Sign Up To Get Future Guides
(We need your zip code to add information about your local races and local ballot measures.)
The fate of our state is in your hands. This fall's election has huge implications for our families, our communities, and our state. Our goal is to make smart, informed voting based on progressive values easier for you. So we worked with Washington's leading progressive organizations to produce a Progressive Voters Guide based on their endorsements -- one-stop shopping for highly informed recommendations about the races on your ballot.
The Progressive Voters Guide identifies the candidates with the most progressive track records and the ballot measure positions that will protect or promote progress in Washington.
Please forward this guide to your friends and family, and make sure to mail your ballot in by November 3rd.
City of Seattle
Election Info: King County Records & Elections
Ballots must be returned by Tuesday, November 3rd.
Spread the Word
Voters Guide Partners
Statewide Ballot Measures
-
Initiative 1033: Making Tough Times Worse
DON'T MISS THIS. It may be on the lower left of your ballot, below the instructions.
Tim Eyman's latest initiative would hurt our schools, make our health care crisis more severe and threaten our environment and our economy. Eyman claims his plan won't cut basic services, but the non-partisan Office of Financial Management says that I-1033 will reduce revenues for education, health care, the environment and other services by $5.9 billion over the next five years. There's no way we can lose that much funding without hurting our communities and the families who rely on these services. All we have to do is look to Colorado to see the damage I-1033 would do: a similar initiative there forced deep cuts to public schools, roads and highways and children's health care. It did so much damage to the state's economy that in 2005, Coloradans voted to suspend the law. Vote NO if you care about children's health, schools, public safety, environmental programs, parks, jobs and the future of our state.
Opponents include: Washington Conservation Voters, Cascade Bicycle Club, Sierra Club, SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, SEIU Local 925, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, UFCW Local 21, Washington State Labor Council, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood Votes!, Washington Bus, Fuse Washington, AARP Washington, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Children's Alliance, Climate Solutions, Community Health Network of Washington, Everett Area Chamber of Commerce, Futurewise, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Group Health Cooperative, League of Women Voters of Washington, Municipal League of King County, The Nature Conservancy of Washington, One America, People for Puget Sound, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, Vancouver Area Chamber of Commerce, Washington Association of Churches, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Washington Educational Association, American Federation of Teachers - Washington, Washington Fire Chiefs, Washington State Hospital Association, Washington State Nurses Association, AFT Washington, Washington State PTA, and League of Education Voters
-
Referendum No. 71: Keep the Domestic Partnership Law
Vote Approve on Referendum 71 so that registered domestic partners do not lose vital protections already passed by the legislature.
By voting to Approve Referendum 71 you can ensure that all families in all parts of the state are treated fairly and with the same protections and responsibilities, especially in times of crisis. There are more than 12,000 people across Washington State registered in domestic partnerships. Gay and lesbian families need the domestic partnership law to provide essential protections for their families. Families with children need the protections provided by the domestic partnership law, especially when a parent dies. For seniors, domestic partnerships mean that their hard-earned Social Security, military or pension benefits are not put at risk. Vote APPROVE.
Supporters include: Equal Rights Washington, NOW Washington Chapter, National Women's Political Caucus of Washington, Fuse Washington, Washington CAN, SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, UFCW Local 21, M.L. King County Labor Council, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood Votes!, Washington Bus, American Federation of Teachers - Washington, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of King County, Casa Latina, Central Washington Progress, Church Council of Greater Seattle, Human Rights Campaign, Japanese American Citizens League, Washington State Bar Association, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Lutheran Public Policy Network of Washington State, Minority Executive Directors Coalition, OneAmerica, Statewide Poverty Action Network, UAW Local 4121, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Washington State Nurses Association, League of Women Voters of Washington, Washington Association of Churches, Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans, Washington State Senior Citizens' Lobby, Associated Ministries of Pierce County, Washington Education Association, and the League of Education Voters
King County
King County Executive
-
The unanimous choice of the progressive community, Dow Constantine has been an outstanding leader and progressive champion as both legislator and King County Councilmember. He has led the fight for mass transit and for policies that protect rural areas from irresponsible development and make cities attractive places to live. He will stand up for the needs of working families and work to improve the security of our most vulnerable populations.
