By The Herald Editorial Board
The decision by Mukilteo City Council member Tom Jordal not to seek reelection to a second term for his Position 2 seat, opened the post to five candidates from the city of 21,000 for the Aug. 5 primary. The top two candidates from the primary will run-off in the November general election, joining candidates for the races for Mukilteo mayor and two other council seats.
Mukilteo Council, Pos. 2
Mukilteo voters will chose among James Sterba, a Boeing senior manager; Carolyn “Dode” Carlson, a retired U.S. Postal Service manager; Riaz Khan, a Boeing engineer and former Mukilteo city council member; Tina Over, a small business owner and civil service commission member; and Jon Welton. While Welton’s name is on the ballot, he announced this weekend that he was no longer running.
Over did not respond to requests for an interview with the editorial board. The board met in early July with Sterba, Carlson and Khan.
Khan previously served one term on the council, winning election in 2019, but losing a reelection bid in 2023 to Michael Dixon for Position 5. Khan last ran for office in 2024, running as a Republican for the 21st District House state House seat held by Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds.
Khan said he was running to again serve on the Mukilteo council to focus on reducing crime and drug use, advocate for gun safety, new parks and a senior center. Khan said he also wanted to continue past efforts to advocate for the city at the state Legislature.
Carlson, who ran unsuccessfully for the council in 2023, said she’s running out of frustration with the city’s financial situation, seeking more care with budgeting. She also wants the city to consider setting up an annuity program for the sustainable financial support of the Rosehill Community Center.
Carlson, who called herself a senior advocate, said she supports construction of a new senior center near the Japanese Gulch area.
She’s been active in the community for several years, serving with the county parks board, the city’s historical commission and the community garden organization and the Lighthouse Festival. She has also served on the Rosehill board, the city arts commission, the ferry advisory board and was part of the city’s housing action plan process.
Sterba, who grew up in Marysville and lived most of his life in the area, has lived in Mukilteo since 2018. Sterba said he was running to give back to his community. He also expressed frustration with some of the city’s spending, hoping to support more fiscal responsibility on the council. Sterba, on issues of growth, housing and development, said he wants to protect what makes Mukilteo special.
Sterba also said he would like to see how the city might increase opportunities for tourism and business in Mukilteo by fostering businesses and community events, increasing the tax base and city revenues without relying on an increase on the sales tax.
Sterba, Carlson and Khan were unanimous in their support for Mayor Joe Marine’s decision in June to veto a sales tax increase that the council approved, 4-3, which would have increased the sales tax to 10.7 percent.
Khan’s past service on the council, as well as his community leadership, including his organization of an annual peace rally, and his past advocacy for establishment of a mosque in Mukilteo are notable. Khan faced Islamophobic attacks for the mosque proposal, including postcards and flyers calling to “Ban Islam from America.” Khan, during his state House run last year, reported a physical attack to police by two men while he was placing campaign sides along Mukilteo Speedway. No arrests were made in the attack.
Carlson’s long service on a number of boards, associations and studies speaks to her commitment to the community.
Sterba, however, 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.
Mukilteo voters would be best served with Sterba on the council.
Election info
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.
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