
Candidates
Candidates
2019 primary election
City of Seattle
Council District 7
Naveed Jamali
PO Box 27113
Seattle, WA 98165
(425) 954-3286
Naveed Jamali
Naveed Jamali is a U.S. Navy intelligence officer, computer programmer, former MSNBC intelligence analyst, and author of the memoir ‘How to Catch a Russian Spy’. He is a first-generation American and the son of immigrants who put themselves through college, built a successful small business, and taught him the value of education, perseverance, and public service.
Naveed has dedicated his professional life to service. As a civilian, he received a commendation from former FBI Director Robert Mueller for his work with the FBI countering Russian intelligence. As a Navy officer, Naveed was awarded New York State’s Humanitarian Medal for leading rescue and response missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Now, as a husband, father of two young children in Seattle Public Schools, and a Seattle resident concerned about the direction and future of our city, Naveed hopes to continue his service as the Seattle City Council representative for District 7.
New Leadership for a Better City
Seattle has a leadership crisis. To ensure that Seattle remains a city where people can find opportunity, afford a home, start a family, and put down roots, we must start doing things differently. To make real progress, we need real change.
Naveed is committed to policy solutions based on good evidence, collaboration, and open and transparent deliberation. He will fight for stable, secure funding to address issues like homelessness, affordable housing, public safety, and transportation. As a legislator, he will be accessible and accountable to his constituents, dedicated to his district, and put the public interest before his own.
Smart Solutions for Hard Problems
Homelessness: Naveed will expand and accelerate the development of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless by removing current regulatory and barriers, leveraging our debt capacity to purchase land for housing, and increasing financial assistance to non-profit developers. He will increase our investments in diversion and rapid-rehousing for those on the brink of homelessness and the newly homeless. He will work to ensure that substance abuse and mental health treatment is available on demand to those who need it.
Public Safety: Naveed is committed to hiring more police officers and prosecutors so that Seattle residents get the protection they deserve, crimes are fully investigated, and criminals face justice.
Affordable Housing: Naveed supports increased density and will work to reform zoning and land-use restrictions that currently prevent the development of workforce and family housing in most Seattle neighborhoods.
James Donaldson
3213 W. Wheeler St., 162
Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 487-3566
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Washington State University
Occupation: CEO, Your Gift of Life Foundation, addressing mental illness and suicide prevention
Statement:
With your vote, and your voice, I will work to right what is wrong with Seattle, to ease the pain of growth and unaffordability, to protect what we hold dear, to enhance and strengthen our neighborhoods, and to enact policies that produce better transit and transportation, more housing, improved environmental protections, safeguard our maritime and industrial zones, and support our businesses.
With my 20-year pro-basketball career, I’ve lived in six countries, learned five languages, built several small businesses. I gained much from many, including how to lead – to build bridges, not walls. Living in the same house I bought in 1980, I’ve seen Seattle grow, thrive, and falter. I want us to clean up, to heal, and prosper.
The advantage to being 7’2” is the ability to see things others miss. I don’t look down; I reach down to lift others up. I see a path to guide others forward. My view is expansive, and it is filled with others who want to work as a team.
I’m worried about my beloved Seattle, where one bad decision after another; and inaction, inefficiency and, sometimes, incompetent implementation hurt our quality of life, and the lives of some of our most vulnerable.
We can do a much better job helping people who are unable – or unwilling – to help themselves. We can be much, much more responsive to the needs of our children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. We can resolve ongoing public safety challenges, an understaffed and still-not-compliant police department. We can build bridges and tear down the walls that block us from our best city. We can, and must, do this together.
After a massive heart attack several years ago, I nearly lost everything – except hundreds of thousands in medical debt. I know the fear of nearly losing my home and my life – the same fear that affects so many people experiencing homelessness. I’ve been there, and I know the level of support it takes to not give up: it takes work, patience, and prodding. When you’re sick, you cannot always make your own best decisions. We can turn the page on our policies. We must.
I am a leader you can look up to – literally and morally. Accessible and accountable, I humbly ask for your vote.
