♪♪
Man: Welcome to the Seattle Video Voters' Guide.
Your chance to hear directly from the candidates
on the November ballot.
This is a vote-by-mail election.
Instead of going to a polling place,
ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
In this edition, you'll hear from the candidates
who will appear on the general election ballot
for Seattle Mayor,
Seattle City Attorney,
the two at large
Seattle City Council positions,
and three of the seven
Seattle School Board positions.
All offices included
in this guide are nonpartisan.
Each of the statements
is up to two minutes long
and unedited.
The candidates appear
on your screen
in the same order
as they will on the ballot.
First up, the office of Seattle Mayor.
The mayor of the city of Seattle
is the chief executive officer of the city
and is responsible for enforcing city and state law,
city contracts and maintaining order.
The mayor appoints department heads,
subject to city council approval,
and manages the executive branch of city government.
The mayor has the authority to veto ordinances
passed by the city council,
and the council may override such vetoes
by a two-thirds majority vote.
The mayor is elected for a 4-year term.
Seattle is starving
for effective leadership.
Out of 15 candidates in the primary,
I received the most votes because I said
I will be the mayor who makes no excuses
and acts with a sense of urgency.
I will unite our communities
and make real progress
on the challenges we face.
I have a proven track record of doing so.
My father was one
of City Light's first Black union linemen,
and my Japanese mother was cruelly interned
during World War II.
Their fight for equity and justice
drives my public service
to work for you.
The homelessness crisis is our first priority.
I don't make excuses.
I take action and here's my plan.
Using at least 12 percent of our budget
as a baseline, we will secure
$140 million in federal funds
to provide immediate housing.
We will build 2,000 units
our first year alone.
We have the sites. We have the money.
Let's clean up our parks,
school properties, and sidewalks.
Our written plan will be accessible to you
by a click of a button.
Next, we must unite
around an economic recovery for all,
assisting downtown
and neighborhood small businesses.
We will create a job center
connecting people to careers.
You may recall
I led the $15 minimum-wage discussion,
and now I'll work to expand child care,
affordable housing, and transit
so, working people and families
can continue to call our city home.
We will improve public safety
and build trust in our police
by changing tactics and culture.
You may recall, I sponsored
Seattle's first anti-bias police law.
Let's reimagine policing,
not threaten defunding.
Let's keep everyone, all communities safe.
I'm grateful so many have endorsed me.
Governor Gary Locke,
Seattle Mayors Norm Rice,
Charlie Royer, Wes Uhlman,
The Seattle Times,
the Transit Union 587 -- our bus drivers,
communication workers of Washington,
Washington State Council
of County and City Employees.
The Ironworkers, Local 86,
leaders from the NAACP
and the faith community.
So many more.
I ask for your vote.
My name is Bruce Harrell,
and I ask for your vote.
I'm Lorena González.
I'm a first-time mom and a proud
first-generation American.
I grew up in central Washington
as a migrant farm worker,
earning my first paycheck at 8 years old
and worked my way
from community college through law school.
As a civil rights attorney,
I won cases for victims of sexual assault,
wage theft, elder abuse,
and police misconduct and brutality.
I decided to run for mayor
after seeing how hard
things are becoming
for too many Seattleites,
especially women, workers,
and people of color.
Housing is too expensive.
Wages are too low.
Big corporations have too much say,
and police are not being
held accountable nearly enough.
If we dream big and work hard,
we can build a Seattle
that's livable for everyone.
A city that brings people together
to solve the root causes of homelessness,
like inequality and poverty,
while we rapidly build shelter
and affordable housing,
where Black and brown people
don't fear police brutality
because we've restructured
public safety to keep everyone safe.
A city of connected, livable,
safe neighborhoods
with affordable child care,
grocery stores, safe parks,
and modern public transit
with housing and rent everyone can afford,
where all kinds of businesses
can grow in every neighborhood,
and all jobs pay a living wage,
and big corporations and the wealthy
finally pay their fair share.
This is the really hard
and necessary work of the next mayor.
I have the track record
and relationships with the council,
labor, small businesses,
and members of the community
to bring people together
and boldly lead.
