♪♪
-Welcome to the 2023 City of Seattle
General Election Video Voters' Guide,
your chance to hear directly from the participants
appearing on the November 7 general election ballot.
This is a vote-by-mail election.
Instead of going to a polling place,
ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
All ballots must be returned on or before Election Day.
Each statement in this guide is up to two minutes long
and unedited.
The speakers appear on your
screen in the order they will
appear on the ballot.
The people invited to appear
in these videos include
representatives in favor of
and opposed to
Seattle Proposition No. 1,
candidates for the seven Seattle
City Council district positions,
and candidates for the four
Seattle School Board seats.
All the elective positions
included in this guide
are nonpartisan.
First up, Proposition No. 1, the Seattle Housing Levy.
Proposition 1 would replace
the expiring Seattle Housing Levy.
If approved, the proposition would fund housing
and housing services for low-income households,
including seniors, working families,
people with disabilities,
and people experiencing homelessness.
If Proposition 1 passes,
the city would be authorized to raise
just over $970 million in additional property taxes
over seven years, beginning in 2024.
The proposed tax rate would be $0.45 per
$1,000 of assessed value.
Seniors, veterans with disabilities,
and others qualified under RCW 84.36.381
would be exempt from
the proposed property tax increase.
-Hello, Seattle.
I'm Patience Malaba, the executive director
of the Housing Development Consortium.
I urge you to support the Seattle Housing Levy
by voting yes on Prop 1.
Housing is the foundation for community health,
safety, and well-being.
Since 1986, the housing levy has been
Seattle's most effective tool to improving housing access,
stability, and equity.
Renewing the levy will help meet today's urgent,
affordable housing needs and plan for the future.
By voting for this measure, you will help produce
and preserve 3,500 new affordable homes.
You will help stabilize 4,500 individuals
and families at risk of eviction and homelessness.
You will also help 1,150 formerly homeless individuals
and people with acute needs enter
and remain in stable, supportive homes.
You will also help create 360 affordable
home ownership opportunities
targeted to marginalized communities.
The levy renewal also provides wage support,
career training, and professional development
for workers in supportive and emergency housing,
expanding services to help people out of homelessness,
substance use, and behavioral health crises.
Over the past decades,
the levies have consistently exceeded their goals.
Let's build on this success.
Join the broad and growing coalition
who support Seattle Prop. 1,
including Mayor Harrell, our City Council,
Chamber of Commerce, MLK Labor, and housing advocates.
Please vote yes on the Seattle Prop. 1
by November 7.
♪♪
-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.
Councilmembers serve four-year terms.
This year, the city of Seattle
will elect the seven councilmembers representing
Seattle's seven geographic districts.
Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7
will appear on the general election ballot.
The two at large council candidates
will be on the ballot in 2025.
All city voters will have the opportunity to vote
for a candidate representing their voting district.
♪♪
-At some point, we all have the choice to put others first.
In 2020, Amazon put warehouse workers in unsafe conditions,
and was failing to act on climate change.
As a dedicated employee, a valued leader, and a mom,
I wanted Amazon to do better.
I put my career on the line and led thousands
of my co-workers to take an unprecedented stand.
I outlined a plan to win,
did the work, and delivered results.
Our actions led to Amazon's climate pledge,
the $10 billion Bezos Earth Fund,
and increased worker safety.
Now, I want to help Seattle
rise to the challenges of our times,
using evidence-based pragmatic solutions.
Immediately, we need to increase both temporary
and permanent housing
and coordinate with regional partners
to ensure that those experiencing homelessness
have paths to necessary resources.
We all need to feel safe in our neighborhoods and parks.
We can have police and alternative response,
lead with compassion and refuse to tolerate harmful behavior,
and tackle poverty, mental illness,
and addiction so that crime decreases.
I will be a strong advocate for bringing response times down
while ending racial bias and excessive force.
Climate change is here, and our city isn't ready.
With new federal funding,
I will help lead our city to reduce emissions
and protect residents from heat waves,
smoke, and flooding.
My vision is to establish holistic public safety,
end homelessness in our neighborhoods,
and make Seattle a global leader in the new green economy.
Together, we can build a safe, equitable,
sustainable city for all.
I'm proud to be endorsed by The Stranger,
King County Democrats, MLK Labor Council,
Councilmember Mosqueda, dozens of unions, organizations,
and community leaders, and all six
of my primary election opponents,
including Preston Anderson, Phil Tavel, and Stephen Brown.
I hope to earn your vote.
