Opinion
Seattle endorsements put the Millionaires Tax and transit service at the center of 2026 ballot
The Stranger Election Control Board is urging voters to reject three statewide initiatives, including an effort to repeal Washington’s new Millionaires Tax, and approve Seattle’s transit levy renewal. Its candidate endorsements span congressional, state, county, city and judicial races, with tax policy and progressive representation recurring themes.
The Stranger Election Control Board’s 2026 general-election recommendations put Washington’s tax system and Seattle transit service at the forefront, urging voters to oppose three statewide initiatives and approve a city transit levy renewal.
The board recommends voting no on I-001, I-638 and I-645. It argues I-001 could expose students’ private counseling information to parents and create burdensome requirements for school districts; I-638 would impose sex-based eligibility checks on girls’ school sports; and I-645 would repeal the Millionaires Tax, a 9.9% tax on income above $1 million. The board says revenue from the tax could help fund public schools, health care and other services, and could support a broader shift toward progressive taxation in Washington.
In Seattle, the board backs Proposition 1, which would renew and expand the city’s transit levy for 10 years. The measure, proposed by Mayor Katie Wilson and approved by the City Council, would add 0.15 percentage points to the sales tax dedicated to transit, bringing that rate to 0.3%. It is intended to sustain existing bus service and add 100,000 service hours, with funding also set aside for transportation maintenance. The board warns that rejecting the measure could lead to bus-service cuts.
The endorsements also make a case for returning state Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, a Seattle Democrat, to office. The board acknowledges disagreements with Pedersen but argues that his role in advancing the Millionaires Tax makes him important to the broader effort to change the state’s tax structure. It says replacing him could shift the Senate Democratic caucus in a more conservative direction.
Across other races, the board backs candidates it views as capable of advancing progressive priorities, including Seattle City Council District 5 candidate Nilu Jenks, King County Council candidates Rebecca Saldaña and Teresa Mosqueda, and state House candidate Kelabe Tewolde in the 37th Legislative District. The board also endorses incumbent U.S. representatives Pramila Jayapal and Suzan DelBene, while offering more qualified support for some incumbents, including Kim Schrier and Adam Smith.
For Washington Supreme Court races, the board endorses Colleen Melody, Jaime Michelle Hawk, Ian Birk, Theo Angelis and incumbent Chief Justice Debra L. Stephens. It says judicial independence, civil rights and access to the courts are central considerations, and repeatedly raises concerns about conservative political spending in judicial contests.
The board says its endorsement process includes reviewing candidates’ records and campaign finances, conducting interviews and debating recommendations before a majority vote. It also addresses rumors of outside interference in its decisions, saying a union contract provision protects the staff’s endorsement process from business-side influence.