parks levy.
Seattle Mayor: Katie Wilson
Katie Wilson is the clear choice to push Seattle forward and make this a city where everyone can thrive. Wilson had been in the middle of progressive victories over the last decade as head of the Transit Riders Union, but she has done about as much as possible from the outside. It’s time to send her to the top floor of city hall to navigate the city through a very challenging period when big ideas are needed — rather than four more years of vacillating, foot-dragging, and leading from behind.
Seattle’s sitting mayor, Bruce Harrell, marks a sharp contrast with Wilson. He’s a slick politician, always ready with the ceremonial shears to cut a ribbon on a project — many initiated by predecessors. But Harrell is rarely eager to do the heavy lifting to advance a new initiative. Harrell has spent more time riffing on his “One Seattle” slogan than backing it up with the policy wins to turn the lofty rhetoric into real results on the ground.
Despite ample opportunity to work with centrist allies on Council, Harrell did not deliver on his big campaign promises from four years ago, which swept him into office. For example, Harrell promised 2,000 additional units of emergency housing for homeless people in his first year, but fell well short. Instead, the number of shelter beds have shrunk under his watch, even as destabilizing sweeps of homeless people have reached a new record high. Without beds for unhoused people to go, sweeps are largely spreading the problem around, rather than providing a durable solution, as Wilson has underscored.
Harrell pledged to speed up light rail delivery, but instead has helped delay it with his indecisiveness about route decisions. His move to abandon a hub station in the Chinatown-International District planned as part of Ballard Link could be a generational mistake. We have much more faith in Wilson’s ability to improve outcomes for transit riders and communities as a Sound Transit board member.
Wilson’s top two campaign priorities are “affordable and abundant housing” and “a real reduction in homelessness.” Unlike Harrell, we would expect Wilson to make real headway in her first term, rather than waiting around and blaming others for not clearing hurdles, as Harrell has done.
For example, Harrell campaigned to block a grassroots social housing initiative, rather than simply endorsing it or getting out of the way. Showing how out of touch and little regarded the mayor was, Seattle voters passed the social housing measure by a 26-point margin anyway, despite the mayor’s face being plastered on opposition mailers. In contrast, Wilson and the Transit Riders Union threw their weight behind the initiative.
Time and again Wilson has done the heavy lifting to get ideas that seemed impossible passed into law. As Urbanist board member Rian Watt put it: “You’ve already felt Wilson’s impact if you or your kid have zipped around the city with a subsidized Orca card. Her organizing with the Transit Riders Union made that happen. If you’ve had your move-in or late fees capped for your rental apartment, you’ve also benefited from her work. And if you’re working a minimum wage job that actually pays you what you need to survive, you can thank her too. Those aren’t empty promises from a do-little Mayor, those are actual results from a private citizen without even a fraction of his power. Imagine her in his office.”
While Harrell was part of a City Council that abandoned a corporate head tax before it ever went into effect out of fear of backlash from business leaders, Wilson shepherded a much larger “JumpStart” payroll tax into law. The payroll tax has survived numerous legal challenges and political assaults and become an indispensable part of the City budget, saving the city from massive cuts and providing a durable source of revenue to invest in Seattle’s future. Most payroll tax revenue was set aside to fund affordable housing before Harrell overrode the spending plan to fund his own budget priorities. In other words, without Wilson, Harrell’s mayoral term would have been even more lackluster — it may have crashed and burned from sheer lack of resources and ideas.
Wilson has led successful campaigns to win reduced-fare programs for transit riders and expand services and protections for tenants. She’s proposed additional ideas to protect tenants, including the recently passed ban on rent-setting software that have allowed corporate landlords to collude to drive up rent.
Wilson is stridently pro-housing and has pledged to cut red tape and barriers to homebuilding. She told us Harrell should have gone farther in his One Seattle housing plan. While Harrell watered down the growth plan that his city planners developed, Wilson has vowed to zone for more housing citywide and streamline permitting to help theoretical housing capacity to become reality. Harrell also pledged big permitting reforms but dragged his feet throughout his first term and ended up needing to use a temporary ordinance to meet the state deadline to curb design review process delays.
Several of Harrell’s personnel decisions leave much to be desired. Late in 2024 he belatedly ousted the police chief he selected amid multiple scandals, perhaps most damaging is what appears to be a pervasive pattern of sexual harassment and covering for abusers. Failing to take on the cultural problem at the Seattle Police Department (SPD) like Harrell promised in 2021 has kept the department far away from its stated “30 by 30” (30% by 2030) goal of recruiting more women and meeting recruitment and efficiency goals in general. So while Harrell is eager to throw money at SPD, police accountability has continued to suffer.
The career paths of the two leading mayoral candidates couldn’t be more different. Harrell earned millions in corporate law before serving 12 years on City Council and now another four years as mayor. Meanwhile, Wilson spent 15 years as an organizer fighting to improve transit service and tax the region’s wealthiest companies. Wilson rents her home and rides the bus to get around with her young daughter. Harrell owns a mansion just off Lake Washington and sees Seattle through a windshield perspective.
Actor and nonprofit leader Ry Armstrong is also mounting a progressive campaign against Harrell and was first in the race. We admired their passion for tackling big problems like homelessness and their attention on supporting the arts sector. Ultimately, we found Wilson to be the more battle-tested leader with the acumen to forge alliances to turn big ideas into actionable initiatives.
Seattle deserves an urbanist mayor ready to deliver real progress and take on an increasingly belligerent Trump Administration, which is unmoored from the strictures of the constitution and the rule of law — not to mention human decency. Wilson would do that without hesitation or reservation. We cannot say the same about Backroom Bruce. Vote Wilson.
- Katie Wilson’s questionnaire responses
- Bruce Harrell questionnaire responses
- Ry Armstrong questionnaire responses
- Clinton Bliss questionnaire responses
Seattle City Attorney: Erika Evans and Rory O’Sullivan
When it comes to the City Attorney race we are thrilled to have three wonderful contenders that will be a marked upgrade from the incumbent city attorney, who we have no confidence will stand up to protect Seattle from the federal chaos and harm ensuing nor prioritize truly important public safety issues like drunk driving and domestic violence. Any of the three challengers would be a massive improvement over Ann Davison. We’ve narrowed it down to two for you: Erika Evans and Rory O’Sullivan.
Evans brings forth experience prosecuting cops to hold them accountable and is making the switch from federal to local after the civil rights work started falling apart under the Trump Administration. She appears laser-focused on bringing evidence-based public safety and harm reduction strategies in the City Attorney’s Office, which has drifted from those moorings under Davison. As a former assistant US Attorney, she has a wide body of experience taking on big cases, ranging from prosecuting January 6 usurpers to wage-thieving companies.
However, Evans has also spent most of her career as a prosecutor, which gives her a narrower legal vantage than her opponents, whose experience is more varied. In contrast, Nathan Rouse’s most recent experience is as a public defender, and has the backing of the public defenders union.
Rory O’Sullivan, meanwhile, has served in a variety of roles, including at the Housing Justice Project of the King County Bar Association, defending tenants. O’Sullivan has led advocacy work as well, pushing to end the state ban on publicly funding political campaigns and then launched Seattle’s democracy voucher program. Most recently, he also launched his own firm specialized in helping people secure the unemployment insurance benefits they have earned.
The three challengers agree about most issues. All want to take a tougher line with the Trump Administration than Davison, herself a Republican convert during Trump’s first term. All three want a more holistic approach to justice than Davison and pledge to bring back the community court that Davison unilaterally killed — Rouse pushed to go farther and emphasized pre-filing diversion. All are skeptical of Davison’s move to bring back banishment zones in a blunt and futile effort to target sex work and public drug use. They appear to agree that Seattle should end cash bail for non-violent offenses since it makes it harder for folks to avoid a cycle of poverty and recidivism.
We like what Evans brings in terms of experience and tenacity. O’Sullivan impressed us with his democracy reform chops and history of standing up for the little guy. Ultimately we endorsed both and look forward to somebody beating Davison to restore some sanity and compassion to the City Attorney’s Office.
