By Brett Johnson
As we enter late July, a crucial primary election is upon us. Many Pierce County voters have received their mail-in ballots, and will soon cast critical votes that will impact the outcomes of several races for local elected offices. From Charter Review Commission and city councils to school boards and parks boards, there are plenty of decisions to make.
The Environmental Coalition has been busy contacting, interviewing, and endorsing several super environmentally-minded candidates across the county. Many of our endorsements will apply to the general election ballot this fall, but a few key endorsements have emerged as important choices in the rapidly-approaching August primary election.
We’d like to highlight three endorsed candidates who are on the ballot for the primary election. The first candidate is Bryan Yambe, a former Fife City Councilmember who is running in a 3-way race for the County Council in District 5 in a special election. Former County Councilmember Marty Campbell was recently elected to the office of Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer. This left his council seat open, and after a bit of drama, Yambe was appointed by the council to fill the seat early this year. Yambe represents the critical 4th vote for many policies, including those relating to growth management and the environment.
However, the District 5 position also became open on the August primary election ballot. Yambe’s seat is extremely important, since electing him would preserve the current 4-3 Democratic majority on the council.
He faces opposition from both the left and the right in Democrat Kimber Starr and Republican Terry Wise. Yambe has worked hard to secure $55,000 in fundraising. It is extremely critical for Yambe to show strength in the primary.
This will help solidify support heading into the general election and deter Republicans and their donors from pouring resources into the race in an attempt to swing the election in their favor.
If you are a registered voter in Pierce County Council District 5, please be sure to vote for BRYAN YAMBE!
_________________________________________________________________
Ellen Talbo is our choice for Lakewood City Council.
The second candidate we would like to highlight is Ellen Talbo, candidate for Lakewood City Council Position 1. Talbo is running to fill an open seat vacated by longtime councilmember Mary Moss. In her interview, Talbo was knowledgeable in her responses to our questions about the environment, including issues specific to Lakewood.
A daughter of Filipino immigrants, she works as a transportation planner and serves as a member of the Lakewood Planning Commission. She is raising funds and working hard with a dedicated group of volunteers to connect with residents door-to-door to build support.
Three other candidates in the race include another Democrat Chas Ames, an independent candidate Ellen Fong, and Republican Mark Herr. We believe she can finish in a strong second place in the primary, consolidate support, and defeat Republican Mark Herr in the November general election. For many years, Lakewood has been dominated by very conservative council members.
Lakewood residents, vote for ELLEN TALBO to add a fresh perspective to the Lakewood City Council!
Dan Knox our pick for Port of Tacoma Commission.
Finally, let’s take a look at a three-way race for the Port of Tacoma Commission. Longtime Port Commissioner Don Meyer has decided to retire, leaving Position 4 as an open seat this year. We are fortunate to have three great people running for this seat: JT Wilcox, Cyrus Donato, and Dan Knox.
After interviewing all three of them, the Coalition believes we can work with any of them to solve environmental problems relating to the Port. There were aspects of all three candidates that we really liked.
However, Dan Knox stood out with his command of the issues and solutions to our most pressing problems. It was obvious that he has done his homework and studied up on the issues facing the Port now and in the future, and actions the Port Commission should consider taking. We cannot say that about a few of the other Port candidates whom we interviewed.
“I grew up in an industrial town where the water was polluted and industry moved on without cleaning up after itself. I’ve carried that with me into every room I’ve worked in—knowing that unless institutions are held accountable, it’s working families who bear the cost. That’s why I want the Port of Tacoma to be more than just a logistics hub. It should be a model of climate resilience, labor solidarity, and economic equity.” – Dan Knox
The Coalition believes it is time to elect a fresh, forward-thinking voice to the Port Commission, in hopes of making some sorely-needed changes sooner rather than later.
Vote DAN KNOX for Port of Tacoma Commission, Position 4!
Remember, primary election ballots are due Tuesday, August 5th.
Don’t wait — complete your ballot and mail it in early!