Education: University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.; University of Oklahoma, B.S., Aerospace Engineering
Occupation: Attorney/Consultant (including 15 years at Microsoft)
I have lived in Seattle for over a decade and have watched with frustration as the city’s leadership has asked us to accept as an unavoidable fact of life that our neighborhood is an illegal drug market; that we must live with violent crime outside our doors; and that our homes, our cars, our bicycles and our property are unworthy of protection. These are not facts of life. They are a choice by our city leadership. It’s time for a change.
Seattle should have a reputation as the finest city in the country. Instead our reputation is increasingly one of addiction and crime. Visitors are shocked, and residents are resigned. It doesn’t have to be this way.
I will bring “back to basics” governance to Seattle. I believe that help and compassion for the less fortunate among us and a safe, clean, and vibrant city for residents and visitors alike are not mutually exclusive concepts.
We must emphasize fiscal responsibility and accountability to return focus to the basic functions of a city government. I am currently a plaintiff opposing the undemocratic Waterfront Local Improvement District (LID). This is just one of many examples of irresponsible fiscal policy that must be remedied. Instead of costly, inefficient projects like the First Avenue street car, we need cost-effective transportation solutions that reflect the reality of people’s lives and commutes.
We won’t accept “low level” crime as a fact of life in Seattle. A smashed car window, a stolen wallet or cell phone, a stripped bicycle: these are anything but “low level” to a victim who has been robbed of their property and sense of safety. The City Council must listen to its constituents and take action to ensure that these crimes are prosecuted, deterred, and ultimately prevented.
We will take lessons from other cities to direct our spending on homelessness effectively and responsibly. For those that have no other choice, we will provide shelter options, but sleeping on streets and sidewalks will not be one of those options. For those suffering from drug addiction, we will provide treatment options, not injections sites.
I will bring the change Seattle needs to the City Council. I would be honored to have your vote.
Daniela Lipscomb-Eng
4433 27th Ave W
Seattle, WA 98199
(206) 270-7322
The Seattle City Council no longer cares for the families in our city. Our well being, safety and concerns have been relegated to politics and waste. The lack of attention to our neighbors, friends and family members can no longer continue to be the norm.
Managing my family business I began over 7 years ago as an advocate for change demanding attention to rampant drug usage outside our business at Fisherman’s Terminal. After calling the authorities and being told there was nothing they could do, I took action by getting it on the evening news. Things changed, and then returned to more of the same. Seattle authorities need be able to enforce our laws.
I am a UW graduate and lifelong Magnolia community member that is committed to civic action and community engagement. My mother taught Spanish at local Catholic schools and I currently reside with my husband and four young boys in Magnolia.
Homelessness: Our homeless population has increased dramatically and the current City Council’s solutions haven’t done enough to address this concern.
I will work for solutions that are effective and compassionate, enabling people towards their success and connecting them with the services needed. We need to ensure homeless individuals housing available and addicts have access to drug-treatment programs
Open and Transparent Government: Seattle has become a haven for backroom deals and a lack of transparency. The City Council is meant to work for you. I will work towards legislation that creates a culture of transparency, listening to you and maintaining accountability with my constituents. This includes bringing back neighborhood community groups to have a voice at City Hall.
Maintaining Family Neighborhoods: Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities and it’s important that we do not forget our families in these neighborhoods. I am committed to helping improve factors that contribute to traffic issues resulting in loss of time at work and with your loved ones. I will work to maintain adequate parking and green space in local neighborhoods.
“We spent 230 million dollars on a trolley that does not fit. Meanwhile our law enforcement are under equipped and ill utilized. My first 30 days will be to have an independent audit of our City Council and address our homeless crisis.”
Proudly endorsed by: Magnolia Voice Newspaper, Seattle landlords, Small Businesses of Seattle, local Hispanic community and others.
Isabelle J. Kerner
900 QUEEN ANNE AVE N 107
SEATTLE, WA 98109
(206) 271-1560
At age 20, I graduated from American University in D.C. cum laude with a B.A. in political science and a minor in studio art. I worked on the Washington State Apprenticeship Program, the America Invents Act, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement while interning for Senator Maria Cantwell.