-I am running to serve the people of District 1
with their best interests in mind first.
We need an accountable, responsive government
willing to center equity, progressive values,
and common sense.
My name is Rob Saka, and I'd be honored to serve you.
I'm a public school dad of three, attorney,
public safety advocate, and Air Force veteran.
I'm also the proud son of a Nigerian immigrant
and former warehouse worker
who rescued me from the foster care system,
and raised me as a single parent.
I believe in safe communities and better policing.
Everyone has a right to feel safe in their own neighborhood,
free of crime or unequal justice.
That's why we must enact both effective prevention strategies
and appropriate response capabilities
to meet the realities of today's public safety challenges.
While growing up, I lived in public and low-income housing.
These experiences taught me that everyone deserves safe,
quality housing in a thriving community.
We must build more affordable housing,
particularly for low-income,
and workforce housing for middle-income residents.
As a former foster kid, I know what it's like to be uprooted
and feel completely swept away.
We must do better for our unhoused neighbors.
Sadly, the homelessness crisis in our city
has devolved into a total humanitarian catastrophe.
It is our moral imperative to take urgent action,
and find people housing and treatment now.
At City Hall, I want to normalize
collaborating across differences,
finding common ground, and getting bold things
accomplished that work for everyone.
I know there is a better way forward for our city,
and I couldn't be more energized
at the opportunity we have to do it together.
♪♪
-It's been an honor to serve as your councilmember.
And I'm running again so that, together, we can continue
building a future that includes all of us.
I've got the experience to organize
community-centered approaches and secure investments to match.
We've delivered on our values rather than simply profess them.
My office has a proven track record of progressive action.
We committed to investing
in historically underfunded schools,
so we provided mental health funding
for our South End schools.
We said we'd prevent displacement,
so we won tenant protections, monumental worker protections
like paid sick leave for gig workers,
and secured rent control for our small businesses.
I secured permanent funding for community driven development
and for the Green New Deal.
And all of this when times were really difficult.
Let's advance these wins even further.
I envision housing abundance and vibrant small businesses
within reach of all generations,
who can stay rooted in their community.
Children with full stomachs,
single mothers with full wallets,
community networks preventing violence
rather than just reacting to it.
And I've just begun building alternatives
to punishment and incarceration,
especially for our Black and brown neighbors
who suffer from the paradox of over-policing
and under-policing.
Let's deepen our investments in care and shared prosperity.
We all deserve to feel safe in our neighborhoods.
And as a mom with two kids in Seattle Public Schools,
it's important to me that all our children are safe,
whether they're walking to school or enjoying the park.
We've only just begun that work
by investing resources in District 2
that we need to improve our community health,
our joy, and safety.
Thank you for getting me here.
I hope to continue serving
the vibrant communities of District 2.
We're proudly endorsed by MLK Labor,
the 37th District Democrats, Progreso Latino,
Working Families Party, Rep. Jayapal,
State Sen. Saldaña, and dozens of others.
I hope to have your support, too.
-My name is Tanya Woo.
I grew up in Beacon Hill, work at my family business
in the Chinatown International District,
and now live in Rainier Beach.
I've seen how South Seattle has changed.
I've seen what happens to neighborhoods
that don't have a voice.
And we are expected to live with bad city policies.
I want to change that.
As a community advocate,
I have fought against continued discrimination from the city,
which has done damage
to one of the most endangered neighborhoods in America.
I learned that fighting for our voice
when the city imposes their will
without listening to our community
is a fight we can win.
Now I want to bring that same passion
to fight for all of South Seattle.
I know how to achieve better public safety.
Every week, I practice what alternative
policing looks like with my community watch group.
We prevent violence while working with first responders
when needed, and provide mutual aid to the unhoused in the CID.
I also know how to create more affordable housing.
My family renovated the historic Louisa Hotel
into new workforce housing,
which only charges our residents a percentage of their income,
so that no one is charged a rent they cannot afford.
We need to move past elected leaders
telling us what they're going to do,
but never showing up to do what people really want.
Leaders that listen to the community,
even when it's not politically convenient.
We need to elect people who will show up,
and do the hard work it takes to run the city.
Together, we can uplift South Seattle
to be the place we know it can be.
I promise to show up, work hard,
and help make Seattle better together.
I'm Tanya Woo, and I'm asking for your support
for Seattle City Council District 2.
♪♪
-I'm Joy Hollingsworth, running to represent you
for Seattle City Council District 3.
