To vote in the Washington primary election, you need to be eligible and registered. Eligibility means you’re a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, not serving a felony sentence, and have been a legal resident of Washington for at least 30 days. The deadline is July 25 to register by mail or online, and Aug. 2 in person.
Ballots will be mailed July 15 and should arrive by July 21. No postage is needed to return the ballot, but for it to count, it must be postmarked by Aug. 2 or deposited in an official ballot drop box by then. Ballot drop boxes close at 8 p.m. Aug. 2.
This union-focused ballot guide for Southwest Washington tries to keep it simple: It lists only those candidates who have at least one union endorsing them. Following each name is a list of union endorsers and a link to the campaign website, if they have one. [Acronyms are in the legend below.]
FEDERAL OFFICES
U.S. SENATE
Patty Murray is seeking a sixth term as U.S. Senator. A Democrat first elected in 1992, Murray has been a reliable advocate for labor. She holds a 95% lifetime voting score from the AFL-CIO, and a 100% score for 2021. Murray chairs the most important committee for union issues – the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). She also chairs an appropriations subcommittee that evaluates funding for the National Labor Relations Board. Murray was chief sponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2019. WSLC PattyMurray.com
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Congressional District 3 (SW Washington)
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is a Democrat running for a first term in the seat currently held by Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler. Perez owns a mechanic shop in Northeast Portland and is a graduate of Reed College. Perez’s platform identifies raising wages and investing in job training programs as priorities. WSLC MarieForCongress.com
STATE OFFICES
SECRETARY OF STATE
Steve Hobbs has been Secretary of State since November 2021, a position he was appointed to by Governor Jay Inslee after Kim Wyman resigned to take a federal government position. A current Lieutenant Colonel in the Washington Army National Guard, Hobbs has received numerous union endorsements. WSLC, Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council, CWA, Ironworkers 86, Laborers 242, Operating Engineers 302, Washington Federation of State Employees, Firefighters 46, UA 32, IBEW 48 and 191, SEIU 1948 ElectHobbs.com
STATE SUPREME COURT
Position 1
Mary Yu has served as a state Supreme Court justice since 2014. WSLC, AFSCME 28, Machinists 751, SEIU 775, Washington Education Association JusticeMaryYu.com
Position 5
Barbara Madsen has served as a state Supreme Court justice since 1993. WSLC, Washington Education Association RetainMadsen.com
Position 6
G. Helen Whitener has served as a state Supreme Court justice since 2020. WSLC KeepJusticeWhitener.com
STATE HOUSE
Washington’s 98 state representatives are up for re-election every two-years.
District 17 (Eastern Vancouver)
Position 1 — Terri Niles is an ICU nurse who has served on the executive committee for the Oregon Nurses Association OHSU bargaining unit. Niles is running as a Democrat for the seat currently held by Republican Vicki Kraft. WSLC, Firefighters Local 452 VoteTerriNiles.com
Position 2 — Joe Kear is a longtime local labor advocate. He served as a business representative for Machinists District Lodge W24 from 2005 through 2017. Kear has been involved with Labor’s Community Service Agency, and both the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and Southwest Washington Central Labor Council. Kear is running as a Democrat for the seat currently held by Republican Paul Harris. WSLC JoeKear.com
District 18 (Clark County)
Position 1 — John Zingale is a public school teacher running as a Democrat for the seat currently held by Republican Brandon Vick, who is not running for re-election. WSLC, Washington Education Association, AFT, IBEW 48, UFCW 365 ElectJohnZingale.com
Position 2 — Duncan Camacho is a neuro/trauma ICU nurse at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. He’s an active member of the Washington State Nurses Association and a delegate on the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council. Camacho, a former paramedic, is running as a Democrat for the seat currently held by Republican Larry Hoff, who did not seek re-election. WSLC, Washington State Nurses Association, SEIU 925, IBEW 48, UFCW 555, Laborers 335 DuncanForStateHouse.com
District 49 (Vancouver)
Position 1 — Sharon Wylie, a Democrat, is the incumbent representative and has served since 2011. The Washington State Labor Council gave Wylie a 100% record of voting with working people in 2022 and 96% for her entire time in office. WSLC ElectSharon.com
Position 2 — Monica Stonier is a Democrat and has held the seat since 2017. She earned a 100% voting record for 2022 from the Washington State Labor Council, and 98% for her entire time in office. WSLC
LOCAL OFFICES
CLARK COUNTY
Clark County Council
Sue Marshall is a Clark County farmer who comes from a union family – her father worked as a truck driver and warehouseman, and her mother as a file clerk at Boeing. Marshall says their union jobs allowed her to attend college. SWWACLC SueForClarkCounty.com
Chartisha Roberts is a Hazel Dell resident and human resources administrator for Legacy Health Systems. SWWACLC ElectChartisha.com
Clark PUD Commissioner
Nancy Barnes is the current Clark Public Utilities Commissioner, a position she has held since 1992. She is seeking a sixth term in office. SWWACLC
County Auditor
Greg Kimsey has served as county auditor since 1999. He previously worked as chief financial officer for Vancouver Oil Company and vice president in the Investment Banking Division of U.S. Bancorp. Kimsey was also an apprentice with Carpenters Local 1715, which dissolved in 2011. SWWACLC GregKimsey.com
County Sheriff
DO NOT VOTE FOR: Southwest Washington Central Labor Council made an unusual voter recommendation in July: Vote for anyone but Rey Reynolds. Reynolds, a Vancouver Police Department corporal, describes himself as a constitutional conservative. He has a hard line conservative platform that warns against government plans to seize firearms, vaccine mandates, laws restricting religious faith, and Portland “lawlessness” spreading to Clark County.
Ballot Measures
Proposition 1 (Property tax levy lid lift for Clark County Fire District 5) —SUPPORT Fire service for about 94,000 residents in North Vancouver’s Fire District 5 is provided by the City of Vancouver and funded by a property tax in the district. The rate—$1.01 per $1,000 of assessed value—hasn’t increased in 30 years, but costs have risen with the hiring of more firefighters and renovations to fire stations. The fire district board is asking for an increase to $1.25 per $1,000; the additional amount would work out to $8 a month for the owner of a $400,000 house. SWWACLC, Fire Fighters 452
Proposition 4 (Renewal of EMS levy for Clark County Fire District 5) —SUPPORT Emergency medical service for about 70,000 people in the Vancouver neighborhoods of Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, Lakeshore, Felida, Mt. Vista, and the Fairgrounds is funded by a property tax levy that must be renewed every six years. The rate will stay the same: 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value ($15 a month for a $400,000 house). It pays for 24 of 70 staff positions at the district. SWWACLC, Fire Fighters 452
LEGEND
- WSLC Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (the state labor federation)
- SWWACLC Southwest Washington Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO (the local labor federation)
- AFSCME state, county, municipal employees
- AFT American Federation of Teachers
- CWA Communications Workers of America
- LiUNA Oregon/SW Washington District Council of Laborers
- IBEW Electrical Workers
- SEIU Service Employees International Union
- UA plumbers and fitters
- UFCW United Food & Commercial Workers