Dow's supporters include: Cascade Bicycle Club, Sierra Club, National Women's Political Caucus of Washington, Fuse Washington , SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, SEIU Local 925 , SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW , UFCW Local 21 , M.L. King County Labor Council , NARAL Pro-Choice Washington , Planned Parenthood Votes!, and numerous local unions.
His opponent -- Susan Hutchison -- is a very conservative, anti-choice Republican who is completely unqualified for the job.
-
Bob Rosenberger and Lloyd Hara are both experienced, qualified candidates who would definitely bring progressive values to the job.
Rosenberger is a former Deputy County Assessor. Rosenberger's supporters include: the King County Democrats and numerous Democratic Districts.
Hara is a former Seattle City Treasurer and Port of Seattle Commissioner. Hara's supporters include: many local unions, the King County Democrats and many local Democratic Districts.
-
Rob Holland is a port transportation and biofuels expert who will speak up for the health and safety of King County's families and improve the Port of Seattle's effect on our communities, clean air and Elliott Bay. Holland has even developed his own green jobs plan for the Port. He is a former King County Agriculture Commissioner and holds a degree in Seaport Management. He wants to focus his passion for environmental issues and his professional and civic leadership experience on helping the Port become a green jobs leader.
Supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Progressive Majority, Fuse Washington, SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, UFCW Local 21, numerous local unions, and the King County Democrats and many local Democratic districts.
-
Max Vekich will help clean up the fraud and waste at the Port of Seattle. As a former state legislator, Vekich passed landmark environmental and labor standards such as the Growth Management Act, Truth in Labeling and farm worker protection legislation. A former longshoreman who has worked at Puget Sound ports, he knows how a port should operate to generate more jobs and protect taxpayer dollars.
Supporters include: SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, UFCW Local 21, M.L. King County Labor Council, and numerous local unions, and the King County Democrats and many local Democratic Districts.
Vekich's opponent, Tom Albro, has a lot of community experience and is endorsed by Washington Conservation Voters. Albro is a moderate (although he makes campaign contributions to very conservative Republicans) and he has decent good-government credentials and solid environmental values. However, his campaign is generally funded and supported by the contractors, developers, and port insiders who created the Port of Seattle's past problems, including waste, fraud and insider dealing.
-
Charter Amendment #1: Been There, Done That
Amendment #1 would remove language regarding government transitions in 1969 and 1992 that have already happened. Vote YES.
-
Charter Amendment #2: Budget Housekeeping
Amendment #2 removes obsolete language regarding 1960s-era budgeting and frees officials to enact, by ordinance, systems of fiscal control that respond to current needs and build upon modern budget monitoring methods. Vote YES.
-
Charter Amendment #3: Open Charter Amendment Process
Charter Amendment #3 clarifies language so that future Charter Commission appointees must be confirmed by the County Council, and that their proposed charter amendments are required to be considered and acted on in an open public meeting. Vote YES.
-
Charter Amendment #4: Protect County Open Space
Amendment #4 enables the County to designate open space as "high conservation value" properties and prohibits selling those properties without a supermajority approval by seven of nine councilmembers. Vote YES.
Supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Municipal League of King County, Cascade Land Conservancy, Mountains To Sound Greenway Trust, and Futurewise
-
Vote for Mallahan if: you think business management experience is important, you prefer a more pragmatic approach to politics, and/or you are less concerned about his lack of experience with Seattle issues.
Joe Mallahan is a T-Mobile vice president and businessman who earned a slot in the general election with a self-funded campaign. Inspired to run after volunteering for Barack Obama, he's running on his business and management experience. While he does not have a track record of civic engagement in Seattle, he has been active for charitable causes.