I'm a third-generation Seattleite,
small business owner, nonprofit leader,
community connector, and problem solver.
Over the last 39 years,
I've seen how public policy has impacted our community
and the neighborhoods that have fallen through those gaps.
We have built our priorities block by block,
shaped by you to serve each neighborhood
and reflect the community's unique needs.
Public safety has to work better.
Investing in the right response for the right situation,
increasing our police, fire,
EMT, and social worker staffing, lowering response times,
investing in gun violence prevention
and open access to mental health services.
The fentanyl crisis is heartbreaking
to watch people in distress.
Enforcing laws, connecting people to treatment,
and prioritizing their health will help save lives
and reconnect people to their families.
Our response to homelessness should be to get everybody
inside and off the street as quickly as possible.
We will rapidly expand emergency shelters,
transitional housing, permanent and supportive housing
and accountability and transparency
at every level to measure progress
and improve efficiencies.
Getting it right on our housing and affordability
is key to our city's success.
Whether you're a renter,
homeowner, or a senior aging in place,
we have to build and create more options.
Affordable housing, workforce housing,
family housing, land trusts, co-ops -- all types are needed.
We will invest in our basic infrastructure,
small businesses, and our future, the youth,
repairing roads, sidewalks, improving transportation,
clean parks, libraries, the arts,
tree canopy, after-school programing,
apprenticeships, and summer youth jobs.
On council, I will bring much needed listening
and teamwork, a fiscal responsibility lens,
and work with other councilmembers,
our mayor's office, community groups,
our 45 city departments and our neighborhoods
to implement proven solutions.
We have been hyper focused on building a city,
but our challenge today is building a home.
My name is Joy Hollingsworth,
and we are connecting communities.
-Hi. I'm Alex Hudson.
I'm a strong progressive and an urbanist
with a proven track record of finding common ground,
solving problems, and delivering results.
Across issues like housing affordability,
expanding transit, reforming enforcement systems,
and improving neighborhoods,
I've created lasting, positive changes.
For nearly five years,
I led First Hill's Neighborhood Association,
where we increased affordable housing,
built safer transportation, better parks,
and improved livability.
Until recently,
I led Transportation Choices Coalition,
where I secured transformative investments,
including expanded light rail and bus service,
making transit free for young people, and increasing equity.
Our district is beautiful and vibrant.
We share progressive values, and we lead with compassion.
But things are off track.
Too many people are falling through the cracks.
We have work to do to address complicated problems
like homelessness, public safety, and affordability.
But with fresh ideas and urgency,
we can build more housing, care for the vulnerable,
and keep everyone safe.
We can be a great city that works.
From my deep community involvement,
I understand our challenges and how to make progress.
I'm developing extensive policy agendas
on housing and homelessness,
transit and transportation, public safety,
and revitalizing our neighborhoods
and business districts.
I walk the talk.
In 2015, I was named
one of Seattle's most influential people
by Seattle Magazine.
I serve on the board of a nonprofit
affordable housing developer
and the Freeway Park Association.
I'm proud to be endorsed by organized labor,
progressive organizations, and community leaders.
We need a representative committed to listening
to residents' services,
who will problem solve issues
and increase our quality of life.
My experience and track record of success show
I can hit the ground running to get Seattle back on track.
It would be an honor to serve our district,
and I ask for your support.
♪♪
-I'm a public school dad, tech entrepreneur,
and community advocate.
As a longtime Seattle resident,
I'm tired of watching our politicians
put rhetoric over results.
I also happen to have a background in public policy,
and it saddens me to see our city leaders
drowning evidence-based policy in an ocean of hand-wringing,
process, and performative politics.
Too many people have paid the price.
My name is Ron Davis, and I'm running with a serious plan
to build the ambitious future we all deserve.
But I can't do it without you.
I didn't start life in a place like Roosevelt.
I'm the product of a teen pregnancy.
But my parents eventually managed to buy a house,
and build us a beautiful life.
I got really lucky, went to college,
graduated from Harvard Law School, launched a tech company,
and have been a business leader ever since.
But journeys like mine are impossible in Seattle today,
and the barriers are twice as high
for people who don't look like me.
I think we can all agree that Seattle should be a place
where people from any background can afford to raise a family
or build a career and age in place.
I'll work tirelessly to deliver an affordable city
that our children can live in,
and where we leave no one on the street.
I'll also fight to make it as easy to get around
without a car as it is with one,
making us a green, clean climate and livability leader.
And as a parent to two little boys,
I also won't stop until Seattle is safe for everyone.