Seattle City Council District 2: Eddie Lin
Eddie Lin stands out in an interesting field of candidates for District 2. Each candidate brought unique and valuable attributes to the table, but Lin seemed most ready to dive into the role.
With the D2 position up for grabs after Tammy Morales’ resignation in early 2025, the race has become crowded with challengers looking to carry the progressive baton forward to represent one of Seattle’s most diverse — and under-resourced — districts. Eddie Lin’s candidacy has risen above the rest, with priorities around housing, transit, and public safety aligning nearly lock step with The Urbanist’s own views.
Lin enters the race with experience in Seattle’s housing sector, having worked in real estate law and, more recently, with nonprofit homebuilders as a city attorney supporting the City’s Office of Housing. He’s also been careful to lobby against provisions that would kneecap homebuilders.
Like most of his opponents, Lin is calling for a growth plan that goes far beyond the Mayor’s One Seattle plan, pushing to maximize housing density through zoning code updates, and reducing barriers like design review, parking requirements, and other restrictions. On homelessness, he supports housing first approaches and increasing services to unsheltered Seattleites.
On transit, Lin advocates for safety improvements by working in coalition with Amalgamated Transit Union 587 and the Transit Riders Union to make public transit safer for passengers and operators.
He supports defending and expanding progressive revenue sources like JumpStart to ease burdens on the working class. He’s also called out the need for safety improvements along MLK Jr. Way S and Rainier Avenue S, proposing road diets to calm traffic and create safer space for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit.
Lin is not without his missteps. He voted for Proposition 1B in the February 2025 special election to fund Seattle’s new Social Housing Developer. Proposition 1A, which ultimately won with 63% of the vote, proposed a new “excess compensation” tax on payroll expenses for employees paid over $1 million. 1B, backed by centrist councilmembers and Mayor Bruce Harrell, would have reallocated existing JumpStart funds and ultimately left the developer underfunded. Lin said as a future councilmember he would use his position to support the work of the Seattle Social Housing Developer.
We admire that Jamie Fackler and Jeanie Chunn backed Prop 1A from the get go, rather than needing a mulligan. However, we appreciate that Lin was upfront and honest about his thought process, rather than obfuscating. And overall, Lin’s grasp of housing issues was strong, even as a more recent convert to the concept of quickly scaling up the Seattle Social Housing Developer. A labor organizer, Fackler impressed us on economic justice issues. His willingness to critique the excesses of capitalism while still supporting housing abundance policies was a nice pairing. Chunn brings a refreshing commitment to the community and bold progressive values, and we’re excited to see her run again with a firmer policy platform.
The Elections Committee was also impressed by Adonis Ducksworth, who is Mayor Harrell’s transportation policy manager. With his unique background as a skateboarder and outreach specialist at the Seattle Department of Transportation, Ducksworth brings depth on mobility issues and road safety interventions. He was born and raised in Seattle’s South End and exhibited a passion for gun violence prevention and youth services.
In the end, we determined Lin was the stronger candidate across a broader set of issues, especially housing and homelessness. Eddie Lin is invested in the health, safety, and quality of life of South Seattle communities and will not shy away from ambitious goals and real plans to address the issues Seattle faces. Vote Eddie Lin.
- Eddie Lin questionnaire
- Adonis Ducksworth questionnaire
- Jamie Fackler questionnaire
- Jeanie Chunn questionnaire
Seattle City Council District 8: Alexis Mercedes Rinck
We’ve liked the leadership we’ve seen from Alexis Mercedes Rinck in her first year so much that we endorsed her early — a honor we bestow very seldom. She certainly deserves a full term after winning resoundingly last year to serve out the remainder of Tersea Mosqueda’s term. Here’s what we wrote in March:
Alexis Mercedes Rinck resoundingly won election to the Seattle City Council with 58% of the vote last November. Already in her first four months in office, she’s proven herself, and we want to see more. We endorsed Rinck last year, and we took the rare step (for us) of endorsing early this year to underscore the value of her leadership on Council and our alignment in both values and approach.
Rinck is clearly an urbanist. She bikes and rides transit to get around Seattle. She knows our biggest issues — housing, transportation, and safe streets — both at first-hand visceral level and an academic level. She doesn’t even own a car. And perhaps most notably, considering the challenges that lie ahead for our city, her questionnaire responses pledged work ahead to fight for housing abundance, safe streets, and high quality green spaces and public third places.
In fact, Rinck said her top priority for the next four years would be “reinvigorating our housing development pipeline to accelerate the creation of desperately needed housing.” This is a housing abundance candidate. She is a strong backer of social housing and, unlike most of her colleagues, endorsed Proposition 1A to fund the new Seattle Social Housing Developer, rather than the unsuccessful big-business-backed effort to derail it.
While the centrist wave of councilmembers elected in 2023 needed months to get up speed, delaying council meetings and major legislation, Rinck hit the ground running after winning a one-year term in a special election to fill out the remainder of Teresa Mosqueda’s term. Mosqueda left early after winning a seat on the King County Council.
From her inauguration, Rinck has stressed the need to fight the rise of authoritarianism and Trump’s attacks on civil rights and social investments. She didn’t just do this from behind a desk; Rinck showed up and gave an impassioned speech at the President’s Day protests in Seattle.
Rinck has followed through on pledges to fight back, pushing her colleagues to set up a committee to deal with federal threats and taking leadership of the group. The first panel gave voice to those most at risk from Trump-style fascism: immigrants, Black folks, the queer community — and especially trans people. Much work is ahead, but the first step is to commit to resistance, rather than capitulation and appeasement.
As the strongest voice for police reform on council, Rinck fought for accountability measures to mitigate its potential harm in recent legislation formally expanding permitted uses of crowd control weapons, partnering with Councilmember Cathy Moore. The rest of the council rejected that push and voted to allow blast balls and other dangerous weapons with little in the way of safeguards or civilian oversight.
Her recent vote against the council majority when it comes to removing a prohibition on housing near major truck streets in the stadium district may have raised some eyebrows among urbanists. We see a vote that shows Rinck is in alignment with our values around prioritizing abundant housing, but in areas of the city that have adequate amenities. While the proposal’s sponsor, Council President Sara Nelson, glossed over real issues with pedestrian safety in SoDo that would need solutions before it could truly be a welcoming neighborhood, Rinck clearly scrutinized the proposal on a deeper level.
We’re excited for what four more years of Rinck on Council could bring. She gets our issues. We see in her the moxie to fight, the savvy to collaborate, and the backbone to stand up to the powerful people getting in the way of progress. Vote Rinck.
Seattle City Council District 9: Dionne Foster
The Urbanist endorses Dionne Foster for Seattle City Council Position 9, because we need smart people who are also strong leaders to reset this council as one that will fight for the future of our people, and that’s who Foster is. She is a policy expert with experience working at the table with the region’s biggest power players and a deep history of working with the communities who are most impacted when the city fails to get policy right.
Foster has made it clear what her priorities are: improving traffic safety, stabilizing the city budget with progressive revenue, and expanding the city’s housing options. With Foster on the council, the city will have another voice in favor of expanding the size and scope of planned neighborhood centers, and creating more housing capacity around transit – not just in high-traffic, high-pollution areas.
If there’s one issue that the incumbent council president takes to heart, it’s housing and the Comprehensive Plan. We appreciate that Sara Nelson vowed to improve the city’s housing growth plan and take the lead on improvements, using a market urbanism lens. On the other hand, we wish the plan wasn’t mired in delays and under threat from backsliding councilmembers — several of whom Nelson endorsed and helped elect. Giving with one hand, while stalling with the other isn’t enough to earn our endorsement.
Nelson bowed to pressure from the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce to delay the grassroots measure to fund social housing and instead put a confusing alternative on the ballot that would not have raised new funds. Rather than throwing up obstacles, Foster backed the grassroots funding measured and is excited to implement social housing.
We’ve also been troubled by Nelson’s leadership style. She has called the cops on public commenters and oversaw what former colleagues Tammy Morales and Cathy Moore seem to agree is a toxic work environment. Morales left in January, saying she was unable to represent her district after being bullied and mistreated by her colleagues. Moore departed in early July, agreeing the job wasn’t what it was cracked up to be (despite being in the centrist majority), albeit citing generic reasons for leaving.
