ISLAND COUNTY: October 2024 ICD Newsletter

The Island County Democrats publish a monthly newsletter, which we are posting here. We believe that the statements made by the leadership of each party is of general public interest.

Message from ICD Vice Chair, Albert Ondo

Hello Island County Democrats! 

As will close in on the end of this election cycle, I know we still have more work to do, so Ill keep my comments brief.

First, if you haven’t yet returned your ballot, please do so as soon as possible! And please encourage your friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members to do the same. No matter where they live, every vote counts!

Secondly, as we look toward the future, Island County Democrats will be holding their Reorganization Meeting and E-Board Elections for the 2025/2026 cycle on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 7PM. Please save the date/time. More to follow on location(s) of the event as it may be either in person, virtual, or hybrid. It is very important that all PCOs attend as you are the voting body during the elections (Per WA state law, only Elected PCOs can vote for Chair and State Committee Members, but all PCOs and members can vote on the other cabinet members like Secretary, Treasurer, PCO Coordinator, as well as Standing Committee Leads). If you would like to get involved at any level and/or be a member of the E-board, now is a great time to do so! Please email us at icdchair@gmail.com and let us know if you are interested so that we can keep track of all prospective volunteers/candidates.

Lastly, thanks for all you have done over the past two years to build our party and get Democrats elected up and down the ballot.

It has been my honor to serve as your Vice Chair and State Committee Member.

– Albert Ondo

News from ICD

Richard MacQuarrie is doing a livestream on election night interviewing candidates on the night of. Here’s the link where it will be hosted.

Message from Island County Commissioner, Janet St Clair

Dear Friends,

I want to take a moment to honor the lives of the two aviators lost in the crash on Mount Ranier.  We know this is a devastating loss for their families and friends.  We also know the huge impact it has on their colleagues and leadership at WINAS.  It is also triggering fear and anxiety for the families of those who serve or have served our nation.  My prayers are with all. 

We have been very busy in the last few months at the Board of Island County Commissioners.  We have finalized the budget, and the public hearing is being scheduled so we can take the final vote.  This is the most important policy document we do each year but often draws the least amount of public input.  I find that interesting.  Following last year’s effort, we again tried to focus on employee retention by working diligently to identify efficiencies we can make in other line items to increase salaries.  You can always get information on the budget here.

We also continue our Comprehensive Planning.  The next element we focus on is our Parks.  There are several public outreach meetings.  Please stay informed.  This is critical for the future of our islands.  There is also a county-wide traffic safety plan underway.  Please email me at j.stclair@islandcountywa.gov for more information on opportunities to participate.

As many of you know, I have been leading efforts to expand internet access across our county since 2019.  We are at a critical and busy moment as Washington State Broadband Office gets set to release the millions of dollars for construction and digital equity efforts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.  The new maps of under and unserved areas have been released and we have been closely working with our Internet Service Providers to support their efforts in Island County.  Here is the State website on this work. and for more information in Island County, you can reach out to broadband@islandcountywa.gov.

As the election season nears its final days, I am honored by the outpouring of support.  I am also privileged to serve you all and will continue to seek to be of service regardless of outcomes.  Please stay civil in these final days, focus on the issues, values and voting record of the candidates.  Ask questions.  Most importantly, don’t forget to vote.

Sincerely,

Janet

Message from State Representative, Dave Paul 

Friends,

We have only 10 days until ballots are due–have you voted yet? If you have—thank you for voting early! If you haven’t–please do!

We still need your help to push us across the finish line. We need to make sure people get out to vote, and that they vote down the ballot. We know that these local elections are so important, and much of the policies protecting reproductive rights, the environment, and LGBTQ rights are decided on the local level.

If you can help us out by finding 10 friends and making sure they vote down the ballot, we can win this election. Tight races like this are decided by a handful of votes, and I need your help to ensure we get across the finish line.  