I'm the only candidate with a serious plan to stop crime
before it starts with evidence-based prevention,
to quickly send the right professional for each emergency,
and to rebuild trust in law enforcement
through good governance and accountability.
To build tomorrow's economy, I'll double down on our emerging
and existing strengths in tech, AI,
the life sciences, and bioinformatics,
and expand apprenticeships into our schools.
We'll attract tomorrow's workforce
with housing and child care they can afford
in neighborhoods they want.
I'm the only candidate with an actual plan
to build a fairer tax code.
I'm proud to be endorsed by unions, climate leaders,
the local Democrats, business leaders,
community leaders, and current and former electeds
like King County Councilmembers
Girmay Zahilay and Larry Gossett,
Port Commissioners Toshiko Hasegawa,
Sam Cho, and Ryan Calkins, and many more.
I'd be honored by your support.
-Hi. My name is Maritza Rivera.
I'll never forget waiting
and worrying outside Ingraham High School
as my teenage girls were in lockdown
during the recent shooting there.
It brought home that things are off track.
I grew up in a tough neighborhood in the Bronx,
on the top floor of a five-story walk-up.
My dad was a welder and proud union member.
My mom worked in a factory.
They moved from Puerto Rico seeking a better life.
I found that life here in Seattle.
Unfortunately, due to poor decisions
and performative posturing by the Seattle council,
including pledging to defund the police,
our quality of life has eroded.
Our neighborhood small businesses are closing
and our streets are less safe.
I'll make public safety my top priority.
Five-minute response times for priority 911 calls,
get guns off our streets and out of our schools,
shut down open-air drug markets,
address addiction and the mental health crisis.
It's also unacceptable that three years
after the murder of George Floyd,
Seattle still has no alternative
to non-armed response to 911 calls.
Not all situations require uniformed police officers,
but some do.
I'll prioritize.
I will bring people together
to build more affordable housing
and address the homelessness crisis.
I currently serve as a deputy director
of the Office of Arts and Culture at the city.
I worked in the Clinton White House
as the Hispanic liaison, for the ACLU post-9/11,
to protect Muslim communities from xenophobia,
and for former councilmember Tom Rasmussen.
With better governance,
Seattle can be progressive, safe, and vibrant.
I would be honored to earn your support.
♪♪
-Hello, I'm Cathy Moore,
and I'm running for Seattle City Council
because District 5 deserves a proven, pragmatic leader
with experience in finding solutions
and making sound decisions.
As a twice-elected Superior Court judge,
former public defender, legal services program manager,
chair of the Seattle Human Rights Commission,
and interim Seattle City Clerk,
I have a 30-year track record of delivering results
that improve people's lives and the systems we operate in.
As a lifelong Seattleite,
mom of three 20-something Seattle Public School graduates,
longtime community volunteer, and small business owner,
I want a healthy, thriving, equitable city for all.
My top priorities are public safety,
homelessness, affordability, and climate.
We must retain and hire more police officers,
as well as firefighters.
We must adopt a police contract
with strong accountability provisions.
Equally important, we must implement
a robust civilian responder program
that includes behavioral health crisis workers
and violence interrupters.
For homelessness, we must create
neighborhood-based homelessness response teams
who engage in immediate outreach to tent and RV encampments.
Shelters must be accessible 24/7.
We must build more tiny-home villages
and permanent supportive housing.
And, critically, we must expand behavioral health
and substance use treatment programs citywide.
To address housing affordability,
we must build more affordable housing,
we must support social housing,
and keep people facing housing instability in homes.
We need a city department dedicated to climate resilience
that will protect the environment and trees.
The tasks ahead for our district and our city
are formidable, but doable.
That's why leaders such as Mayor Bruce Harrell,
Council President Debora Juarez,
King County Executive Dow Constantine,
and others have endorsed me.
They know I will show up, work hard,
and bring values-based results.
If elected, I will be accountable to you.
I thank you for your vote.
-I'm running to promote upstream solutions
that deliver effective, collective,
and sustainable results.
I'm determined to help make our policy systems
more interconnected.
If elected, I will ensure that city government centers
and amplifies the needs and voices of our community.
Together, we'll make Seattle function better
for all people in our city.
From direct social and housing service work
to social equity and policy advocacy consulting,
I've advocated alongside hundreds of community members,
and helped bring transformative change
to over 200 organizations and government agencies.