Nelson seems much more of an advocate for the powerful than for the little guy. She has proposed ideas that seem geared to coddle big business and reward big donors that poured millions into centrist campaigns. Workers rights, minimum wage standards, and tenant protections all appear under threat under her watch, as rollback proposals circulate.
Luckily, we have a wonderful leader in Dionne Foster looking to step up, protecting workers, renters, and working families rather than the elite few. Dionne’s experience in City Hall ensures that as a first-time candidate she will be ready on day one to take the lead. She’s helped pass and defend the capital gains tax, supported ranked choice voting, defended gig workers, and fought for rent stabilization. She fought to tackle issues that will alleviate the cost of living that so many Seattleites are feeling. Vote Dionne Foster.
Seattle Proposition 1: Vote Yes. Keep democracy local and accessible
Vote Yes on Proposition 1 to renew Seattle’s pioneering Democracy Voucher Program — a nationally recognized model that’s brought more equity, transparency, and grassroots participation into local elections. For just $13 per household annually, this program empowers everyday residents with four $25 vouchers to donate to qualifying local candidates, ensuring that political influence isn’t limited to the wealthy or well-connected.
Since its launch in 2017, over 100,000 Seattleites have used democracy vouchers — 88% of them first-time donors. The result? A fivefold increase in small donations, more competitive races, and a more diverse field of candidates, including more women, people of color, and political newcomers. Prop 1 supports grassroots campaigning and makes it easier for community-rooted candidates to run serious, well-funded campaigns without relying on corporate political action committees (PACs) or deep-pocketed donors.
To be clear, Prop 1 isn’t a silver bullet — it doesn’t touch independent expenditures or dark money — but it is one of the strongest tools we have to combat big-money dominance in politics. And it’s already working: large contributions are down 93%, and out-of-city money has dropped by 80%. Candidates are spending more time talking with actual residents, not just dialing for dollars.
We didn’t hear meaningful opposition to Proposition 1 — neither from voters nor watchdog groups. It’s a legally tested, fiscally modest program that measurably improves electoral engagement and representation. While challenges remain in campaign finance, Prop 1 is a step worth defending and expanding statewide.
Seattle was the first in the nation to adopt this kind of program, and it’s working. Reauthorizing it keeps us at the forefront of democratic innovation and shows that cities can lead in making government more representative and accountable.
Vote YES on Proposition 1 to strengthen democracy where it starts — at home.
King County Council, District 5: Ryan McIrvin
The race to become the next King County Councilmember in District 5 is undoubtedly this year’s sleeper race, and is getting significantly overshadowed by more high profile contests around the region. But it’s a big deal. The person that voters pick to fill the seat vacated by Dave Upthegrove after he was elected to statewide office could end up serving a long time. They will play a key role in advancing transit and housing policy for the entire county.
Renton Councilmember Ryan McIrvin is soft-spoken, but he knows his stuff. He’s been quietly doing the policy work, on the county’s Affordable Housing Committee, on the Regional Transit Committee, for years. He’s played a major role in pushing forward plans for transit-oriented development in Renton, and shares our vision for countywide growth built around transit, walking, and biking.
Kim-Khánh Van, McIrvin’s colleague on the Renton Council and competitor in the race, also says she’s in favor of adding more housing near transit. But this past February, Van moved to implement a citywide development moratorium in Renton in the name of “preserving character of neighborhoods.” That move, which came in response to typical not-in-my-backyard concerns about the proposed Logan 6 apartment building in North Renton, is a major red flag. Van says she wants community “buy in” — something that came up when she waffled on supporting safe injection sites during her 2021 campaign against District 9 Councilmember Reagan Dunn.
McIrvin, by contrast, was clear that community objections cannot override our obligation to house people safely, and has supported the Logan 6 project as the type of dense infill the region needs more of.
We’re also not impressed with Normandy Park lawyer Steffanie Fain and her promise for a “new direction” for King County. We’re concerned with her long learning curve in elected office, and Fain was the most skeptical of increasing revenue options – an essential move given the county’s pressing budget issues. Even if her goal is to ratchet down County spending, she certainly has raised a ton of campaign cash herself, given her corporate-friendly policies and connections.
Vote McIrvin.
- Ryan McIrvin questionnaire
- Ahmad Corner questionnaire
- Kim-Khánh Van questionnaire
- Steffanie Fain questionnaire
Jazmine Smith recused herself in this race.
SOUTH SOUND
Tacoma Mayor: Anders Ibsen
In this mayoral race, Tacomans have several candidates to consider, each bringing strengths to the table. After our interviews, it became clear that Anders Ibsen is the candidate who best embodies the values and expertise to lead Tacoma toward a more sustainable, equitable future.
Anders Ibsen is no stranger to advancing livable density, 15-minute communities, and thoughtful urban design policies that prioritize people over cars. He supports expanding affordable, transit-oriented housing and is committed to streamlining development processes to ensure Tacoma families can access homes near where they live and work. His time on the Tacoma City Council demonstrated not only principled leadership during challenging times but also the courage and policy expertise needed to tackle Tacoma’s biggest urban challenges head-on.
Addressing Tacoma’s urgent public safety challenges, especially rising gun violence affecting youth, Ibsen promotes holistic solutions, supporting programs that engage students and community members through after-school and summer initiatives in partnership with schools, nonprofits, and businesses to create safer neighborhoods.
Ibsen also supports street designs that improve safety and mobility by calming traffic through narrower, more pedestrian-friendly corridors and encouraging future transit expansions. As Tacoma moves forward with these major transportation investments and leadership transitions, Anders Ibsen’s experience, vision, and collaborative approach position him as the urbanist leader who can deliver meaningful progress for all Tacomans.
John Hines and Whitney Stevens are both strong candidates, particularly around the issues of traffic safety and thoughtful community engagement. We hope Stevens runs for office again. Overall, Ibsen is the most complete package and earns our endorsement. Vote Ibsen.
Tacoma City Council, Position 4: Silong Chhun
The Urbanist endorses Silong Chhun for Tacoma City Council Position 4. Chhun came to the Eastside Tacoma with his family from Cambodia as a youth under the Refugee Resettlement Act. He grew up in the Salishan neighborhood and continues to call Eastside home. His communications work with both the Office of the Attorney General and former Governor Jay Inslee has helped him amplify voices and build community. Chhun worked along the Khmer Advocacy and Advancement Group, as well as founding the Red Scarf Revolution, an organization engaging the community through shared culture to advance needed policies.
We were impressed with Chhun’s commitment to protecting families within his community. He supports a Worker’s Bill of Rights, expanding tenant protections, and defending immigrant and refugee communities within the city. Chhun divulged a multi-step plan to expand affordable housing in Tacoma, including incentivizing mixed-income developments and fast-track accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Chhun also expressed the need for community engagement in this process, even naming “housing huddles” as an opportunity for neighborhoods to create plans for shelters, emergency housing, and other needs that best fit the communities people work and live in.
We do believe Chhun is a bit green, as this is his first time running for office and some of his questionnaire responses needed stronger detail. However, he is the candidate in the race that best aligns with The Urbanist, and we believe that his passion for Tacoma’s Eastside is what the district needs. His opponent, incumbent Sandesh Sadalge, did not complete a questionnaire.
Tacoma City Council, Position 5: Zev Rose Cook
The Urbanist strongly endorses Zev Rose Cook for Tacoma City Council Position 4. With a successful career in community organizing, Cook has proven her urbanist mettle. She co-founded Tacoma For All, a grassroots organization working to fight for rights of working Tacomans. As a part of this work, Cook helped manage the successful Tenant’s Bill of Rights campaign in 2023. She is a union organizer with the Service Employees International Union, as well as The United Food and Commercial Workers. Her top priorities include raising the minimum wage, tax increases on the wealthy, and building permanent affordable social housing.
