Local chapters and members are highly engaged in the municipalities where they live and work. This year, members are gearing up for a busy election season in the three largest cities in Washington state. This year’s primary election is Aug. 6.

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Seattle

Seattle Hospitality for Progress has announced early endorsements for the 2019 primary elections.

Seattle Hospitality for Progress–the political arm of the Seattle Hotel Association and the Seattle Restaurant Alliance–represents members in neighborhoods throughout Seattle.

This year, Seattle voters will determine the makeup of the Seattle City Council with seven of the nine seats on the November ballot.

2019 Seattle City Council Primary early endorsements:

District 1: Phil Tavel

District 3: Egan Orion

District 4: Alex Pedersen

District 6: Jay Fathi and Heidi Wills

District 7: Michael George and Jim Pugel

Issues of importance to the hotel and restaurant industry include the need for effective, data-driven solutions to the region’s homelessness crisis; addressing public safety and civility issues; and accountability in city spending.

Most of all, Seattle Hospitality for Progress wants what Seattle voters want; a city council that will focus on addressing the most pressing issues impacting residents in each of the seven districts and deliver results.

Visit Seattle Hospitality for Progress to support their work.

Tacoma

Of the nine Tacoma City Council seats, four are up for grabs this year. The Tacoma Hospitality Alliance is thrilled to announce endorsements for the upcoming election.

The Tacoma Hospitality Alliance seeks to educate candidates on issues facing the hospitality community and endorses and supports candidates for office in the City of Tacoma. We represent the diverse entertainment, restaurant and hotel sectors of Tacoma’s economy.

As passionate members of our community, the issues we raised were focused on thoughtfully managed growth of the city and continuing to address Tacoma’s homelessness and opioid crisis with periodic check-ins of progress. We are also interested in reducing red tape, finding efficiencies in the local government and developing a strong and diverse workforce.

2019 Tacoma City Council endorsements:

  • District 1: John Hines
  • District 3: Keith Blocker
  • At-Large 7: Conor McCarthy
  • At-Large 8: John O’Loughlin

For more information, contact Joe Bushnell.

Spokane

The Spokane Chapter board is working on potential candidate endorsements in various city races. The chapter reached out to the candidates with the goal of learning more about them, their ideas and stances on the local hospitality industry.

Among the issues we are concerned about is addressing homelessness, managing growth and addressing commercial affordability.

The deadline to file for the primary was May 17 and it is a busy election season in Spokane: Mayor David Condon is ineligible to run after serving two consecutive terms, and other council seats are up for grabs, too.

Candidates for Spokane mayor:

  • Ben Stuckart
  • Nadine Woodward
  • Shawn Poole
  • Kelly P. Cruz
  • Jonathan Bingle

Candidates for council president:

  • Phillip Tyler
  • Breean L. Beggs
  • Mike Fagan
  • Cindy Wendle

District 1:

  • Jerrall Haynes
  • Doug Salter
  • Naghmana Sherazi
  • Louis Lefebvre
  • Krys Brown
  • Tim Benn
  • Michael Cathcart

District 2:

  • Lori Kinnear
  • Liz Fleming
  • Tony Kiepe

District 3:

  • Andy Rathbun
  • Jeff Martin
  • Christopher Savage
  • Karen J. Stratton
  • Jeff Rugan
  • Ken Side

The candidates had until June 17 to complete and return the questionnaire. The board will assess the information and determine if any candidates will be endorsed.

For more information, contact Tobby Hatley.

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