Announcer: King County Council.
As the legislative branch
of county government,
the Metropolitan
King County Council
sets the policies,
enacts the laws,
and adopts the budgets that
guide the largest jurisdiction
in Washington State.
Its mission is to protect
public health and safety,
enhance quality of life,
and ensure public trust.
This is a nonpartisan position.
Members are elected
for four-year terms.
This year, three of the nine
council positions will appear
on the primary ballot.
Hi. I'm Ubax Gardheere.
I'm a single, Black immigrant mother
and homeowner in the unincorporated area
of Renton, and I'm running
for King County Council in District 9.
I came to King County 25 years ago
as a 15-year-old refugee.
My values are shaped by my lived experiences,
my policy chops,
and my organizing background.
For decades, we have seen our Black, indigenous,
people of color communities
and working-class communities
facing systemic and structural racism.
These problems peaked last year with COVID
and a renewed reckoning
of systemic racial injustices.
Today, we need bold vision rooted in community
to reimagine how King County functions.
I bring four-decades-long experience
building policy to tackle
systemic issues in our region.
I have consistently delivered wins
on housing, better wages,
and community economic development.
I have managed millions of dollars
to build infrastructure
for community-based groups.
I successfully introduced bills in Congress.
And as your council member,
I will rebuild from our economic,
housing, climate, and health crisis
by increasing infrastructure access,
transforming our criminal legal system,
and preserving our farmlands,
forests, and waterways.
I will lead in creating
equitable economic opportunities
and public health resources for all our region.
I'll prioritize land use, transportation,
and housing policies to center communities
most impacted by these issues.
To tackle these issues, we need strategies
designed to be deployed concurrently
for transformative change.
King County is diverse.
All of us, no matter what we look like,
how long we've been here,
or what's in our wallets,
we all want to live
in the best places for our families.
We are fighting for our future.
Just like when we want
better wages for workers
and civil rights in our past,
we will do so moving forward together.
To achieve justice, we must be transparent
in our values and actions.
My aim is to build a movement
that will hold me accountable to my constituents.
Therefore, please vote Ubax
for King County Council District 9.
I'm Reagan Dunn, and it's been an honor
to serve you as your voice
on the King County Council.
I'm troubled by the dramatic increase in crime
and homelessness in this county,
and I believe we can do better.
The murder rate is up by a staggering 86 percent
over the last two years,
and our crime rate is the highest
it's been in 30 years.
I am one of the few voices on the council
fighting to give law enforcement
the tools they need to do their jobs.
I believe that we can fully fund
our criminal justice system,
and, at the same time, we can strive
for increased accountability within that system.
I'm the only member of the King County Council
with real crime-fighting experience,
having spent many years
working for the Department of Justice.
I was appointed by the President of the United States,
and I served as a federal prosecutor
with top secret clearance.
In Seattle, I worked
in the Terrorism and Violent Crime Unit
of the U.S. Attorney's Office.
I also led the Justice Department's
national initiative to fight gun violence.
As you may know, voters recently placed oversight
of the county sheriff's office in the hands
of the King County Council.
Our county needs at least one council member
who understands the need
to keep our neighborhoods safe.
I'm proud to have earned the endorsement
of all eight nonpartisan mayors in this district,
plus firefighters and police.
And I have also been honored as Washington State's
Outstanding Local Elected Official of the Year.
County government
faces significant challenges,
and I will work in a bipartisan manner
to fight crime, reduce homelessness,
protect the environment,
recover from the pandemic,
keep your taxes low, and continue to help
those who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction.
I'm Reagan Dunn. I work for you.
And I appreciate your vote.
Hi. My name is Kim-Khanh Van.
I'm a Renton City Council member,
immigration attorney,
working mom with two kiddos,
small-business owner, and your neighbor.
I'm running for King County Council District 9
because we need experienced, new leadership
and leadership that is connected
to our growing diverse communities,
from the suburbs to unincorporated areas
and to rural communities.
As a refugee from Vietnam,
my family came here seeking a better future.
Working multiple jobs
and the first in my family to graduate college,
I value hard work,
the importance of opportunity,
and the strength of community.
Our district deserves leadership
committed to these same principles --
a county council member dedicated to
an equitable recovery for our district
and committed to addressing unique challenges
facing our suburb, unincorporated,
and rural communities.
After 16 years of the same,
we need leadership in touch
with our communities' urgent needs.
I'm the only Democrat running for this position
with a proven track record
as an elected official and small-business owner.
I've expanded access to apprenticeship
and career pathways on Renton Technical College
Foundation Board,
advocated for seniors and veterans
through Sound Cities'
Senior Aging and Disability Council,
and supported VFW
and Wounded Warrior Project,
and built an inclusive region for all
on King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias
and King County regional approach
to gun violence and youth impacts.
I'm also a mom, PTA president,
and will be the first woman of color
elected to county council in nearly 40 years.
I'll build on my record of experienced leadership
on Renton City Council
to coordinate regional action on homelessness
and affordable housing, make overdue transit
and transportation improvements,
stand up for struggling local businesses,
and to protect our climate and way of life.
I will demand safety improvements,
sheriff's office reforms,
and equitable investment
to lift up our communities.
Together, we can recover
and move our region forward.
I've been endorsed by leaders and organizations
across the district
like Washington Conservation Voters,
Democrats, SEIU 1199,
Executive Constantine,
Treasurer Pellicciotti.
And I ask for your vote.