Additionally, I am the former co-chair
of the Seattle Disability Commission
and Renters Commission,
a board member of BASE and UW CREATE,
and a member of TRU and Green Party Washington.
To enact sustainable solutions to persistent problems,
we must start with the root causes of inequity
in our policies and systems.
We must implement pragmatic policies
in the following arenas --
sustainably establish accessible and affordable housing,
increase wage parity
and improve working conditions for everyone,
create diverse pathways toward shared goals
around community safety,
improve multi-modal transportation systems
focused on pedestrian safety,
support small businesses with economic recovery and growth,
fix infrastructure gaps throughout our city,
and intentionally focus on disability justice
and intersectional civic empowerment.
My policy change background includes
co-leading passage of one of the nation's
first bans of sub-minimum wage,
successfully advocating for the adoption
of disability justice principles
at the Seattle Office of Civil Rights,
co-organizing the fight for rent control,
resulting in the six-month advance-notice legislation
sponsored by Councilmember Sawant's office,
and endorsing the JumpStart Tax
as a small business owner.
We can find collective, effective,
and sustainable policy solutions
that get to the heart of the issues facing our district.
I humbly ask for your vote.
Thank you.
♪♪
-I'm Councilmember Dan Strauss, representing you in District 6.
In my first six months in office,
we faced a global pandemic, a recession,
a civil rights reckoning, and civil unrest.
One of those things alone would knock a normal person down,
and together, we were resilient.
I never quit working for you.
I work from my district office at the Ballard Library
so that you don't have to go out of your way
to have your voice heard by City Hall.
My office focuses on three top priorities --
addressing public safety, addressing homelessness,
and creating housing that is affordable for working families,
because the family I grew up in should be able to afford
to live in the Seattle of today and tomorrow.
I operate public safety task forces
implementing real time solutions by connecting small businesses,
residents, and the people who can meet their needs.
I support fully funding the police
and critical alternatives.
Today, we have community service officers
patrolling our streets, park rangers in our parks,
Health One responding to emergencies,
and it was my amendment that brought the council's budget
into 99% alignment with Mayor Harrell's SPD investments,
and fully funded the officer recruitment plan.
I've resolved encampments in parks without sweeps,
and now I'm partnering with Mayor Harrell
to scale up our homelessness response by expanding
to have neighborhood-based homelessness response teams.
Things are better, but better isn't good enough.
I want to raise my kids in a neighborhood
that is safer than the one that I grew up in.
Growing up in District 6, I see the horizon.
It has a brighter future than what we have today,
as long as we don't let up.
I've dedicated my life to public service.
I've navigated hard times and delivered for our district
and city by bringing people together to find common ground.
I'm Councilmember Dan Strauss.
I ask for your vote to keep the momentum
and to continue working for you.
-With Mayor Harrell's leadership,
we've made some progress
in making our neighborhood safer.
But we have much work still needs to be done.
I'm running for city council in District 6
because we must elect a pragmatic city council
committed to fulfilling its promise and obligations
by focusing on the basics
rather than engaging in divisive and performative politics
that we see currently playing out.
I have 35 years in business experience,
and was the owner of the Red Door in Fremont
for 20 years.
Currently, I hold the position of executive director
for the Fremont Chamber of Commerce,
and am president of the North Precinct Advisory Council.
I feel the city's top priorities are ensuring community safety,
addressing our housing and homelessness crisis,
and returning to responsible financial management.
Supporting and collaborating with law enforcement,
drug treatment, and mental health professionals
is absolutely essential for ensuring community safety.
Our goal should be to consistently provide
swift and dependable response
in order to foster a thriving One Seattle.
We must prioritize the construction
of affordable housing to assist our working families
and our seniors.
This goal can be achieved
by expanding the current housing supply,
streamlining the permitting process,
and at the same time preserving our neighborhood's character.
In order to effectively address homelessness,
it's imperative that the city take bold action
to expand the number of shelters and tiny-home villages,
while also bolstering mental health
and drug treatment services.
We need to be able to use all the tools available
to move people towards treatment.
Seattle has been my beloved home for over a half century,
and we are in a pivotal time as a city.
I'm running because I believe we need a more pragmatic,
problem-solving approach to shape our shared future.
I'd be honored to earn your vote.
♪♪
-Hi.
I'm Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis.
As a recent parent,
I am more determined than ever to build a Seattle
we can be proud to pass on to the next generation.
In my first term, I brought together
unlikely coalitions to deliver results,
and I'll continue that work if re-elected.