Seattle has a camping crisis and we need to address it now. From open drug use and dealing, human trafficking, immediate release of violent criminals back onto our streets, to property crimes that costs tax-paying residents and businesses thousands of dollars a year—this crisis has spiraled out of control. There has been no URGENCY to this EMERGENCY.
It was a homelessness crisis. The City built more housing. That didn’t work. We can’t continue ignoring the system failure that landed us in this position by constantly adding adjectives to the terminology. I am trusting my eyes on this issue. I am confident that the public and I are seeing the same things.
I’ve been attacked twice over two years by repeat offenders. I know I am not alone. This is Seattle’s new normal. Rises in taxes, living costs, drug use and violent crimes have eroded the public’s trust in our elected City officials.
So why run? While I have heard candidates and officials champion the “need to get serious about solutions,” I have yet to see an actual plan that is better than what I’ve proposed. It is easy to be ‘for’ or ‘against’ a policy, but it is hard to be ‘for’ or ‘against’ an idea unless someone has a better one.
If elected, I will create temporary housing with all services on-site for up to 10,000 campers within my first 6 months in office . It will cost $40 million dollars. I will need 23 plots of vacant city-owned land, 575 renovated cargo-shipping containers and cooperation from businesses of all sizes.
Using the Apprenticeship Program, I will partner with businesses in industries struggling to meet the increased demand for skilled workers. Campers will have the opportunity to live at the site for 3-8 months. Funds earned by campers will be deposited into a tax-free account. Once individuals exit the program, they will have enough funding for up-front rent deposits, as well as a job that will enable them to afford long term secured housing.
Don Harper
300 Queen Anne Ave N #239
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 351-5587
City leadership does not listen. I want to change that.
As you, I love it here. I was born in Shoreline. I have lived in Seattle 49 years, the last 32 in Queen Anne where I’ve served for 21 years on the Community Council. And, after 30 years, I’m a happily retired owner of my own Electrical Contracting business.
So, this is not a career-ladder step for me. My deep concern for Seattle drives me to ask for your vote.
I will bring common sense and a strong work ethic to bear on a set of serious Council challenges that, if not courageously dealt with, threaten our neighborhood quality of life now, and for generations to come:
The tech sector is vital to our economy, but we all don’t write code. For more of us to prosper, I’d work to promote the creation of all kinds of jobs. Example: a deep-water Puget Sound port will create hundreds of new family-wage jobs in support of our legacy marine industry.
More affordable housing is needed but eliminating single-family neighborhoods and MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability) is just the wrong approach. Fact: Developers are in business for profit. We need to engage with non-profits – working within existing City code – to build a more inclusive housing stock.
More parks are needed as Seattle densifies. We must stop the Council from taking park property for anything other than green, open space use. I’ll fight such reckless Council action as using the Local Improvement District [LID] to partially fund ‘Waterfront Park’ – a great tourist attraction, but a drain on neighborhood parklands.
We need a tough-love, regional, results-based approach to homelessness: stop ignoring illegal activity, clean up our public spaces and aggressively integrate out-reach efforts with King County to build Permanent Supportive Housing – housing with services. Note: it’s also really important to reach out to families on the edge of losing their homes and help them stay in their homes.
Clean injection sites are well meaning, but not the answer. Curing addiction is difficult and complicated. Without intervention and counseling, people will not stop this lifestyle. We need to provide that help - not a clean place to be addicted. It’s more compassionate to help addicts end their addiction then it is to feed it.
Again, I ask for your vote…and I will be listening!
Michael George
119 1st Ave, S, Suite 320
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 513-3664
I live downtown with my wife Emily and my kids, Porter, 6 and Effie, 3. I don’t want to be forced to move out of Seattle to find quality education for my kids, or have them grow up and be forced to leave Seattle to find affordable housing. I am worried about the direction Seattle is heading. We can’t continue electing the same kind of candidates and expecting different results. I’ve knocked on thousands of doors and I know from speaking with many of you that we all want the same thing:
Change.
