King County election workers Mark Bezanson and Julie Olson at work on Election Day 2018. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
SEATTLE, WA — Candidate filing week in King County kicks off Monday morning, and elections officials are bracing for a record 700 people to run for office this year. When filing closes on Friday, we'll know exactly who is going to be on the August primary and general election ballots.
"This year we expect a record-breaking number of candidates to file for office, which is great news for our region and democracy," King County Elections Director Julie Wise, who is up for election this year, said in a recent statement.
Even if you subtract the Seattle City Council races (56 candidates and counting as of May 10) there are still dozens of races going on in almost every city between Vashon Island and Mt. Si. City council races are the main attraction this year, but you'll also be picking school board directors, fire commissioners, and, yes, cemetery commissioners.
We've compiled a list of the offices up for elections, including known incumbents and challengers, in the Patch coverage area. The information below was gathered from statements candidates have made and from state campaign finance filings.
King County
King County Assessor, John Wilson.
King County Director of Elections, Julie Wise.
County Council District 2, Larry Gossett. Seattle attorney Girmay Zahilay is challenging Gossett, who has held the seat since 1993.
County Council District 4, Jean Kohl-Welles.
County Council District 6, Claudia Balducci.
County Council District 8, Joe McDermott.
King County Court Of Appeals District 1 judges, John H. Chun and Lori K. Smith
10 King County Superior Court judge posts are up for election
King County Airport District Commissioner Positions 1 (Kaye Pierson), 2 (Will Gerrior), and 3 (Bob Therkelsen).
Port of Seattle
Commissioner Position 2, held by Courtney Gregoire, who is not running for reelection.
Commissioner Position 5, held by Fred Felleman.
Bellevue
Council Position No. 1, John Stokes.
Council Position No. 3, (mayor) John Chelminiak. Jeremy Barksdale and Stephanie Walter have registered campaigns to challenge Chelminiak.
Council Position No. 5, Janice Zahn.
Council Position No. 7, Jennifer Robertson. Robertson has announced she'll see reelection in 2019.
Issaquah
Council Position No. 2, Mariah Bettise, who has registered a campaign for 2019.
Council Position No. 3, Victoria Hunt, who has registered a 2019 campaign.
Council Position No. 4, Lindsey Walsh, who has registered a campaign for 2019.
Council Position No. 6, Paul Winterstein.
Kirkland
Council Position No. 2, Tom Neir, who is not running in 2019.
Council Position No. 4, Toby Nixon, who has said he's running in 2019.
Council Position No. 5, Kelli Curtis. She will run to fill a two-year term after being picked earlier this year to replace Amy Walen.
Council Position No. 6, Dave Asher.
Lake Forest Park
Mayor, held by Jeff Johnson.
Council Position No. 2, Catherine Stanford.
Council Position No. 4, Phillippa Kassover.
Council Position No. 6, Tom French.
Mercer Island
Council Position No. 1, Dave Wisenteiner. Challenger Craig Reynolds has registered to run for this seat.
Council Position No. 3, Wendy Weiker, who has registered a 2019 campaign.
Council Position No. 4, Lisa Anderl, who was appointed in December to replace Tom Acker.
Council Position No. 5, (mayor) Bruce Bassett.
Council Position No. 7, Debbie Bertlin.
Redmond
Mayor, John Marchione, who is not running for reelection. City Council President Angela Birney, Steven J. Fields, and Andreas Koeppen have registered to run for the seat.
Council Position No. 1, Hank Myers. Challenger Varisha M. Khan has registered to run.
Council Position No. 3, Hank Margeson.
Council Position No. 5, Birney. Vanessa E. Kretzer has registered to run for this seat.
Council Position No. 7, David Carson. Challenger Farshad Ansari has filed to run.
Renton
Mayor, Denis Law, who is not running for reelection. Renton Councilmembers Armando Pavone and Ruth Perez-Madrigal are running, as is former state lawmaker Marcie Maxwell.
Council Position No. 3, Ann Witschi, who is not running. Valerie O'Halloran has filed to run for the seat (after initially seeking the Position 7 seat).
Council Position No. 4, Ryan McIrvin.
Council Position No. 5, Ed Prince.
Council Position No. 7, Don Persson, who is not running in 2019. Kim-Khanh Van is running for the seat.
Sammamish
Council Position No. 2, Christie Malchow, who will run again in 2019.
Council Position No. 4, Ramiro Valderrama, who is not running. Ryika Hooshangi has filed to run for the seat.
Council Position No. 6, by Tom Hornish, who is being challenged by Rituja Indapure.
Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District Commissioner Position 2, Ryika Hooshangi.
Seattle
There are, as of this writing, 56 people running for the seven Seattle Council races in 2019. Rather than list them all here, head to the Seattle Ethics and Elections site for a full list. Between the number of people running and the number of open seats (4), expect a dynamite election year.
Council Position No. 1, Lisa Herbold (running)
Council Position No. 2, Bruce Harrell (not running)
Council Position No. 3, Kshama Sawant (running)
Council Position No. 4, Abel Pacheco Jr., who was appointed in April to complete Rob Johnson's term. Pacheco is not running for the seat, however.
Council Position No. 5, Debora Juarez (running)
Council Position No. 6, Mike O'Brien (not running)
Council Position No. 7, Sally Bagshaw (not running)
Skyway Water & Sewer Commissioner Position 2, Donald Henry.
Shoreline
Council Position No. 2, Keith Scully, who has registered a 2019 campaign.
Council Position No. 4, Doris McConnell, who is being challenged by David Chen. Virginia Scantlebury has also registered to run for this seat.
Council Position No. 6, Betsy Robertson, who has filed for 2019.
Fire Commissioner Position 2, Kimberly Fischer.
Fire Commissioner Position 5, Ken Callahan.
Woodinville
Two non-incumbents who have filed to run for City Council, Paul Hagen and Nicolas Duchastel De Montrouge, have not specified which seat they are seeking.
Council Position No. 2, Les Rubstello, who has filed to run in 2019.
Council Position No. 4, Elaine Cook, who has filed to run in 2019.
Council Position No. 6, Al Taylor, who has filed to run in 2019.
Council Position No. 7, Gary Harris, who has filed to run in 2019.
Fire Commission Position 2, Jim Dorney.
Fire Commission Position 4, Mike Millman.
Water District Commissioner Position 2, Dale Knapinski.
Water District Commissioner Position 4, Chuck Clarke.
School Board Races
Bellevue - Director positions 1 (Sima Sarrafan), 2 (Carolyn Watson), 4 (Christine Chew), and 5 (Francine West)
Issaquah - Director positions 1 (Anne Moore), 3 (Harlan Gallinger), 4 (Sydne Mullings), and 5 (Suzanne Weaver)
Lake Washington School District - Director positions 1 (Eric Laliberte), 2 (Chris Carlson), and 5 (Siri Bliesner)
Mercer Island - Director positions 1 (Dave D'Souza ), 3 (Tracy Drinkwater), and 5 (Ralph Jorgenson)
Northshore School District - Director positions 2 (Bob Swain) and 3 (David Cogan)
Renton - Director positions 1 (Alisa Louie), 3 (Lynn Desmarais), and 4 (Gloria Hodge)
Seattle - Director positions 1 (Scott S. Pinkham), 2 (Rick Burke), 3 (Jill Geary), and 6 (Leslie Harris)
Shoreline - Director positions 1 (Mike Jacobs), 4 (Richard Nicholson), and 5 (Richard Potter)
You can see every single seat up for election in King County in 2019 right down to the last water district commissioner right here.