So, Seattle is once again
the vibrant city we all love.
Truly a Seattle for all.
I ask for your vote to be
Seattle's next
and your very first Latina mayor.
Seattle City Attorney.
The city attorney is the head of the law department
and appoints all assistant city attorneys,
city prosecutors, and other department staff.
The city attorney supervises and controls litigation
in which the city or any of its departments is a party.
The city attorney also provides legal counsel
to all city departments and to elected and appointed officials.
The city attorney is elected for a four-year term.
We all want to be safe in our homes,
on our streets,
and in the city that we love.
In pursuit of that goal,
we have poured our money
into cops, courts, and jails
with ever worse returns on our investment.
The city attorney
prosecutes misdemeanors.
Right now, we spend
over $70 million per year
punishing the poor,
BIPOC, and the disabled for misdemeanors,
most of which are petty crimes.
If we want safe and healthy communities,
we have to stop giving in
to those who pander to fear.
We must instead enact real solutions
that get to the heart of our problems,
and we can.
The lack of available addiction
and mental health treatment
has resulted in widespread
and visible suffering.
For the health of the entire community,
we need expanded access to treatment
and help prior to crisis.
A victims' compensation fund
will repair people and small businesses.
I will work with community
to expand accountability programs
that interrupt harm
and advance healing and connection.
I will listen to what survivors tell me
they need to be empowered.
A trauma-informed approach,
violence-prevention programs,
and the resources they need
to stay safe, with prosecution
as a last resort
until we build something better.
The city attorney
does not just deal with misdemeanors,
it also directs
all of Seattle's civil litigation,
and I will take on those
who have done the most harm
to our community --
landlords that abuse tenants,
companies that commit wage theft,
and fossil fuel corporations
that have knowingly created
our climate crisis.
I will litigate to make sure
that those who have done large-scale harm
to our city are held
financially accountable for their actions,
not taxpayers.
Our shortage of affordable housing
is a community crisis.
Jail is not the answer.
Housing is.
I will collaborate
with the mayor and council
to change our land use code
so we can build
affordable housing quickly.
Everyone in Seattle
deserves to be safe and healthy.
Let's make it a reality.
I'm Ann Davison, and I'm running
for Seattle City Attorney
because our city must reconcile
that it is failing to meet the needs
of our most vulnerable,
as well as the basic functions
of protecting public health and safety.
The people of Seattle have suffered enough
from growing crime and dysfunction.
Our laws exist to help our most vulnerable
while ensuring a safe home for our community.
When the people's courthouse
is not safe
and employees are told to stay home
because it's too dangerous there,
we need a new way.
The city attorney
represents our crime victims
and is a critical link to public safety
downtown and in our neighborhoods.
Deciding when to prosecute
many types of criminal activity,
defense attorneys represent
someone accused of a crime.
When the prosecutor acts
as a second defense attorney,
there is no justice for crime victims
who must be put in the center.
Abolishing police, prosecution, and jails
will not make our city safer
or more livable.
The city attorney's office
is not the place for radical activism.
It must be the place that holds our limits
so that the rest of society
can function and flourish.
I will set the tone and direction
of the city's law department
as a trusted, collaborative leader,
being proactive, not reactive.
I will surround myself with experts
to provide the best legal services to the city,
holding standards of accountability
for reform and safety.
I am endorsed by The Seattle Times,
unions representing workers
who create the backbone of our economy,
former Gov. Dan Evans,
retired Municipal Court Presiding Judge Ed McKenna,
former King County Prosecutor
Chris Bayley
and former Seattle City Attorney
Mark Sidran because they know
that Seattle needs an effective leader
as city attorney.
I am endorsed by community leaders
like Victoria Beach, Harvey Drake,
and many more because they agree
we can have meaningful reform
and restore public safety.
With your vote, we can create a safer,
more compassionate city
for all of us.
Seattle City Council.
The Seattle City Council
is the legislative branch of government.
Members set the city's direction by enacting ordinances
and passing resolutions.
