By The Herald Editorial Board
Too often, voters treat primary elections as if they were akin to preseason football games; perhaps interested in the outcome but believing it doesn’t count toward the regular season.
Yet, sitting on the sidelines — leaving your ballot unmarked and unsent — takes voters out of a crucial part of the game: setting the players for the November election.
That’s especially true for this primary season in Snohomish County — for several city council, school board and fire district races — where voters are being asked to select among as many as five candidates in some contests. As well, voters in fire districts for the Snohomish, Marysville and North County are considering fire and EMS levies. Skip the primary and you’re allowing a relatively small percentage of eligible voters determine who you’ll see on the November ballot. In the last off-year primary in 2023, with no statewide or national races on the ballot, a little more than 1 in 4 — 26.6 percent — of the county’s half-million voters cast ballots in the primary.
Below you’ll find a recap of editorial board’s recommendations for several of the local races on the primary ballot, intended as an additional resource as you consider your choice. See HeraldNet.com/tag/editorials to read the full endorsement.
Along with the editorial board’s endorsements, voters also are directed to their local voters’ pamphlet, the state’s online voters guide at www.vote.wa.gov and a series of recorded candidate forums available at the website of the Snohomish County League of Women Voters at lwvsnoho.org/candidate_forums.
The county voters’ pamphlet is available online at tinyurl.com/SnoCoVotePrimary25.
Ballots were mailed July 17. They can be returned by mail or placed in one of several county election office drop boxes. Ballots must be postmarked or placed in a drop box before 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5. A list of locations for official drop boxes is available at tinyurl.com/SnoCoElexBox.
And if you aren’t yet registered to vote, you still have time. Check the county’s website at tinyurl.com/SnoCoVoteRegister.
Edmonds City Council, Pos. 3: Alex Newman: Newman is executive director of the American Red Cross’ Northwest Washington chapter. “Newman’s nonprofit background, he said, would provide a skill set for the city’s budget work, but would also be valuable regarding public safety, having seen what works and what doesn’t in providing those services day to day and during crises.”
Everett Mayor: Cassie Franklin is seeking a third term as the city’s mayor: “Franklin, for her two terms, has worked collaboratively with the council, staff, employees, city committees and residents to find pragmatic solutions and work with the resources and tools available to keep a city of some 111,000 residents well-served.”
Everett Council, District 1: Sam Hem: “With the city still needing to add to its stock of housing to assure greater affordability and provide local jobs, while providing the physical and civic infrastructure to serve a growing city, Hem appears best suited to help the council pursue the best path forward and should be the District 1 voters’ choice.”
Everett Council, District 2: Paula Rhyne is seeking a second term on the council. “Rhyne, even in expressing differences on some votes, has consistently demonstrated that civility, while at the same time helping the council adopt needed reforms and steady improvements to the city.”
Everett Council, District 4: Luis Burbano: “As he’s shown on the light rail panel with concern for avoiding displacement of Casino Road residents and with his community garden proposal, Burbano blends an engineer’s talent for analysis with practical applications that provide holistic solutions.”
Marysville City Council, Pos. 2: Dan Perkins: “Perkins, noting his many years of work as an educator, his recognition of the balance required in harmonizing growth and quality of life, and his practical approach to increasing community engagement through neighborhood associations impresses as someone who would add to the discussion and deliberation on the council and in the greater Marysville community.”
Mountlake Terrace City Council, Pos. 3: William Paige Jr. was appointed to the council in April to fill a vacancy. Previously he had served on the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion commission since 2020. “Paige is an engaging speaker, dedicated to making sure all voices of the community are heard and considered. Paige has shown how the goals of diversity, equity and inclusion are best used as an effective approach to improving the representation of city residents and in addressing their needs.”
Mukilteo City Council, Pos. 2: James Sterba: “Sterba … with a masters in business administration along with a long career in management with attention to projects, negotiations, contracts and budgeting, would offer skills useful to the city council as it, as with other cities in the county, confronts how to provide city services within tightening revenues.”
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