We were especially impressed by Cook’s tenacity and straightforward responses in her interview with the elections committee. A recurring theme in her answers was protecting working people. Cook believes in building trust between city leaders and its voters, including fully funding the city’s crisis response team and creating a road development plan that doesn’t increase the cost of living. Cook highlighted the missing organizer voice on the city council and is committed to being this advocate for working people in the city. She is endorsed by the Washington Education Association PAC, Fair Vote Washington, Indivisible Tacoma, and several Urbanist-endorsed elected officials.
If elected, Cook will take a more progressive approach to policy than her opponent, incumbent Joe Bushnell. Bushnell, who was elected in 2021, sponsored the city’s camping ban which passed the city council in 2022. While we appreciated Bushnell’s interview, his framework for supporting working families is lackluster compared to Cook’s direct approach. We want to see more Tacoma officials willing to reach for progress rather than excuses why it’s not possible, and that is easily attainable with a vote for Zev Rose Cook.
Tacoma City Council, Position 6: Krista Perez
Krista Perez is the urbanist voice we need in Tacoma. With deep roots in the Tacoma community, and a history of community organizing, small business advocacy, and public-sector problem solving, Perez is prepared to continue working to make Tacoma more livable for all. As the daughter of immigrants and farmworkers, and a homeowner raising two kids on Tacoma’s Eastside, Krista brings both lived experience and deep policy knowledge to the table. Perez is clear that she cares deeply, and will show up to make sure that her constituents’ voices are heard.
While candidates like Hunter Henderson, Jessica Johnston, and Latasha Palmer are also in the race, only Krista Perez, Lindsay Wills, and Todd Briske participated in our endorsement process. After interviews with each, Krista Perez stood out clearly as the strongest candidate to advance urbanist priorities.
Perez understands that housing, transit, and public safety are deeply connected. She supports efforts to expand housing access, backing “Home in Tacoma” and permitting reform, while also bringing thoughtful analysis to the need for utility upgrades, equitable parking solutions, and infrastructure capacity. As an Eastside candidate, where transit access is limited, gun violence is rising, and walkability is too often an afterthought, Perez is focused on traffic calming and street safety investments while emphasizing data-driven approaches and design-first solutions over punitive enforcement measures. We’re impressed by Perez’s nuanced understanding of public planning, her equity-centered approach, and her commitment to shaping a safer, more sustainable community for all Tacomans.
Kent City Council, Position 6: Andy Song
Andy Song is the best choice for Kent City Council Position 6. A former outreach worker and current director for Kent School Board, Song brought an emphasis on affordable housing, inclusionary zoning, and equity. Song’s Questionnaire responses (LINK) were particularly strong, including support for a Vision Zero for Kent.
Song’s desire to improve traffic safety (a critical issue for Kent) and to treat traffic deaths as a public health crisis illustrated his desire to work on root causes while taking immediate steps to reduce harm. He likewise reflected this approach in his ideas for housing and public safety, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these issues and the need to engage communities who often feel left out of city decision-making. Song demonstrated a desire to explore progressive revenue options and to protect the people of Kent from ICE raids, both timely and critical needs in the current federal context.
Of concern is Kent’s PDC reporting, which seems to be incomplete at the time of writing. We hope that Song’s campaign quickly rectifies this and demonstrates both transparency and viability that voters will expect from a candidate for public office.
The position 6 race is a crowded one, with 7 total candidates. The Urbanist had 3 participate in our endorsement process. Rosie McCarter (LINK) holds many of the same positions but did not demonstrate as deep an understanding of current policies or policy solutions. Logan Evans (LINK) had concerning suggestions about rounding up unhoused populations into “centralized care facilities”, as well as the mistaken belief that Kent is growing too fast, despite census data showing slightly negative growth. No other candidates participated in our process.
Of the candidates we spoke to, Song showed an enthusiasm for policies that will make Kent less car-dependent, with safer streets and an abundant supply of affordable housing. We encourage voters of Kent to pick Song.
Renton City Council Position 2 – No Endorsement.
Of the three candidates running for position 2 (incumbent Carmen Rivera, Raman Man, and Mary Clymer) only Clymer participated in our process. Clymer, an arts commissioner, didn’t quite meet the bar on our core issues. Though we weren’t able to make an endorsement for the primary, we’ll be following up on position 6 after the primary and may revisit position 2 in the general.
Seatac City Council Position 6: No Endorsement
Of the three candidates running for position 6 (Marianne West, Michael Sanford, and Bedria Abdullahi) only West participated in our process. West, a Navy veteran who has run once before, didn’t demonstrate a grasp of the issues necessary for our endorsement. Though we weren’t able to make an endorsement for the primary, we’ll be following up on positions 2 and 4 after the primary and may revisit position 6 in the general.
Burien City Council Position 3: Rashell Lisowski
Rashell Lisowski is a savvy, experienced organizer with a clear goal: making Burien affordable for working-class people. In our interview she emphasized the importance of tenant protections, “deeply” affordable housing, and expanding transit access. Her experience as a renter and regular transit user came through in both her questionnaire(LINK) and interview as an essential perspective that isn’t often at the table when important decisions are made in Burien.
This race for the open position 3 seat, held by current Councilmember Jimmy Matta who has decided not to seek re-election, has two strong Urbanist candidates, Lisowski and Sam Méndez. Méndez holds many of the same positions on housing and transit, but came to his interview less prepared to speak to the comprehensive plan and budget. Because of her organizing experience as the Organizing Director for Washington Community Action Network and emphasis on bringing in perspectives from renters and people living in the parts of Burien with fewer resources and less access to decision makers, we felt Lisowski is the stronger choice for the primary.
The third candidate in this race, Marie Barbon, did not complete our process but per her campaign website, opposes taxes for affordable housing and wants zoning that “maintains the character of our neighborhoods.” Given recent anti-density campaigns in Burien, this suggests she does not hold urbanist values.
Burien’s current council has made headlines in recent years with an anti-homeless “camping ban” and a court battle over the voter-passed minimum wage expansion. Lisowski was unambiguous in her opposition to criminalizing homelessness and her support for workers. We’re excited to see what a progressive majority could do, and Lisowski has the experience, community connection, and willingness to hold fast in the face of opposition. Vote Lisowski.
Burien City Council Position 5: Sarah Moore
Sarah Moore is the exact kind of smart and thoughtful individual we need more of when making important decisions. Moore strongly supports housing and transit, and obviously closely follows their progress and roadblocks, identifying clear steps that can be taken to move forward. Amidst a split council and in her first term on council, she has been chosen as Deputy Mayor of Burien, showing the council’s trust in her careful decision-making, and evenhanded approach.
Moore lives near a park, so her introduction to Burien politics was in joining the Parks Commission, though she took that as an opportunity to work on making parks across Burien more equitable. She also co-founded ACLU Burien People Power and the Burien White Center ICE Rapid Response Team, both of which have newfound importance. She also speaks with a solid understanding of larger budgets and choices to be made. If the Burien Public Safety Levy passes, it will continue funding desirable positions and initiatives that would be likely potential cuts if the levy were to fail.
During our interview, she methodically talked through a tough question about opposition to urbanization by residents who fear for the “character” of Burien as a small town, and really did a nice job of explaining the nuance in her approach to direct outreach and decision-making. Regarding Tiny Home Villages, Moore described “spending a lot of time speaking to folks who knew more about it than I did” in order to inform her decision. She also meets and listens to constituents, openly discussing her approach and position from the start. Moore confronts the uncomfortable, and that work pays off in her favor.
Moore also describes herself as a nerd, and one of only a couple of progressive voices on Burien Council, rather than just representing business interests. With other good options on the ballot in this election, she does see a possibility of a progressive majority making more headway on issues such as making a more walkable community and uplifting the people who work and live – often renting – in Burien. So far, she has only been able to push these forward with baby steps. (See our endorsement of Rashell Lisowski for Burien Council Position 3)
Sarah Moore speaks eloquently of the power of positive stories related to zoning density, transit, and walkability – making her a most excellent urbanist choice. Vote Sarah Moore.
Kelsey Vanhee recused herself in this race.
EASTSIDE
Nicholas Ton for Bellevue City Council Position 1
Nicholas Ton for Bellevue City Council Position 1 offers bold, people-centered leadership to a city that desperately needs it. Ton’s candidacy reflects lived experience as a renter, transit rider, and working-class resident — voices often missing in Bellevue policymaking. We didn’t get the impression he was running to be somebody or bee-line up the political ladder; he’s running to make the city a place where everyone can thrive, not just those who already have wealth and access.