Supporters include: King County Democrats, several Democratic Party district organizations, and numerous unions, including locals for the Machinists, Carpenters, Firefighters, and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.
Vote for McGinn if: you believe a track record of civic leadership is important, you prefer a more pointed and grassroots-oriented progressivism, the environment is your top priority, and/or you are less concerned about his lack of management experience.
Michael McGinn is a lawyer, community activist, and former chair of the local Sierra Club chapter. He has a long record of progressive civic engagement in transportation, open space and conservation issues, and has campaigned against replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel.
Supporters include: Sierra Club, SEIU Local 925, UFCW Local 21, Friends of Seattle, and numerous Democratic Party district organizations.
-
Vote for Pete Holmes if you prefer an emphasis on open government and citizen representation, a more ardent progressivism, the pros and cons of a crusading style, and don't mind less legal and management experience.
Peter Holmes is a bankruptcy attorney and former chair of the Seattle Police Department's Professional Accountability Review Board. He has promised to increase the transparency, efficiency, and fairness of the City's police accountability system. He believes the City Attorney should place greater emphasis on open government and representing the people of Seattle, in addition to providing legal services to the city.
Supporters include: King County Democrats and numerous Democratic Party district organizations, and several union locals.
Vote for Tom Carr if you prefer broader legal and management experience, a track record of success mixed with some missteps in his eight years on the job, and a more pragmatic and moderate approach to the role.
Tom Carr is the two-term incumbent Seattle City Attorney and a former assistant U.S. Attorney with a wide range of legal experience. He helped found the Seattle Community Court to address the social service needs of non-violent offenders and has been praised for his handling of an agreement to allow Tent City 3 to operate in Seattle. He has been on the wrong side of open-government cases and a poorly executed bar sting operation.
Supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, numerous unions, including the Carpenters, the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, the Machinists, and the Police Officer's Guild; and one Democratic District organization.
-
Incumbent Richard Conlin his a longtime champion of sustainability who has served on the Council since 1997 and as Council President for the past year. Conlin has focused much of his council service on the adoption of 37 Seattle neighborhood plans as a key step in the city's implementation of Washington's Growth Management Act. Conlin was instrumental in the launch of the "Zero Waste Strategy" to increase the City's recycling rate and has been a leader on transit, open space, and many other issues.
Conlin's supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, as well as numerous other union locals; and the King County Democrats and numerous Democratic Party district organizations.
His opponent, David Ginsberg, is endorsed by the the Longshoreman's union, and like Conlon, endorsed by several Democratic organizations.
-
Vote for David Bloom if you prefer an emphasis on the issues of poverty and low-income housing and a more lefty, outsider approach to civic activism.
David Bloom has more than three decades of experience working as a Seattle community leader on issues of poverty, homelessness, and low-income housing. He led urban programs for the Church Council of Greater Seattle and co-founded the Downtown Emergency Service Center and the nonprofit housing developer Common Ground. Bloom also sits on the boards of Real Change and the Seattle Displacement Coalition.
Supporters include: UFCW Local 21, M.L. King County Labor Council, and numerous local unions, the King County Democrats, and all of the local Democratic District organizations.
Vote for Sally Bagshaw if you prefer a high-powered brand of mainstream civic activism with bipartisan appeal and an emphasis on transportation and the environment.
Sally Bagshaw is the former chief of the Civil Division of the King County Prosecutor's office and has a strong professional and volunteer track record of work on transportation, environmental, and human services issues. She has a long career of progressive community service, earning both the King County Bar Association's Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year award and the State Bar Association's annual award for lawyers in public service. She also chaired the Allied Arts Waterfront for All Committee for several years.
Supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, National Women's Political Caucus of Washington, Fuse Washington, SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, M.L. King County Labor Council, and numerous local unions, and one Democratic District organization.
-
Vote for Jessie Israel if you prefer a fresh voice and a more pragmatic, more flexible, and less ardently progressive approach to politics.