I will bring practical real-world experience to the Council. On the job, I’ve worked on complex affordable housing, transportation, and sustainability projects. In my public service, I co-founded Parents for a Better Downtown Seattle, a non-profit dedicated to making Downtown better for children, served on the Seattle Public Schools Capacity Task Force, the Facilities Master Plan Task Force, chaired the DSA’s Family Friendly sub-committee and volunteered on countless projects to make Seattle work for people of all ages — from young families struggling to afford daycare to seniors on fixed incomes.
Homelessness: We must change our approach to homelessness and make sure our regional partners do their fair share. We must build more low-income housing, commit to proven cost-effective homeless prevention programs, treat the subset of homeless people with mental illness and substance-addiction, and bring those who prey on the homeless and the rest of us to justice.
Housing Affordability: We need housing that middle-income earners like teachers, police, and firefighters can afford. I’ve managed some of the most complex affordable housing projects in the region. I have real-world expertise that will allow me to cut through the rhetoric, find the inefficiencies, and use our limited resources to house more people for less.
Livability: I will lead the drive for affordable-daycare, a downtown elementary school, a new District 7 high school, and high-quality community centers in Magnolia, Belltown, and Queen Anne. I will focus on cleaning up our parks and making our streets safe.
Transportation: Through working on major light rail and bus rapid transit projects I know how to leverage Sound Transit’s investment to best serve District 7 and how to secure funding for major projects like the Magnolia Bridge Replacement.
I will work tirelessly, hold regular office hours in each neighborhood, and make the changes we need. I ask for your support and your vote.
I grew up in a working-class family in Federal Way, the son of a teacher and a butcher. Because of strong public schools, hard work, and my parents’ sacrifices, I graduated from Seattle Pacific University and later Yale University with an MBA. I sharpened my experience on a career path touching Microsoft, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other world-class organizations.
My wife and I chose to return to Seattle and now raise our young daughter in this place we love.
Much is being said about the state of our city. Neighbors lament soaring housing costs. They swap stories about the Mercer Mess. They express concerns about walking home at night. They wonder what their tax dollars are buying.
These are deeply-felt concerns. Talking points won’t do; we deserve action.
In conversations with neighbors, I also hear a desire to shift focus to the future. In this future, neighbors describe a Seattle celebrated for economic equity, natural beauty, and vibrant culture. They describe a hopeful future for their children and grandchildren.
I share this vision. As your councilmember, I will work tirelessly to make it a reality.
I will work to maintain job growth and do so by investing in infrastructure, including the Magnolia Bridge, increasing transit, and enabling small business success.
Our children should be the best source of talent for our future jobs. I will prioritize universal access to affordable, high-quality childcare and early learning because every child deserves a fair start in life. I will also make critical improvements to workforce development.
As our city grows, I will protect and enhance our open spaces—like Discovery Park and the Waterfront—that give Seattle its natural beauty and grant us a way to reconnect with nature. These spaces can inspire the next generation of climate scientists and conservationists.
I will also protect the arts and culture and the diverse communities that make our city vibrant.
This is possible if we restore trust to local government. I will listen, earn your trust, and maintain it through honesty and transparency. Accountability begins with your vote.
Help me create a more vibrant, just, and equitable Seattle.
I am proudly endorsed by Marlena Sessions, former CEO of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County; Dennis Madsen, Former CEO of REI and Forterra board member; Norm Langill, Founder of Teatro ZinZanni; Lem Howell, Civil Rights Attorney; Tim Hill, former King County Executive.
Jim Pugel: Unmatched Service for Seattle Families
I grew up in a Rainier Valley home, graduated from UW, and served our city for 35 years as a reform-driven police officer, captain and interim Chief; reducing non-violent incarceration and speaking out against racial bias and for constitutional policing. I’m excited to bring real hands-on expertise in public safety and human services, and a true understanding of unique neighborhood priorities to the City Council.