Ton offers a clear, unapologetically urbanist vision: build housing that ordinary people can afford, expand safe and accessible transit, and shift the tax burden away from working families. He supports missing middle housing and is one of the few candidates in the race to vocally criticize the current council’s shameful inaction on housing and its deference to anti-change, degrowth voices over real community need. As a member of the Eastside Urbanism group, Ton understands that charm and “neighborhood character” shouldn’t come at the cost of affordability or inclusion.
He also speaks powerfully about mobility justice, calling out the council’s quiet abandonment of the Bike Bellevue plan and advocating for protected bike lanes, widened sidewalks, and real traffic calming — not buzzwords, but enforceable policies that prioritize safety. On public transit, Ton goes further than most: proposing free ORCA transit cards, fare-free buses, and redirecting funds from private ventures like BellHop toward public mobility infrastructure.
His platform centers economic justice — proposing municipal broadband and electricity, removing regressive utility taxes, and taxing luxuries like vacant homes and waterfront properties. He articulates a compelling public safety vision rooted in prevention: better schools, higher wages, and care over criminalization.
There are other candidates in this race, but none bring the same combination of grassroots experience, bold vision, and policy fluency. While consensus politics may be the default on the Bellevue Council, Ton is not afraid to speak truth and push for change — even when it’s uncomfortable.
Nicholas Ton represents the next generation of leadership — one willing to name the crises Bellevue faces and act decisively to address them. He’s the kind of councilmember who will fight for a more just and livable city. The Urbanist enthusiastically endorses Nicholas Ton for Bellevue City Council Position 1.
Jazmine Smith recused herself in this race.
Issaquah City Council, Position 6: Kevin Nichols
The Urbanist proudly endorses Kevin Nichols for Issaquah City Council Position #6. While both candidates in this race would be first-time councilmembers, Nichols’ vision and disposition represent what it means to be an Urbanist. His platform is grounded in finding more creative and impactful solutions to housing affordability, transportation, and growing neighborhood centers. His unique background as a PHD scientist makes Nichols well-equipped to handle Issaquah’s unique challenges through a data-driven, problem-solving approach.
Nichols is a knowledgeable and prepared candidate who is entrenched in the details of Issaquah’s current key issues. Issaquah is at a pivotal point in time: the light rail expansion will dramatically change the community and there is significant lag in developing affordable housing units in the Central Issaquah subarea. Issaquah needs a progressive candidate who is prepared to lead the community from the moment they are sworn in.
A believer in the power of coalition-building, Nichols wants to utilize public-private partnerships to address the significant gap in homes affordable to households earning less than 60% of the area median income, leaning into the city’s partnership with A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH).
Nichols also wants to work in partnership with the Issaquah School District (ISD) to help re-site the anticipated new high school and elementary school. After the ISD school bond vote failed twice (November 2024 and February 2025) as a result of vocal homeowner opposition, the ISD must find a new location for the proposed schools. Nichols’ vision is to place the new schools in walkable, centrally located areas near parks, services, and homes that help generate greater vitality in existing neighborhoods.
Nichols aims to proactively prepare the community for the impacts the future Sound light rail expansion will have on Issaquah. His vision includes further development of multimodal connections and developing dedicated transit-only lanes along arterials that would be used by either transit or emergency services: improving both transit reliability and emergency response wait times. The Urbanist is keenly interested in what Nichols will accomplish if elected to the City Council, especially in urbanizing and investing in central Issaquah. Vote Nichols.
Kirkland City Council, Position 3: Shilpa Prem
Shilpa Prem is a qualified candidate with emerging Urbanist values for Kirkland City Council Position #3. As an attorney, Prem brings a different perspective to the table that could persuasively shift hesitant resident’s perspective on middle housing, affordable housing, and crisis centers, which have all received significant pushback in certain neighborhoods.
Prem supports building both higher density housing, middle housing, and inclusionary zoning by expanding allowed uses throughout Kirkland. During Prem’s endorsement interview, she emphasized that changing the conversation around high density residential developments through education, data, and studies is critical to bringing everyone to the table in support of bringing more affordable housing to Kirkland. Prem stated her approach best in her questionnaire, “I will prioritize early outreach through town halls, pop-ups, and online forums to build trust and share clear, transparent information. Highlighting local success stories and partnering with experienced nonprofits will help show how supportive housing reduces homelessness and improves neighborhood stability. My approach balances empathy with action”. Prem additionally supports 10-minute walkable neighborhoods with services and improvements to multi-modal transportation options.
Her activism in gun safety and legal advising around technology is where Prem hits her stride. Prem sits on the board of WA ceasefire and Emerge WA, which are organizations that aim to reduce gun violence through education programs, community engagement, and state policy advocacy. One of her top priorities is safety, and she recognizes that there is a significant image problem involving the police force. Her plan to address the police image problem is to advocate for greater data transparency and performance tracking to ensure public safety policies are equitable and effective, and that officers are held accountable. She additionally wants to work with the police force to have greater positive community interactions and engage proactively to rebuild trust.
While Prem’s interview and questionnaire indicate she shares our values, Prem is also a first-time candidate and the Urbanist is interested to see how she follows through on her aforementioned goals and policies. For example, Prem did not support using the term “NIMBY” and believes education is the mechanism to eliminate community fears around density. It is idealist to believe that education alone can shift conservative opinions. Prem supports the state legislature’s GMA requirements to provide for housing units affordable at all income levels, but many cities including Kirkland face pushback on the changing residential landscape to accommodate a diversity of income levels. The Urbanist is keenly interested in seeing how she navigates the challenge of public scrutiny surrounding density, affordable housing, and addressing homelessness. We are excited to see her take action on shifting community perspectives on addressing the housing crisis on a local level.
Kirkland City Council, Position 7: Kurt Dresner
The Urbanist endorses Kurt Dresner for Kirkland City Council Position #7. While both candidates would be first-time elected officials, Kurt has a history of advocacy within the Kirkland community and had demonstrated both through his priorities and past actions that he is a vetted Urbanist worthy of our endorsement. Kurt is a long-time community advocate who co-founded Livable Kirkland in 2017, played a key role in starting up Kirkland’s volunteer bike valet program, helped lobby for the Kirkland tool library program, and has been an advocate on housing and transportation frequently at city council meetings.
Throughout the endorsement process, Kurt has emphasized his continued commitment to Urbanist values in his proposed priorities and policy approaches. Kurt’s own words capture his perspective on multimodal transportation the best – “housing and transportation are two sides of the same coin and approaches for one that do not consider the other are unlikely to succeed”.
Like many candidates, Kurt has priorities on bringing greater housing equity and affordability to Kirkland, however what makes Kurt unique is his belief that the most vulnerable groups need to have the most immediate relief. Kurt seeks to work with the city on streamlining projects that meet the community’s unmet needs for young professionals, elders looking to age in place, and small families looking for starter homes. Kurt believes in the “Supply, Stability, and Subsidy” policy coined by “The Affordable City” by Shane Phillips.
Where Kurt hits his stride is on his transportation policies. Kurt has actionable ideas on improving transportation options by re-prioritizing how the city addresses transportation infrastructure improvements. He believes that a larger proportion of improvement funds need to be dedicated to bike and pedestrian projects. He also discourages roadway lane expansion projects, and would prefer an emphasis on maintenance and repairs of existing roadways. Ultimately, Kurt wants to see a healthy community with more transportation options and lower household transportation costs by offering a wider variety of options throughout Kirkland. He recognizes this may require some level of sacrifice, but believes that short-term sacrifices will result in positive community-wide impacts over time.
Kurt has proven himself to be a true Urbanist time and time again, and we look forward to seeing the impact he has on Kirkland’s future during his tenure, if elected.
Redmond City Council, Position 6: Menka Soni
Menka Soni for Redmond City Council offers grounded leadership and an inclusive vision to a rapidly changing city. With a background spanning corporate leadership, nonprofit service, real estate, and small business ownership, Soni embodies the kind of multidimensional perspective Redmond needs as it faces pressing challenges around housing, affordability, and growth.