The council authorizes expenditures,
adopts regulations, levies taxes,
controls the finances, and property of the city
and performs many related legislative tasks.
Of the nine city council positions,
two -- position eight and position nine -- are at large,
representing the entire city for a term of four years.
Positions one through seven each represent
different districts of the city.
Only the two at large council positions
are up for election this year.
The remaining seven district council positions
will be on the ballot in 2023.
All voters in Seattle can vote in both
of the at large city council races.
Emerging from this pandemic,
we have an opportunity to come together
to roll up our sleeves and build a stronger,
more equitable Seattle.
I'm Teresa Mosqueda,
and I've dedicated my career
to building coalitions
and getting results
by bringing together diverse perspectives
and passing progressive policies
that challenge the status quo.
In my first term here at Seattle City Council,
with your help,
we passed progressive policies
to make Seattle more equitable and just.
I led the coalition and passed
the JumpStart progressive revenue proposal
to bring in over $214 million a year
for investments in housing
and small businesses,
in equitable development,
and Green New Deal priorities.
I passed wage and leave standards
for app-based drivers,
made sure that our hotel workers
had healthcare
and workplace protections and, during COVID,
made sure that our grocery workers
had hazard pay.
I led on the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
that is now a national model
for other cities,
and we addressed the climate crisis
by passing energy-efficiency standards
for city buildings
and funding more housing
within the city of Seattle.
In the wake of COVID, I hope to continue
to do this important work
with your support.
I hope to return to council with your vote
and make sure that we can continue
to invest in workers and small businesses,
address environmental crisis,
as well as make sure
that we're addressing the health
and stability for all Seattleites.
I will fight for more affordable housing
across our city,
for police accountability,
and upstream investments,
making sure that we invest
in homeless-prevention strategies
and ensure that workers and small businesses
have the support they need
for a more equitable Seattle post-COVID.
I hope you'll join me
and support my campaign for reelection.
Please join individuals
like Rep. Jayapal,
Attorney General Bob Ferguson,
labor unions from across this county,
including SEIU, Teamsters, UFCW,
so many environmental justice groups
like the Sierra Club
and Washington Conservation Voters
and folks fighting for women's rights,
LGBT rights, and healthcare justice.
It's been an honor to serve you.
My name is Kenneth Wilson,
and I'm running
for Seattle City Council eight.
I'm a licensed, bridge-structural engineer
with 30 years' experience
working on transportation
and infrastructure projects
and own a small business since 2005.
I completed my Master's Degree
in Civil Engineering at UW.
And I'm a proud resident of Seattle
for over 28 years.
Having lived in West Seattle
and now in the Wallingford, Green Lake neighborhood
with my wife and two daughters,
I have a strong appreciation
for the city's many distinct neighborhoods.
This past year
has taught me important lessons
and is the reason I am running.
It reminded me of the value of family.
It showed me once again
the ingenuity of American science
and manufacturing, with Ford and GE
quickly switching to medical devices,
while our scientists were first
to produce mass testing
and viable vaccines.
Unfortunately, it also
demonstrated to me
that our incumbent representatives
do not hold our interests and needs first,
instead, often focusing on political projects.
We need a better council.
Our council failed us
with homeless, our infrastructure,
including cutting the West Seattle access
and our safety.
I will not defund our police
and instead promise to support and work
with them to better serve Seattle.
Our city is an old, mature city
and the infrastructure
needs to be updated and upgraded.
This includes power, utility system,
sewer mains, water,
and our city's bridges and roads.
West Seattle access must be restored
and opened now, not in 2022.
We've analyzed it. We understand it better
and there are usage opportunities.
We need homeless solutions
that are not just temporary shelter,
but real actions
that correct addictions and mental problems,
such as an 18-to-24-month transition housing
with social services.
As your council member,
it's my intention to build on our strengths,
restore rational decisions,
and do a sure progress follow-up.
I have the ability,
energy, and expertise to restore Seattle
to the city we want.
I would appreciate your vote.
♪♪
In the last year,
Seattle has had a reckoning
with racial inequality,
a battle with a devastating pandemic,
a homelessness state of emergency,
and a continued climate catastrophe.
