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-Welcome to the Seattle Video Voters' Guide,
your chance to hear directly from the candidates
on the August special election ballot.
This is a vote-by-mail election.
Instead of going to a polling place,
ballots will be sent to all registered voters.
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 8 and Position 9— are at large,
representing the entire city for a term of four years.
Positions 1 through 7 each
represent different districts of the city.
The election in 2024 is a special election
to elect a candidate to complete the term of a councilmember
who previously held Position 8.
In this edition, you will hear from the candidates
who will appear on the August primary ballot
for Seattle City Council Position 8,
a citywide position.
All City of Seattle voters are eligible to vote
in this election.
Voters in the August primary special election
will determine the top two candidates
who will run in November.
The winner of the November special election
will be elected to a one-year term.
This position will appear on the ballot again in 2025.
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.
-Seattle is a city known for its natural beauty
and cultural vibrance,
and, most importantly, its promise of opportunity.
Unfortunately, decades of city policy
have begun to erode that promise.
Social services have been repeatedly cut.
Low-income communities and historic neighborhoods
have been pushed out,
and our politicians have consistently opted
for inhumane half measures that don't solve the social
and economic crises we are facing.
I grew up in NewHolly,
a Seattle Housing Authority project.
My family and I relied on social programs
like public health clinics and food stamps to survive.
Running Start and educational grants
gave me the chance to go to college
and start a successful career.
My story is the embodiment of the Seattle Promise.
With a helping hand,
we can uplift everyone and succeed together.
Our current council majority,
however, is putting the priorities of the wealthy
and powerful over that of the average Seattleite.
We need a leader who will stand up to corporate influence
and boldly fight for what is in the best interest of all
who call this beautiful city home.
I've dedicated my career to protecting our privacy
and keeping Big Tech accountable to the social
and community impacts that their inventions have.
In my personal life,
I volunteered with local refugee communities
and worked to amplify their political voice and power.
My professional and personal track record
outlines my dedication to speaking truth to power,
and unapologetically addressing the challenges that face us.
I'm not running for office for power or authority.
I'm running because I'm tired of seeing our city force out
people who lack the money or power to stay here.
I'm tired of seeing my family and community
struggle more and more each year.
Seattle gave me the chance to succeed,
and now I want to give back.
I want to leave this city better than I found it.
I hope you will join me in building a Seattle
where everyone has the chance to not just survive,
but also succeed. Thank you.
-My name is Alexis Mercedes Rinck.
I spent my public policy career working on housing,
human services, and the health of our communities.
I've gained a reputation for bringing people together
around solutions and making them happen.
I got my master's degree at the UW,
and since then, I've worked across 39 local cities
and with over 100 different organizations in my career.
I've championed agreements with unanimous votes
from city councils,
and I've led the development of a King County-wide
five-year plan to address homelessness.
While I approach policy with data and measurable outcomes,
I'm equally informed by my personal experience.
My birth parents met in a gang when they were just teenagers,
and after my birth dad went to prison,
my birth mom lost custody of me.
Because of my grandparents,
I didn't have to land in the foster care system.
I got to grow up in a resource community
and a proud union household,
and I was given the tools I needed to heal.
My family struggles mirror many of the challenges
we face in Seattle,
but we can break these cycles with affordable
and supportive housing, safe and healthy communities,
and by ensuring that no child is limited
from reaching their full potential.
On council, I'll work collaboratively to address
Seattle's challenges with proven solutions
and personal understanding.
We need public safety targeted at reducing crime and harm,
a coordinated and scaled law enforcement
and alternative response system,
gun violence prevention and accountability
to truly make our community safer.
We need affordable housing at every level
so seniors, working families,
and renters like myself can remain in the city
and build generational wealth.
We need climate action without compromise,
including transit and electrification,
more sidewalks, and green infrastructure.
But most importantly,
we need progressive revenue solutions
to balance our growing budget deficit
and protect the necessary investments
that support our communities.