On public safety, in my first term,
I increased our park ranger program
from 2 to 28 rangers,
fully funded the police hiring budget each year,
passed an ordinance protecting firefighters from harassment
in the line of duty, and worked with Mayor Harrell
to create a civilian behavioral health response
in lieu of police involvement.
If re-elected, I'll increase these alternative responses,
continue the shared commitment of the Council and Mayor
to recruit and retain police, and support community programs
proven to reduce repeated criminal behavior
and gun violence.
On housing and homelessness,
we need to get people out of encampments
and into stable housing immediately.
Working with Mayor Harrell, my office helped create
the Unified Care Team -- a one-stop, no-excuses shop
to navigate people experiencing homelessness into shelter
and resolve encampment locations.
Encampments have been reduced by 42%,
but much work remains.
Over the next four years,
I'll increase enhanced shelter options like tiny houses
so people experiencing homelessness
have a stable shelter,
rather than being displaced to another encampment,
and I'll also work with city partners to build
and acquire social and non-profit housing
so more people can afford to live in our community.
We are running out of time to combat climate change,
and Seattle must confront the emergency with housing planning
that emphasizes dense, walkable communities,
electrification of buildings,
and safe, reliable public transportation.
I'm proud to have a rating of "strongly aligned"
from the Downtown Seattle Association and to be endorsed
by the Martin Luther King County Labor Council,
the 36th and 43rd District Democrats,
the Alliance for Gun Responsibility,
Attorney General Bob Ferguson,
and King County Executive Dow Constantine.
I hope to earn your vote.
Thank you for your consideration.
-Hello.
My name is Bob Kettle,
and I'm running for Seattle City Council
because I share your frustrations
with the lack of progress that our city has made
on the critical challenges
of public drug use, public safety and health,
and homelessness.
I'm a first-generation American,
stay-at-home dad, and civic leader,
having retired as a naval officer
to support my wife's work as a civil rights attorney,
including the landmark case with the ACLU of Washington
overturning "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
I volunteer with several
neighborhood-level public safety organizations,
including the West Precinct Advisory Council,
the Queen Anne Block Watch Network,
and before that, as chair of the Queen Anne Community Council's
Public Safety Committee.
We cannot solve our public safety issues
without addressing public health.
With increasing shelter space,
it's time to restore our public spaces.
Encampments are an inhumane and inexcusable solution.
We need leadership able to partner
with county, state, and federal authorities,
and must also prioritize funding only programs
and service providers shown to actually work.
The truth is that my opponent's inaction and failure
have led to the current crisis.
More than 20 people are dying on our streets every week
from fentanyl overdoses,
in large part due to my opponent's vote
to essentially decriminalize public drug use.
Further, pledging to defund the police by 50%
was irresponsible and undercut our public safety
and our ability to implement reform.
I support allocating additional resources
to recruitment and retention, training,
community policing, including non-police responders.
I'll partner with the mayor to implement a pragmatic
and compassionate drug ordinance,
including funding addiction treatment centers.
I'll focus Seattle government
by working with city council colleagues
and partnering with the mayor on saving lives,
keeping the vulnerable safe,
and restoring our beautiful city.
We can do this, Seattle.
I'm Bob Kettle, and I ask for your vote.
♪♪
-The Seattle School District Directors,
also known as the Seattle School Board.
The Seattle School Board adopts and reviews
the academic, financial, and operational policies
that govern Seattle Public Schools.
They also hire and evaluate
the superintendent of Seattle schools.
The school board is comprised of seven directors
from seven different districts.
Each director serves a four-year term.
This year, candidates for
Director Districts 1, 2, 3, and 6
will be on the ballot.
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 the four districts
advance to the general election.
At the general election,
all voters in Seattle will have the opportunity to vote
for a candidate from each of those four districts.
♪♪
-Hi.
I'm Liza Rankin, your Seattle School Board vice president
and mom of two students in Seattle Public Schools.
As a current board member and a longtime PTSA leader,
I've worked over a decade alongside families,
educators, and communities across Seattle
to improve experiences, opportunities,
and outcomes for students in our public schools.
Throughout my first term,
I've demonstrated an unwavering commitment
to equity and continuous improvement
while navigating the challenges of a global pandemic.
I've led efforts to increase inclusion,
access to outdoor learning, gun violence prevention,
and equity in grading and assessment.
I led policy work to ban isolation
and limit restraint in SPS --
practices that disproportionately impact
students of color and with disabilities.
Our policy is a model across the state
to increase support for preventative
and restorative practices that benefit all children.