Affordability: In 1982 my wife and I purchased a Seattle home on a cop’s salary. Today, too many people who protect our health and safety and teach in our schools cannot afford to live in the city they serve. I will work to expand affordable housing, rental assistance, and fixed income property tax relief so we are not pricing out young people, seniors, and working families.
Homelessness: Homelessness is a regional issue. We need a comprehensive plan that works across boundaries to offer overdue solutions—rapid and permanent supportive housing, mental health care, and addiction services—and keep our communities safe. Through my direct experience developing programs with local providers, I support a “four pillars” approach: prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and enforcement.
Transportation and Mobility: From the new downtown tunnel to light rail expansion and dedicated bus lanes, we need to continue improving our transportation systems. I support increased transparency to ensure every transportation project is wholly accountable to taxpayers. I will make funding a one-for-one replacement of the Magnolia Bridge a top priority—we cannot keep procrastinating on vital projects.
Inclusivity and Accountability: I am committed to restoring legitimacy, accountability and trust in our local government. We can do this by setting aside rigid beliefs and listening to all voices, prioritizing inclusivity and equity for people of color, LGBTQ+, small businesses, and immigrant communities.
Safety: Public safety is the foundation of healthy neighborhoods. Throughout my career I have worked in partnership with communities across Seattle to address unacceptable property crime, increase gun responsibility to reduce tragic violence, and develop award-winning diversion programs to reduce crime and incarceration. We will work with our firefighters, police officers, and human service providers to keep all in our communities safe and healthy.
Proudly endorsed by: SEIU 1199NW, King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, ACLU of Washington State Drug Policy Director Alison Holcomb. More at JimPugel.com
Andrew J. Lewis
PO Box 301
Seattle, WA 98111
(206) 787-2091
It's time for a more responsive and accountable city government.
This accountability starts with results on affordable housing and homelessness. As your Councilmember, I’ll fight to build 5,000 units of affordable housing in three years by working with State, County, and non-profit partners through the “Home and Hope” plan. This plan to create public, tax-exempt multifamily housing, along with other initiatives, will allow us to rapidly increase affordable housing and reduce homelessness. I’ll also advocate for increased mental health and substance abuse treatment to address the significant barriers to helping our neighbors transition out of homelessness.
Public safety: I’m proud of my work as a prosecutor obtaining justice for victims and the public. We need more police officers walking our neighborhoods and more prosecutors reviewing cases. We also need to increase successful criminal diversion programs like Choose 180, where only 8 of 245 participants have re-offended.
Performance auditing: I’ve proposed an annual performance auditing plan similar to King County, which saved $127 million in the last three years. This plan will free up significant resources for essential services that benefit Seattle residents and businesses.
Public transportation: I will partner with Sound Transit to expand light rail through Interbay, including a rail tunnel underneath the ship canal to ensure reliable service and prevent displacing our maritime community. I will also work with State, Port, and Federal stakeholders to secure a one-for-one Magnolia Bridge replacement.
Public education: I’ll partner with the School District to build the estimated 12 new schools needed to accommodate projected enrollment. I’ll ensure every neighborhood in District 7, including Downtown and South Lake Union, has access to public K-12 schools.
My experience as a City and County Prosecutor, a Seattle Human Rights Commissioner, and a Rental Housing Inspection Stakeholder Committee member ensure I will hit the ground running at City Hall. I’m a fifth-generation Washingtonian, and a graduate of the Center School and UW. After college, I attended the London School of Economics and UC Berkeley School of Law, where I served as a teaching assistant to Labor Secretary Robert Reich.
Endorsements: MLK County Labor Council, 36th District Democrats, 37th District Democrats, King County Young Democrats, fmr. U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Rep. Gael Tarleton, fmr. County Councilmember Larry Phillips, fmr. City Councilmembers Martha Choe, Nick Licata, and Peter Steinbrueck, School Board Director Eden Mack, and many more...
Contact Elections
Email: elections@kingcounty.gov
Phone: 206-296-VOTE (8683)
TTY: Relay 711
Sign up for email or text notifications