Jessie Israel manages recreation partnerships and enterprises for the King County Parks Department and has a strong track record of progressive community service. Her priorities include walkable communities, the environment, and schools. Prior to her work at the county, she managed the nonprofit Center for Women & Democracy at the University of Washington. Israel is a former Peace Corps volunteer.
Supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, National Women's Political Caucus of Washington, one Democratic District organization, and several local unions.
Vote for Nick Licata if you think Seattle needs four more years of the council's most prominent independent thinker and a champion for low income residents.
Nick Licata has been the leading lefty and only maverick voice on the city council since 1997. Running for a 4th term, he was council president in 2006-2007. Licata is a founder and board member of the Civic Foundation and also serves on the board of the 911 Media Arts Center. He has been a critic of public spending on sports stadiums and other big-ticket projects (like the Mercer fix), advocating such monies be spent on things like social services, schools, and affordable housing. Licata is not a stranger to the lonely end of 8-1 votes and misses the boat on occasion (supporting a Viaduct retrofit, opposing light rail), but is usually on target.
Supporters include: SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, UFCW Local 21, M.L. King County Labor Council, and boatloads of local unions; and the King County Democrats and all the local Democratic Districts.
-
Mike O'Brien is the former chair of the local Sierra Club chapter and is running on a transportation and environmental platform. The former CFO of a local law firm, he has been a volunteer leader in successful campaigns to expand light rail and oppose freeway construction programs. He also opposes the deep-bore tunnel on Seattle's waterfront.
O'Brien's supporters include: Washington Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, SEIU Healthcare 775 NW, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood Votes!, and several Democratic District organizations.
His opponent, Robert Rosencrantz is not pro-choice and is opposed by Planned Parenthood Votes! and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. Rosencrantz has run a very misleading and negative campaign in the final weeks. Rosencrantz has been endorsed by the 34th District Democrats and several trade unions.
-
Seattle Proposition #1: Housing Levy
The Housing Levy has a long track record of providing housing assistance for our most vulnerable: low-income families, seniors, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and the homeless. A YES vote to RENEW the Housing Levy will provide 1,850 affordable homes, prevent homelessness for more than 3,000 families and individuals and renew a successful investment that creates more than 4,000 jobs and brings additional funds into our community. Renewing the seven-year levy would replace the expiring levy and cost the typical Seattle homeowner $65 per year, or $5.50 per month. In a challenging economy Proposition 1 creates housing stability and provides much-needed family wage jobs.
Supporters include: United Way of King County, the Church Council of Greater Seattle,Washington CAN, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, UFCW Local 21, Washington Bus, and boatloads of other unions; Common Ground; the King County Democrats and all the local Democratic districts; Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle; and more than 70 other great organizations.
King County Assessor
Progressives are split.Port of Seattle
The Port of Seattle operates Sea-Tac Airport; oversees Seattle’s cargo handling facilities, harbors and marinas; and manages significant waterfront real estate. It employs 1200 people, and will collect $75.9 million in property taxes this year. It’s also a major source of pollution, and has become notorious for corruption, waste, fraud and insider dealing.This year’s election offers a unique opportunity to clean up the Port in more ways than one. We could elect a pro-environment, pro-jobs, pro-reform majority.
Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position #3
Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position #4
Progressives tilt strongly towards Vekich.
King County Charter Amendments
City of Seattle
The progressive community is split on many of Seattle's races, many of which feature a choice between two generally progressive candidates. For "split decisions," we offer highlights and information about both candidates.
Seattle Mayor
The progressive community is split on a difficult choice between two relatively inexperienced candidates in the Mayor's race. Both candidates are generally progressive.
Seattle City Attorney
The progressive community is split on the City Attorney's race.
Seattle City Council, Position #2
Seattle City Council, Position #4
The progressive community is split on this position. They are both progressive leaders. Sally Bagshaw held a commanding lead in the primary election.
Seattle City Council, Position #6
The progressive community is divided on this race, although it tilts strongly towards Licata. Nick Licata held a commanding lead in the primary election.