Notably, Soni’s housing platform stands out for its compassion and practicality. She supports missing middle housing, zoning reforms, and a collaborative approach to working with developers, nonprofits, and faith-based groups to expand affordable options. As a board member of South King Housing and Homelessness Partners and a founder of AmPowering, she’s already doing this work on the ground — building trust with communities, helping vulnerable residents, and ensuring solutions are people-first.
An urbanist in both outlook and experience, Soni supports building complete communities with mixed-income housing, walkable neighborhoods, and better transit access. Her public safety vision is forward-looking: she advocates for crisis response teams, culturally competent policing, and youth engagement programs that address root causes and build long-term community trust. She’s also committed to safer streets, backing Vision Zero strategies like protected bike lanes, lower speed limits, and better lighting, especially near schools and transit.
Soni’s support for small business is personal—she is a small business owner herself. She envisions an inclusive local economy that supports minority- and women-owned businesses and helps entrepreneurs thrive through education, visibility, and access to grants. Her economic platform also calls for progressive revenue sources like real estate excise taxes, employer head taxes, and vacancy fees to fund community priorities without deepening inequality.
She opposes criminalizing poverty and supports humane, housing-first approaches to homelessness. She also brings a unique regional lens to Redmond’s planning challenges, calling for bold, equity-driven updates to the city’s comprehensive plan — from climate resilience to anti-displacement protections to transit-oriented zoning near the incoming light rail.
Menka Soni isn’t just prepared to lead — she already is. Her track record across sectors, coupled with a fierce commitment to community well-being, makes her the strongest choice for Redmond’s future.
Washington State Legislature
Legislative District 41, Position No. 1: Janice Zahn
The Urbanist endorses Janice Zahn for Washington State House of Representatives Legislative District 41 because of her advocacy for abundant housing, safe streets, ubiquitous rapid transit, and a just, decarbonized economy. Her professional experience as the Chief Engineer at the Port of Seattle, coupled with her seven years on the Bellevue City Council, makes her an exceptional advocate in Olympia.
In her first term as a state representative, her policy positions have been urbanist-aligned. She introduced a bill to improve data collection on homelessness to better allocate resources, and she introduced a bill to start a low-interest loan program for affordable homeownership. She supported funding for behavioral health co-responders and voted for the transit-oriented development (TOD) bill. Although she supported the parking reform bill, she introduced a disappointing amendment to placate local opposition by raising the ceiling for all commercial spaces from one stall per every 1,000 square feet to two.
Zahn told The Urbanist she supports increased accountability to ensure that cities’ comprehensive plans actually comply with state housing mandates such as those found in the 2023 middle housing law. She acknowledges that smaller cities struggle to comply with the number of bills coming from the state, and cited state-level pre-approved plans for accessory dwelling units as an example of how the state could make it easier for smaller cities to say “yes.”
Her background as the Chief Engineer at the Port of Seattle, overseeing major public works projects, makes her a valuable advocate for urbanist infrastructure and transportation goals. She says her background brings a “practical, equity-driven, solution-focused approach to infrastructure investments and capital budgets.” She told us, as a chief engineer, she will make sure the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is equipped with the best tools to deliver results. She introduced the safe systems approach bill, requiring WSDOT and local jurisdictions to make roads safer for vulnerable users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.
Zahn supports progressive revenue sources instead of Washington’s regressive system that disproportionately taxes the poor. She supported closing tax loopholes and voted yes on the B&O tax bill. She told us she would have supported the wealth tax proposal if it had come before her and supported the capital gains tax bill that added a higher tier tax for the wealthiest.
She supports a highway user fee and a surcharge on higher-cost vehicles and luxury boats to fund transportation for the benefit of all road users and speed the transition away from car-dependence. She believes our future depends on “investing in alternatives to driving—especially as we work to reduce emissions and create safer, healthier communities.”
The Urbanist previously endorsed Zahn for Bellevue City Council, where she served two terms before her appointment earlier this year to the legislature, and we are proud to endorse her again: vote Janice Zahn for Washington State House of Representatives Legislative District 41, Position No. 1.
Legislative District 48, State Senate: Vandana Slatter
Senator Vandana Slatter brings a rare and vital blend of experience to the Washington State Senate: healthcare professional, scientist, former state representative, and now a leading voice for equitable growth in the 48th Legislative District. Appointed to the Senate in 2024 after four impactful terms in the House, Slatter is proving herself as a principled, pragmatic leader who listens deeply and legislates with data, compassion, and courage.
As a self-described “baby urbanist,” Slatter is eager to grow her urbanist lens — and she already has the track record to back it up. She has fought for affordable housing near transit, rental protections, and wraparound services for those experiencing homelessness. Her work helped preserve housing in Highland Village and secured funding for permanent supportive housing. She also sponsored legislation (SB 5725) to turn underused college land into affordable workforce housing, reflecting her creative, community-rooted approach.
On transportation, Slatter is a strong advocate for multimodal infrastructure, bus rapid transit, finishing the Eastrail multi-use trail, and complete streets that prioritize safety. She understands that equitable mobility is central to climate action and livability — and she’s helped secure funding to make it real. Her defense of non-driver transportation budgets shows her commitment to equity over false bipartisanship.
Slatter also brings a nuanced and empathetic approach to community resistance, especially in wealthy cities hesitant to embrace the Growth Management Act. She emphasizes education, transparent engagement, and storytelling—including her own family’s housing journey — to shift the narrative toward shared responsibility and inclusive growth.
While some legislators avoid hard conversations about race, displacement, or progressive revenue, Slatter leans in. She supports a wealth tax, champions community roundtables, and works to ensure people of color and working families are included in policymaking — not just as stakeholders, but as co-creators of Washington’s future.
In contrast, opponent Amy Walen, a state representative since 2019, voted against statewide middle housing reform in 2023, the signature housing bill to come out of the state legislature in recent memory. She also opposed accessory dwelling unit (ADU) reform that year in another bad vote. She and her spouse own a car dealership. With credentials like that, it’s hard to earn urbanist support.
Vandana Slatter is the thoughtful, equity-focused, urbanist-minded leader LD 48 needs.
NORTH END
Everett Mayor: Cassie Franklin
The Urbanist endorses Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin because her administration has made strides on abundant housing, safe streets, and rapid transit. This endorsement comes with caveats — especially over the Everett Link alignment.
Franklin supports increasing the overall housing supply at all price points and told The Urbanist her goal is to make the city a very development-friendly city. Increasing the housing supply, especially affordable and workforce housing, is the “most important strategy” to limit cost increases and make the region affordable, she said. Under Franklin’s administration, Everett increased residential densities in the downtown core, allowing high-rise development up to 25 stories, streamlined permitting, and reduced parking mandates to increase the overall housing supply. To encourage more affordable housing production, her administration implemented fee waivers and expanded tax breaks for affordable housing developments.
The homelessness crisis is especially acute in Everett. Mayor Franklin has supported adding pallet shelters in two locations with plans for a third — despite a lawsuit from not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) activists — and has supported permanent supportive housing projects like Claire’s Place. Drawing on her background as the former CEO of Cocoon House, a nonprofit serving homeless youth, Mayor Franklin distinguishes behavioral health conditions as separate from homelessness, requiring different solutions, even though they often coexist.
The root cause of homelessness is ultimately caused by the housing supply crisis, but housing production is still lagging. To meet its planning target, Everett needs to add more than 1,500 new homes per year over the next 20 years, and Franklin has committed to building more homes. On a less positive note, Franklin did criticize the state’s homelessness encampment program in 2022, saying it placed too many unhoused people in Everett motels.
However, The Urbanist strongly disagrees with Franklin’s work on the Sound Transit board, where she fought to detour the Everett Link extension off of the I-5 corridor to the Boeing factory and Paine Field Airport. That detour will not only increase the time and cost of the light rail expansion but also threaten to displace residents and businesses of the Casino Road neighborhood, a predominantly Latino community, home to a significant portion of Everett’s communities of color and low-income households. To address these concerns, Franklin’s administration has initiated an “Equitable Business Strategy” to preserve local businesses and address impacts from light rail takings.