The question before Seattle voters
is straightforward.
Will we continue to rely on policies of the past,
many of which
have brought us to this point,
or is it time for a fresh perspective
rooted in community care?
My name is Nikkita Oliver.
I use they/them pronouns.
I am running for Seattle City Council
citywide Position 9.
I'm a community organizer,
executive director, artist,
adjunct professor
at Seattle University School of Law,
and an attorney who has supported clients
through school exclusion, eviction,
and anti-discrimination cases.
When elected, I will serve
with the conviction
that we need solutions now
that are commensurate with the crises
we are facing and an alignment
with the vision of the city we strive to be.
A vote for the Nikkita For Nine campaign
is a vote for a city
that embodies racial and economic justice,
a city with labor protections,
prevailing wages, and healthcare for all,
a city that enacts progressive revenue
to build housing
and meet the basic needs of our residents,
a city that takes bold action
to address the climate crisis,
working towards free transit
and reforming zoning codes
that restrict our supply of affordable housing
and further perpetuate racist,
exclusionary zoning patterns.
Our campaign has received more democracy vouchers
than any city council candidate
because we have built community power
from the ground up
from the south end to North Seattle,
among renters and vulnerable homeowners,
seniors at risk of displacement,
and young people alike.
We've been endorsed by the MLK Labor Council,
The Urbanist, The Stranger,
Seattle Democratic Socialists of America,
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal,
Seattle City Councilmembers
Morales and Mosqueda,
former Councilmember Mike O'Brien,
county Councilmember Zahilay,
and former Councilmember Larry Gossett,
Washington state Rep.
Kirsten Harris-Talley,
and state Sen. Rebecca Saldaña.
Together we will build the city
we say we are,
a city where all are healthy and thriving.
Seattle, we've got to talk.
We live in a gorgeous city,
but unfortunately, our elected leaders
are failing our most vulnerable.
We see it when
we walk through our neighborhoods,
in our parks, and in our downtown streets.
On critical issues like homelessness
and public safety,
city council is making big promises
but delivering few, if any,
measurable results.
It's time for a change,
and I bring the right experience
to make that change happen.
As a former council aide,
I helped pass landmark legislation
to build affordable housing,
increase transit,
and tackled climate change.
As co-founder of Fremont Brewing,
I created a neighborhood business
that's known for taking care of its workers
and giving back to the community.
As your council member,
I'll be a pragmatic progressive,
someone with a plan to get things done,
providing housing for our most vulnerable
while restoring our parks and playgrounds.
And I'll be responsive,
accountable, and transparent.
I have to be blunt with you.
There's a big contrast in this race.
My opponent says that abolishing the police
is the first step in public safety.
I think that's irresponsible.
I strongly support
comprehensive police reform,
but I believe that when you call 911,
you should be able to count on a fast,
effective, and fair response.
That balanced approach has earned me
the support of police reform leaders
like Victoria Beach,
chair of the African American
Community Advisory Council,
and Rev. Harriett Walden,
founder of Mothers for Police Accountability.
I'm also honored to be endorsed
by The Seattle Times,
the Seattle Fire Fighters,
laborers, and Iron Workers unions,
and many more.
I'm in this to solve problems
and rebuild the city we love.
There is hope.
And together we can make Seattle
a place that keeps its promises
to those who need it most.
I'm Sara Nelson, and I ask for your vote.
Learn more at saraforcitycouncil.com.
Seattle School Board.
The Seattle School Board
adopts the policies that govern Seattle Public Schools.
The board provides direction for the educational program.
The seven directors represent different areas of the city.
Directors are nonpartisan and serve four-year terms.
Just three of the seven district seats are up
for election this year.
In the primary,
only those who live in the school board district
that was on the ballot were eligible
to vote for candidates in that district.
The top two vote-getters in each of those districts
advance to the general election.
At the general election, all voters in Seattle
will have the opportunity to vote
for one candidate from each district.
♪♪
Public education transformed my life.
That is why I want to be
your next school board director.
As a child of working-class immigrants,
I started school
as an English as a second language student.