I'm so excited about this opportunity
to ensure our city is safe, affordable,
and leading the way to a better future.
And I'm proudly endorsed by labor unions,
Democratic groups across the city, and trusted leaders.
Please learn more at AlexisForSeattle.Com.
Thank you.
-Hello, Seattle. I'm Tanya Woo, your city councilmember,
neighborhood restaurant owner, and community advocate.
I grew up on Beacon Hill and now live in Rainier Beach.
Seattle is my hometown, and my roots run deep here.
Serving as your citywide councilmember,
I've tackled our toughest issues head on.
I've organized community safety teams
to address public safety issues,
and converted the historic Louisa Hotel
into workforce housing to combat gentrification and displacement.
I've championed government accountability
and helped unsheltered neighbors in crisis.
Seattle is at a crossroads. For too long,
regional leaders have relied on failed approaches
to homelessness and public safety.
These broken promises hurt marginalized communities
the most, and we can do better.
But it requires leadership that prioritizes what really works.
As we are transitioning and finding our new identity,
there are three priorities
that remain crystal clear -- public safety,
homelessness, and affordability.
First, we need to create safer communities for people.
Every neighborhood has a different need for safety.
We had to be very intentional about the right response
to the right situation,
and we must fully staff our first responders
and support common sense reforms to ensure timely
and effective emergency responses.
Second, we need to invest in what truly works
to address homelessness.
We need more resources that include addiction treatment,
crisis intervention,
and programs that bring people inside.
With a fentanyl crisis growing,
we can't afford to continue strategies that aren't working.
Third, we must address the rising cost of living.
With my experience in developing affordable housing,
I'm working on creative solutions
to ensure Seattle remains within reach for everyone.
I'm committed to delivering compassionate results
and focusing on what really matters.
I'm Tanya Woo,
and I'm asking for your vote to keep Seattle a safe,
affordable, and compassionate place to live.
-Hi there. I'm Saunatina Sanchez.
I was raised in Holly Park, Kingway Apartments,
and Yesler Terrace by my dad, a farm worker,
ship crew member, and mechanic, my disabled mother,
and a community of neighbors,
while I helped raise my younger siblings.
It takes a village.
I studied at Seattle University and
Seattle Central Community College,
and have been an active community organizer
for the last 20 years,
working to help neighbors connect with food,
transit, and housing resources. I share the lived experiences
of issues currently confronting Seattleites,
and when I consider legislation, I ask, what's the goal?
Who benefits? Who's harmed? On City Council,
I will bring the collaborative,
detail-oriented perspective I developed as a software tester,
SIFF Guest Relations Coordinator,
and autistic communication teacher
to bridge department silos
and help create an equitable and accessible Seattle for all.
I'll focus on public services like 24/7/365
restrooms in parks,
so everyone can enjoy the city through safe
and accessible spaces.
We can confront the $200 million budget deficit by protecting
and expanding Jumpstart
and enacting new progressive revenue
like a Seattle capital gains tax.
I'm proudly endorsed by the Seattle Transit Riders Union,
where I co-founded the Bus and Transit Services Workgroup
and served as treasurer.
I've collaborated with diverse groups of neighbors,
including businesses, to expand bike and transit
infrastructure alongside Cascade Bicycle Club,
and advocated for an Office of Renter Standards
with the Seattle Renter Organizing Council.
I'm a Teamster in Local 117,
and plan to work with local unions
to facilitate apprenticeship programs like the one
I'm developing as a board member of Community Roots Housing.
I want Seattle to become the livable city we know it can be.
If this is the Seattle you want to help create,
then I humbly ask for your vote.
Thank you.
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-You've just seen all the video statements recorded
by the candidates
that appear on the Seattle primary special election ballot.
This program is a collaboration
of the Seattle Ethics and 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 July 16 and vote
and return it on or before Tuesday, August 6.
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 US Mail
or at one of King County's secured ballot drop boxes.
Ballots must be postmarked by August 6.
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.
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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.
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