Franklin’s Casino Road policy and her veto of a pro-labor mandate on public works projects has spurred backlash and drawn a strong challenger in Janice Greene, a labor leader and former head of the Snohomish County NAACP. Greene could also make a great mayor for Everett by prioritizing tenant protections, anti-displacement measures, and partnerships with labor. This was a close call for the committee, but ultimately we felt Greene’s proposals lacked specifics and leaned too heavily on anti-developer sentiment. Meanwhile, Mayor Franklin’s track record on housing and homelessness is strong, and she displays a savvy approach to overcoming political resistance. These are compelling reasons to support her and grant her another term. Vote Franklin.
Everett City Council, District 1: Sam Hem
The Urbanist endorses Sam Hem for the Everett City Council District 1 position. Hem’s support for zoning reform, public investment in housing, as well as his advocacy for public transportation and traffic safety for all road users, make him the standout candidate in the crowded primary.
A longtime labor leader with the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 66 and an Executive Board member of the Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council, Hem will ensure workers’ voices are heard when decisions are made at City Hall.
When we asked about displacement and gentrification on Casino Road caused by Sound Transit’s detour to Paine Field, Hem said he’s not yet a subject matter expert, but he told us where his “feelings and heart” are. He supports zoning reforms and public investments to increase multi-family and missing-middle housing. Citing the recent legalization of housing in Seattle’s so-called Maker’s District as inspiration, he supports union-built affordable housing and mandatory inclusion of affordable units. He believes labor-backed developments can succeed with a “shared commitment to community and economic justice.”
He says his experience as a labor leader in the building and construction trades has shown him “firsthand how labor-backed developments can succeed when there’s a shared commitment to community and economic justice.” He believes housing development should “meet the needs of the people that are in the community and not just for the rich.” His labor-alignment and support for mandatory Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) could set him at odds with the developer-friendly policies of Mayor Cassie Franklin’s administration.
Hem told the Urbanist he supports increased investment in traffic safety, particularly in underserved neighborhoods. He will collaborate with transit, public works, and community groups to identify high-risk corridors to find solutions to protect pedestrians and cyclists. He supports the “Vision Zero” goal to make streets safer for all users; prioritizing walkable, transit-oriented development, expanding sidewalks, building ADA-compliant infrastructure, improving crosswalks, calming traffic, and adding protected bike lanes.
Hem says the Everett Link Extension “can’t get here soon enough” and backs investments in public transit to improve major bus route service frequency. When pushed for details on how to fund increased services, he said he will listen to Everett Transit workers. Their voices “need to be heard and… advocated for” because “they know the solutions” as “they’re in the trenches day in and day out,” he said.
Kenmore City Council, Position 2: Caitlin Sullivan
The Urbanist endorses Caitlin Sullivan for Kenmore City Council position 2 because she will prioritize building more homes, delivering housing affordability, density, and sustainable urban development. Sullivan has actual experience building the kinds of homes Kenmore needs and understands housing policy more deeply than other candidates. And she committed to standing up to future housing backlash and see housing projects through.
Sullivan currently serves on Kenmore’s STEP Housing Committee and told us she supports reintroducing permanent supportive housing (PSH) to Kenmore. After fierce opposition, Kenmore backed out of a 100-unit PSH proposal from Plymouth Housing. She says the city should do more outreach to educate the community on the benefits of deeply affordable housing and told us decisions need to be based on research-backed solutions that improve outcomes, “even if we experience vocal opponents at public hearings.” When asked about camping bans, she said if the city is unwilling to take meaningful steps to address homelessness, “then we have no business criminalizing it.”
When we asked about transportation policy, she cites housing policy as the foundational element necessary for the success of all other city priorities. She says cities that are walkable, transit-oriented, and have smaller, denser housing options decrease carbon emissions and commuting time. Sullivan’s vision for Kenmore includes density centered along major roads with walkable neighborhood commercial areas, sidewalks, bike lanes, and bus service.
Sullivan is running to unseat incumbent city councilmember Joe Marshall, who is about as bad on housing policy as they come. He opposed the Plymouth’s project and he opposes state mandates preempting exclusionary housing policies, saying earlier this year, “I staunchly remain in favor of local control.”
Also in the race to unseat Marshall is the Chair of the Kenmore Planning Commission, Tracy Banaszynski, who supported an inclusionary zoning plan that would have essentially taxed middle housing developments. In public testimony, Sullivan warned Banaszynsk and the planning commission against that tax because it would have discouraged the kind of affordable in-fill development Kenmore needs more of while favoring giant, expensive McMansions the city already has too many of. Sullivan instead advocated for mandates targeted at larger, more expensive units rather than burdening smaller, generally more affordable, developments.
Amidst an escalating homelessness crisis fueled by a shortage of housing, our region needs more local elected leaders who actually know how to build more homes for their communities and are willing to put in the hard work to make it happen. Sullivan is more knowledgeable on housing policy than most city council candidates in the region, and that is a welcome change. Vote Sullivan for Kenmore Council Position 2.
Lake Forest Park City Council, Position 1: Semra Riddle
The Urbanist endorses Semra Riddle for Lake Forest Park City Council Position 1 because of her commitment to safer, active transportation, and expanded housing options supported by economic development in the city. Semra’s experience with city council for nine years shows in how she speaks specifically about policy backed by funding plans to move things forward.
Riddle is clearly supportive of mixed use, affordable housing to expand to make significantly more multi-family, dense housing available as spaces like the Town Center are developed and built out. She wants to go beyond state minimums for middle housing and redevelop the Lake Forest Park (LFP) town center with at least 10% affordable housing, hoping developers can get on board with the plan. Riddle is motivated to get the city moving to also finally respond to the state mandates for affordable housing that have been pushed to the side since 2021. While she wants the city to exceed the state minimums, they need to get started first on at least meeting them.
On transit policy, Riddle recognizes the impact that the bus rapid transit line along SR 522 can bring to the area, when it opens in 2028-ish. She has good awareness of the challenges that Sound Transit is facing due to local opposition to the bus lane, and some challenges to reach the line from Lake Forest Park. Riddle is eager to support the infrastructure needed to build over the Besche’tla and McAleer creeks and maintain safe pedestrian areas near the Town Center. She wants things to keep moving and get done as soon as possible: last year, she was the only council member to not sign a letter to Sound Transit opposing business access transit (BAT) lanes in the city.
Riddle told The Urbanist she supports traffic calming on Perkins Way to make it safe for pedestrians and cyclists. The narrow road alongside McAleer Creek is the bike route connecting the Burke Gilman Trail to the Shoreline North light rail station and the Interurban Trail. But the twisting ravine has a dangerous problem with speeding drivers and no sidewalks. LFP needs more public parks, and turning Perkins into Safe Street could make it a recreational space for the locals while supporting the city’s climate goals.
Riddle identifies the way that the city is growing and changing, and has the awareness and expertise to balance growth with sustainability and other goals. Her support for increased housing with new developments and mindfulness around the progression for new and improved transit and pedestrian options is comforting. Vote Semra Riddle for Lake Forest Park City Council Position No. 1.
Lynwood City Council, Position 1: Derica Escamilla
Vote for Derica Escamilla as an urbanist voice moving Lynnwood’s issues and discussion forward. Escamilla is an environmental scientist with years of experience serving on Lynnwood’s Boards and Committees. Escamilla was appointed to the council last year and her values align with The Urbanist’s positions.
Escamilla told The Urbanist she welcomes middle housing zoning reforms and supports tax incentives to increase affordable housing. She wants to make public transit the safest, easiest, and most affordable option, advocating for lower fares and expanded routes. She is a champion for a more walkable and safely bikeable Lynnwood.
She’s pushed to continue funding for LEAD, Lynnwood’s diversion program that connects people with behavioral health issues with treatment to keep them from cycling through the criminal justice system. In contrast to her “tough on crime” opponents, she supports community-based programs to increase access to mental health services.
Escamilla is a youth basketball coach and advocate for increased recreational and participation opportunities for young people. Along with Council Vice President Josh Binda, she is leading the creation of a Youth Board to increase public engagement and ensure young voices are heard in local government.