As the Board's legislative liaison,
I successfully advocated for additional state resources
for special education,
access to career and technical education,
and record investments in behavioral health support
for students recovering from pandemic disruption and trauma.
I'm running for re-election
because we are at a critical time for public education.
Not only has the pandemic disrupted learning,
impacted behavioral and mental health,
and altered the district's relationship with families,
but, nationally, we face increased intolerance
and attacks on public schools' boards, students, and staff.
We need directors who know our communities and schools,
who understand budget complexities
and enrollment challenges,
and can navigate the many demands of our system
while remaining focused on high-quality education
to all students.
With your vote, I'll build on my record,
and I'm committed to rebuilding not only trust and confidence,
but joy and excitement throughout our education system.
Together, we can support schools that meet the diverse needs
of our learners, and are the first choice
for all of Seattle's families.
And I thank you for your support.
-Hi, I'm Debbie Carlsen.
I'm running for Seattle School Board Director
in District 1.
I chose to run because the status quo isn't working.
We are failing our students academically,
have poor labor relations,
face declining enrollment rates
and another budget deficit in the next school year.
The district and board want to close schools,
but this will disrupt families and students
throughout the district
and will not close the budget gap.
School closures should be a last resort
after exhausting all other options.
The district must strive for smaller class sizes,
higher academic achievement for all students,
safety in schools,
and a healthy and inclusive learning environment.
My priorities -- Calling for a district-wide audit
to ensure dollars are spent with fiscal accountability,
ensuring students can thrive and feel safe
while gaining a high-quality education,
no matter their identity,
implementing a stronger community engagement process,
especially when big district decisions are made,
bringing transparency back in the budget
and policy development processes.
I'm also running to be a strong LGBTQ+ voice
on the school board
and ensure students of all identities
feel a sense of belonging at school.
I bring experience from the classroom,
the workplace, and the community.
I taught English as a Second Language,
I have served on the Best Start for Kids Advisory Board,
and an executive director of an LGBTQ+ nonprofit
for 10 years.
I've been the advocacy chair for the Olympic Hills PTA
and understand the educational terrain in Olympia.
I'm endorsed by Seattle Education Association,
The Seattle Times, Jeanne Kohl-Welles,
Teresa Mosqueda, Lorena González,
MLK Labor Council,
Seattle School Board Director Lisa Rivera Smith, and more.
I'd be honored to earn your vote.
♪♪
-Hi, I'm Lisa Rivera Smith, and I'm excited
to be running for re-election
to the Seattle Schools Board of Directors.
There's no way around it --
These last few years have been hard for all of us,
for our educators, our principals,
classified staff, parents and caregivers,
but especially for our children.
Having served through a pandemic,
a teacher strike, and a superintendent search,
I've learned that our power is in our commitment
to the success of our students, so I'm running for re-election
because I'm committed to ensuring
that Seattle Public Schools makes good on its promises
of providing students a safe, inclusive,
and high-quality educational experience.
As a mom of two SPS graduates and one in second grade,
I know firsthand the challenges
our students and educators face in our district.
While visiting and volunteering in schools,
I have seen the importance
of not just attracting qualified teachers,
but of retaining them by giving them
the support they need to help students thrive.
Every student has unique needs,
and that is why I'm committed to advocating
for increased school funding, stronger partnerships
with families and community organizations,
and the codifying of every student's right
to have a voice in the decisions that affect them.
Seattle Public Schools is facing a budget deficit
over the next few years,
and I want to continue to work with you
and our entire SPS community to ensure that public input
is actively sought out and utilized
in advance of looming tough decisions.
As a woman of color, I know how important it is
for every voice to be heard, especially those of our LGTBQ+,
Black and Indigenous, our families of color,
and those who have historically been underrepresented
due to obstacles in participating
in our public systems.
I'm endorsed by the King County Democrats,
the 32nd, 36th, and 37th District Democrats,
and the Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund,
State Senators Javier Valdez and Rebecca Saldaña,
and by several school board directors
from SPS and neighboring districts,
as well as by The Stranger.
I'm honored to have their endorsement,
and I'd be honored to have your vote.
Thank you.
♪♪
-Hi. My name is Evan Briggs,
and I'm running to be your next school board representative.
At its best, education opens doors and unlocks potential.
Yet, in a city of abundant resources,
we face persistent opportunity gaps
that are among the worst in our nation.
As the parent of three SPS students,
one of my core beliefs is that we advocate
most effectively for our own children
when we advocate for all children.