It was a public school teacher
who identified my hearing disability
and got me the support I needed
to fulfill my potential.
My family takes great pride
that I am the first woman in my family
to graduate from college.
Seattle Public Schools can do better.
The talents and commitments of our teachers,
principal, and staff are there.
I see it every day
as a mother of four current
and future students,
PTA president, and member
of the Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council.
We must support them with a budget
and board that reflects our values.
We can simultaneously tackle equity,
academic quality, and operational efficiency
so that our students are thoroughly prepared
be it career, college,
or community.
I bring a diverse background
and professional skills
in finance and operations
that are needed
to better support our district.
As director, I commit
to establishing mental health
as an essential service to reengage students
who are falling behind,
especially after the COVID-19 pandemic,
making tangible progress
on inclusion and academic outcomes,
securing needed transportation assistance
for families,
hiring a superintendent with a strong vision
for our district's future,
and diving into capital and operating budgets
to ensure equity
and spending accountability.
I'm honored to have the endorsements
of The Stranger,
the 36th, 43rd and 46th district Democrats,
National Women's Political Caucus,
OneAmerica Votes,
Alliance for Gun Responsibility,
Fuse Progressive Voters Guide,
state Sens.
Reuven Carlyle and Jamie Pedersen,
Rep. Gerry Pollet,
King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles,
former School Board Directors
Betty Patu, Eden Mack,
Sue Peters, Michael DeBell,
Rick Burke, Kay Smith-Blum and others.
And I'd be honored to have your vote.
Hi, my name is Laura Marie Rivera,
R-i-v-e-r-a.
In this challenging year,
I have decided to lean in.
I'm the mother of four
Seattle Public School students.
I am a nonprofit professional,
a former Broadway performer,
and I'm an educator.
I'm running for school board
because I want to create a safe
and welcoming environment
for all Seattle students,
regardless of race, gender, economics,
abilities, religion,
first language, you name it.
And I want to give each of them
the very best public education.
We owe this to them
and to our society as a whole.
Now, there won't be any dancing in this video.
I'll leave that
to my Broadway performing days of the past.
But did you know
that the future stars, captains of industry,
influential scientists, community builders,
and essential workers of tomorrow
are in our schools today?
A quality public education
is the greatest gift we can give them.
It opens the door for a brighter future
and gives our students
the skills they need to succeed.
All services must be delivered equitably
and effectively, 100% inclusive,
and center
on each individual student's needs.
I intend to build
on the district's commitment to equity
and open up the possibilities
for all of our students.
It is paramount that we are keeping up
with the highest safety standards
and respecting the needs
of our educators and staff.
As a family with learning disabilities,
we know how difficult it can be
to navigate the system
and advocate for our child.
I would like to use my experiences
as a parent, teacher,
and member of our community
to advocate for all of our children.
This attention to our students
means graduation and success.
Seattle is a leader in technology,
innovation, and the arts.
We need to make sure
that our students have access
to the skills and opportunities
that those industries can provide.
If I'm elected
as a Seattle School Board director,
I pledge to listen and to learn
and to make the best possible choices
for our students.
I'm Laura Marie Rivera,
and I would be proud to win your vote.
♪♪
You've just seen all the video statements
recorded by the candidates that appear
on the Seattle general election ballots.
For King County
and Port of Seattle candidates and issues,
watch the King County version of the Video Voters' Guide.
This program is a collaboration
of the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission,
the Seattle Channel, and King County TV.
This will be a vote-by-mail election.
Ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
Look for your ballot in the mail after Oct. 13
and vote and return it
on or before Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Remember to sign the envelope with your voted ballot.
To learn about accessible voting options,
go to kingcounty.gov/elections.
Ballots can be returned via U.S. Mail
or at one of King County's secure ballot drop boxes.
Ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 2.
You can track the progress of your ballot online
and find the location of drop boxes
by visiting King County elections
at kingcounty.gov/elections.
Thank you for joining us.
We'd like to hear from you about the Video Voters' Guide.
To comment on this guide,
please call 206-684-8500
or e-mail us at ethicsandelections@seattle.gov.