In our interview, Escamilla acknowledged she is still new to answering questions about housing policy issues and she was unfamiliar with parking reform. She made some car-oriented comments that don’t align with The Urbanist’s positions. However, Escamilla is, by a wide margin, the best candidate for urbanists to support in this primary; neither of her opponents applied for an endorsement from The Urbanist.
One of her challengers, Republican Diodato (Dio) Boucsieguez, led the Binda recall campaign that failed to gather enough signatures. The Snohomish County Auditor and Snohomish County Hearing Examiner dismissed Boucsieguez’s most recent accusations against Binda as lacking merit. Boucsieguez has cited high taxes and the “urban problems” from the “Seattlelization” of Lynnwood as motivations for seeking office.
Escamilla’s other challenger is Brandon Kimmel, a political newcomer who says taxes and fines are too high in Lynnwood and is running to address public safety, citing his over 20-year career in private security and corrections.
Escamilla will continue to be a strong voice for groups that have long been left out of decision-making in Lynnwood. She listens to the needs of workers, families, immigrants, and youth. Vote Derica Escamilla for Lynnwood City Council, Position 1.
Lynwood City Council, Position 3: Josh Binda
The Urbanist endorses Lynnwood City Council Vice President Josh Binda for reelection to position 3 because he supports expanded transit and policy reforms that will increase affordable housing. He is more competent and experienced on the tough policy issues facing Lynnwood than either of his challengers.
Binda says his top priority is increasing the supply of affordable housing in Lynnwood. In our interview, he told us that, as a renter, he will represent the growing population of people in Lynnwood who have been priced out of Seattle. He’s an advocate for mixed-income developments and policy reforms to increase availability. Binda supports eliminating parking mandates citywide and he supports affordable housing mandates and subsidized housing.
Binda told us outright, “I do not support camping bans or sweeps”. He wants more supportive housing, mental health services, job training, designated safe camping areas, and comprehensive outreach services to connect individuals with resources. He is a “huge proponent” of non-policing behavioral health co-responders, particularly for issues related to mental health, drug abuse, and homelessness.
As Council Vice President, he championed new boardwalks, trails, and parks, and says his council is now “very pro-transit.” Binda told us he wants to make the Lynnwood city center very transit-oriented and walkable so people don’t have to drive. He will advocate for expanded bus routes, increased funding for light rail, and supports creating safe, well-lit pedestrian pathways and dedicated bike lanes.
Binda said he’s excited to continue working with the city council on the Poplar Way Extension Bridge that would close a gap in the Interurban Trail, making biking and walking to the transit center safer. He also led the effort to secure $2 million for upgrades at Scriber Lake Park and was proud to tell us about the recent Boardwalk Trail grand opening.
He told The Urbanist he “wholeheartedly” supports progressive revenue sources and would advocate for raising Lynnwood’s minimum wage, saying the current wage is “completely unaffordable for working-class people.”
In our interview, Binda touted the Zip Shuttle, which provides an “on-demand shared ride” service to the Alderwood district. Though operated by Community Transit, these services are expensive per ride and don’t scale. The Urbanist loves last-mile solutions, though we’d like to see this money funding more efficient ways of getting people where they need to go.
There’s a lot at stake in this election. When he was first elected, he made history as the youngest African American elected official in Washington state history. An investigation by the Snohomish County NAACP found that starting before even taking office, Binda had been unfairly targeted by the media and city officials based on his race and age.
The mud-slinging has continued. Last year a recall campaign led by his opponents failed to gather enough signatures, and the Snohomish County Auditor and Snohomish County Hearing Examiner dismissed the most recent accusations against Binda as lacking merit.
One of Binda’s challengers, Tyler Hall, also aligns with urbanist values and we hope to see more from him. But Hall’s lack of experience makes Binda the better candidate in this primary.
Binda’s leading opponent, Bryce Owings, did not respond to our questionnaire and has vaguely discussed his views on important urbanist issues, notably stating he’d leave parts of Lynnwood unchanged accessibility-wise because he personally can get around there. He received the endorsement of Burien Councilmember Jimmy Matta, who voted for that city’s infamous criminalization of homelessness and camping ban. Owings also received the endorsement of former Lynnwood city council member, Ted Hikel, who fought increased density in Lynnwood’s comprehensive plan because “proposed changes denigrate the value of my property and impact the rights of all single-family homes throughout the city,” according to Hikel.
Binda is the right candidate for urbanist voters – supporting affordable housing, walkability, and transit. He’s the most experienced candidate in the primary and has more depth on the important issues facing the city than his opponents. He will be a voice for young renters, immigrants, and African Americans in a rapidly changing city. His reelection will send a strong message that the days of a regressive, small-minded Lynnwood City Hall are over. Vote Josh Binda for Lynnwood City Council Position 3.
Woodinville City Council, Position 5: Sarah Arndt
The Urbanist endorses Sarah Arndt for Woodinville City Council Position #5. Arndt is a current city councilmember running for re-election, and over her first three years on the council she has had an positive and impactful influence on a number of local issues – including the climate action plan, supporting housing projects, improving access to parks and open spaces, and guiding more investments toward multimodal transportation projects. Her re-election priorities seek to build upon the work she has started on the council.
In her re-election campaign, one of Arndt’s top priorities is addressing the housing crisis. Arndt is progressive in her housing approach by supporting inclusionary zoning, bringing more shelter, transitional housing, emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing (a.k.a. STEP housing) options into the fold, and removing housing barriers in the city’s code and permitting processes.
Arndt believes that while engagement is key to advancing STEP housing, “it is crucial that public engagement doesn’t become a veto process on good projects”. The Urbanist commends Arndt for recognizing the current climate around housing opponents abusing public engagement as a mechanism to block projects that have an overwhelmingly positive impact. Additionally, Arndt is anti-camping sweeps and believes in a housing first approach to supporting the unhoused community.
Another area that Arndt shines in advocating for trail and recreational public spaces in Woodinville. During her time on the council, she has helped open Wood Trails, the city’s largest and biggest park, secured funding for planning the Eastrail trail and linear park, and advocated for the city to be the preferred location for a new aquatic and recreation center. In a world of privatization of public amenity’s, Arndt has demonstrated a continued commitment to maintaining vital public spaces that enhance Woodinville’s quality of life.
While the Urbanist is giving Arndt our endorsement, it comes with a caveat surrounding parking requirements in the downtown core. Arndt is pro-parking and does not support reduced parking mandates. During her interview, she indicated she will prioritize access improvements for cars to better support Woodinville’s downtown core businesses. Woodinville once had transit services prior to the pandemic, however King County has been glacially slow mobilizing on providing a greater service area and re-establishing exurban routes. Woodinville has a tourism-based economy focused around wine and spirits, and the Urbanist strongly supports safer, alternative modes of transportation for Woodinville’s tourists.
That being said, Arndt does support investing in more multi-modal transportation options. We are interested to see how Arndt collaborates with King County Metro and its neighbors to develop a future with more transportation options. Arndt’s transportation goals also include filling sidewalk gaps, building protected bike lanes, improving street lighting, and ensuring curbs and crosswalks meet accessible design standards.
While Arndt is the only candidate in this city council race that applied for the Urbanist endorsement, she has rightfully earned her endorsement and aligns with the Urbanist on a majority of the issues we at the Urbanist advocate for.
The Urbanist Elections Committee consists of Forest Baum, Emma Biscocho Pelletier, Angela Compton, Caitlin Hepworth, Kacie Masten, Jason Merges, Oliver Moffat, Ryan Packer, Aparna Rae, Maya Ramakrishnan, Hannah Sabio-Howell, Jazmine Smith, Doug Trumm, and Kelsey Vanhee.
Elections Committee
The Urbanist was founded in 2014 to examine and influence urban policies. We believe cities provide unique opportunities for addressing many of the most challenging social, environmental, and economic problems. We serve as a resource for promoting urbanism, increasing political participation, and improving the places we live. The Elections Committee consists of community volunteers and staff members of The Urbanist and is a standing body representing the political values of our organization.