We must align our district to focus on student outcomes
such that every child in the city
receives the education they deserve.
From running a summer program
for children of East African refugees
to teaching at the college level,
and everything in between,
I have spent time in the classroom
and understand the unique challenges our educators face.
From a parent perspective,
my efforts to secure the support necessary
for my children to thrive at school
have been met with frustrating roadblocks.
As a board member, I will advocate for policies
that support and empower our educators
to help our kids reach their full potential.
Children are facing an unprecedented
mental health crisis.
Our schools are facing a budget crisis.
And data show that too many students in our district
are profoundly underserved.
Addressing these issues requires big-picture thinking
and a systems approach to enacting meaningful change.
In my years of advocacy, having served on PTAs
and the Magnuson Park Advisory Committee,
I understand that systemic change doesn't happen overnight.
I also understand that successful movements
are grounded in relationship-building,
which is why I will advocate for inclusive engagement policies,
proactive, transparent communication,
and strong partnerships.
I chose a career in documentary filmmaking
because I believe stories have the power to transform.
Together, let's create a new story
about education in Seattle.
My name is Evan Briggs,
and I would be honored to have your vote.
-My name is Ben Gitenstein.
I'm running for Seattle School Board because I believe
every kid in Seattle deserves a great public school,
and Seattle schools should be great
for every kid and every family.
Our city is home to the most talented educators,
the most innovative companies,
and the most supportive voters in America.
But if we don't make a different choice in this election,
we risk losing much of what we've spent
the last few decades building.
Over the next two years, our schools face
more than $200 million in budget shortfalls,
and that's after using our rainy day fund
to get out of this year's budget crisis.
As a result, the district is quietly but relentlessly
moving to close neighborhood schools
in a misguided attempt to cut costs and drive efficiency.
But closing schools won't bring back the thousands of kids
we are losing in declining enrollment.
And it won't shrink our operating costs
or balance our budget.
Even worse, closing schools
will not shrink our disgraceful achievement gap.
Today, only a third of the students who most need help,
those furthest from educational justice,
are meeting targets for math and reading.
We need a new vision for Seattle Public Schools.
We need to expand the programs that bring families
to Seattle Public, not shrink them.
We need to embrace neighborhood schools, not close them.
We need to challenge the status quo, not accept it.
I was endorsed by The Seattle Times
because I am willing to ask hard questions
and speak truth to power.
As your school board director,
I will fight school closures, demand better outcomes,
and work for a bolder and bigger new future
for Seattle Public Schools.
I would appreciate your vote.
♪♪
-My name is Gina Topp, and I want to be your next
Seattle School Board Director representing District 6.
Growing up in Washington, I experienced firsthand
the struggles of our underfunded schools.
Still, my life was transformed by the teachers and counselors
who went above and beyond to support me.
Now, as I prepare to send my daughter
into the same underfunded system,
like many other parents, I'm worried.
Seattle Public Schools faces a staggering
$131 million budget shortfall.
The board is discussing cutting buses and music programs,
laying off teachers, and even closing schools.
We need experienced leaders prepared to tackle
these issues head-on with innovative solutions
and an unwavering commitment to our kids.
As chief legal counsel and policy advisor
to the King County Executive,
I managed complex policy and budget challenges
working to prioritize equity, accountability,
and delivery of services.
I'm well equipped to bring
stability and transformation to our schools,
restoring parental and community confidence.
With your vote, my priorities will be cultivating
safe and welcoming environments, empowering educators,
engaging parents and communities,
and ensuring equity in education for all students,
regardless of their background,
so that every child has an opportunity to succeed.
I'm grateful to have the endorsements from local leaders,
including King County Executive Dow Constantine,
State Reps. Emily Alvarado and Joe Fitzgibbon,
and Seattle School Board Director Leslie Harris.
Together, I believe we can create
a Seattle public school system
where parents and students look forward
to the start of each school day.
I'd be honored to have your vote.
♪♪
-You've just seen all the video statements
submitted from the candidates
and ballot measure representatives
that appear on the Seattle general election ballot.
To view the Seattle Video Voters' Guide
or the King County Video Voters' Guide online,
go to seattlechannel.org.
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.
Instead of going to a polling place,
ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
Look for your ballot in the mail after October 18,
and vote and return it by Tuesday, November 7.
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 secured ballot drop boxes.
Ballots must be postmarked by November 7.
You can track the progress of your ballot online
and find the location of drop boxes
or accessible voting centers
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.
♪♪