A Candidate Evaluation Team, part of the Indivisible Tacoma Legislative Action Team, sent questionnaires to candidates who might align with Indivisible values.
Besides the questionnaires returned, additional research was conducted on the candidates. The list below resulted from deliberation by the Teams.
Indivisible Tacoma Endorsements/Recommendations – October 15, 2021
Approved by IT Legislative Action Team and IT Members
ENDORSED – Our full support. Candidate embodies our values.
RECOMMENDED – Candidate who either did not ask for our endorsement, or who may not espouse our values to the extent of warranting endorsement.
PREFERRED – Candidate who is the better choice of the two.
SD = Strong Democrat D = Democrat R = Republican ND = No Data
A. Dupont
Pos 1 Maame Bassaw (SD) RECOMMENDED
Pos 2 Mike Winkler (R) (Two Rs in opposition) PREFERRED
Pos 3 Beth Elliot (SD) RECOMMENDED
Pos 7 Susan Walton (SD) RECOMMENDED
B. Steilacoom
Mayor Dick Muri (R) or Nino Vaccaro (R) NO VOTE or OPPOSE VACCARO
Pos 1 Peter Franklin (R) NO VOTE
Pos. 2 Liz Grasher (SD) ENDORSED
Pos. 3 Roger Neal (D) RECOMMENDED
B2. Steilacoom School Board (includes AI and Dupont)
Pos. 1 Jennifer McDonald (SD) ENDORSED
Pos. 2 Victor Hogan (R) NO VOTE
Pos. 3 Melanie Tinsley (R) NO VOTE
C. Tacoma
Mayor: Victoria Woodards (D) RECOMMENDED
At Large Pos 6 Kiara Daniels (SD) ENDORSED
CD2 Sarah Rumbaugh (SD) ENDORSED
CD4. Catherine Ushka RECOMMENDED
CD5 Anne Artman (SD) ENDORSED
D. Tacoma School Board
Dir Pos 2 Enrique Leon (SD) ENDORSED
Dir Pos 3 Korey Strozier (D) RECOMMENDED
Dir Pos 4 Chelsea McElroy (SD) RECOMMENDED
Dir Pos 5 Elizabeth Bonbright (SD) v Bill Hanawalt (SD) ENDORSED BOTH
E. University Place City Council
Pos 4 Edward Wood (ID) PREFERRED
F. University Place School Board
Pos. 1 Ethelda Burke (SD) ENDORSED
Pos. 2 Marisa Peloquin (SD) ENDORSED
G. Lakewood City Council
Pos. 1 Mary Moss (weak D) No Action
Pos. 2 Mike Brandstetter (IR) v Amelia Escobedo (D) No Action
Pos. 3 Siabhon Ayuso (SD) RECOMMENDED
Pos. 5 Patti Belle (ND) v Ria Johnson (R) No Action
Water District: Gary Barton (SD) ENDORSED
H. Clover Park School District
Dis. 3 Alyssa Anderson Pearson (R) PREFERRED
Dis. 4 Marty Schafer (SD) ENDORSED
I. Port of Tacoma
Pos. 1 John McCarthy (D) v Laura Gilbert (SD) OPPOSE McCarthy
Pos. 2 Elizabeth Pew (SD) ENDORSED
Pos. 4 Mary Bacon (LD) ENDORSED
K. Fircrest
Pos 1 David Viafore (SR) NO VOTE
Pos. 2 VC Shannon Reynolds (D) RECOMMENDED
Pos 6 Nikki Bufford (SD) ENDORSED
Pos.7 Deanna Nuttbrook-Allen (D) ENDORSED
L. Puyallup
**Dist. 2 Pos. 2 Joe Colombo (SD) ENDORSED
Dist. 3 Pos. 2 Julie Door (SD) ENDORSED