I’m so proud of the campaign we’ve run, and I couldn’t have done it without your help. It’s an honor to have earned your trust and support, and I’m excited to return to Olympia in January.

As always, it’s an honor to serve.

Dave

[Ed. Note: donation link omitted]

Message from State Representative, Clyde Shavers

Dear Friends, 

As we approach the final days of this campaign, I find myself drawn to a place of deep reflection. The past two years have been more than just a journey – they’ve been a testament to the power of community, the strength of shared purpose, and the quiet determination that comes from believing in something greater than ourselves.

Each of you has made sacrifices – of time, energy, and effort – and together, we’ve created something truly meaningful. This campaign has never been about one person or one goal. It has been about all of us, about standing for what is right, about pushing forward even when the path was difficult, and about holding onto hope when it might have been easier to let go.

I think often about the challenges we’ve faced together. The long hours, the doubts, and the moments where progress felt slow. But through it all, we never wavered. Our resolve was, and still is, anchored in the belief that we can create a future that reflects our values, our dreams, and our shared vision for a better tomorrow.

As we near the culmination of this journey, I am reminded of the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” These words speak to the heart of what we have built. There have been hurdles, but our hope, our collective spirit, remains boundless.

In these final days, I encourage each of you to reflect on how far we’ve come – not just as a campaign, but as a community bound together by purpose. The future we seek, the change we envision, is within reach because of the sacrifices we’ve all made along the way. Let us carry that truth with us as we step forward.

Thank you for your unwavering belief, your sacrifices, and your commitment to this cause. We have accomplished so much together, and it is with deep gratitude and profound hope that I walk these final steps of this election with you.

Always at Your Service,

Clyde

Message from US Representative, Rick Larsen

Investing in Northwest Washington

The values I learned from growing up in Northwest Washington drive my work in D.C. That is why I work to bring federal investments to our local communities.

Just this past summer, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded a total of $38 million to four projects in Washington state:

• $26.76 million for the bp Cherry Point Refinery in Whatcom County to increase sustainable aviation fuel production and blending; 
• $4.23 million for ZeroAvia in Everett to support the designing, building, and testing of hydrogen fuel cell-powered propulsion system technologies;
• $4.5 million for APiJET in Seattle to enhance a ground-based software tool for airlines that recommends fuel optimized routings; and 
• $2.59 million for Boeing to support its efforts to improve the measurement of fuel quality in an airplane fuel tank.

Additionally, I have secured $82.4 million in RAISE grants for Northwest Washington since 2022: 

• $25 million for Lynnwood’s Poplar Way Bridge to construct a new six-lane, multimodal bridge over I-5 in Lynnwood;
• $25 million for Whatcom County’s Lummi Island Ferry to replace the 60-year-old Lummi Island ferry with an electric-battery hybrid ferry and build related infrastructure;
• $9.5 million for Blaine’s Bell Road Project to improve safety and accessibility and reduce congestion at the Bell Road (State Route 548)-BNSF at-grade rail crossing;
• $17.9 million for the Port of Bellingham’s Shipping Terminal Rail Connection to renovate a shipping terminal site to return it to a fully functioning multimodal terminal and allow for more efficient loading and unloading of railcars on the terminal; and 
• $4.975 million to the Tulalip Tribes to plan, design, and construct improvements to the 4th Street and 88th Street NE crossings of I-5.

The stakes could not be higher as we approach Election Day. The progress we have made in the past years was only possible because we voted to protect our values and invest in our communities. To continue this work, we must elect Democrats on November 5th.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Rick

Email: [Ed. Note: email link omitted]

Messages from the Candidates

Words could never express how truly thankful I am to all of you who have donated over the last 12 months of this campaign. A special thanks to the many of you who have donated in the last month to get us to our fundraising goal. 

Because of you, we now hold the record for most funds raised for an Island County Commissioner campaign. As a first-time candidate, challenging an incumbent, this shows the incredible support and positive momentum we have built together over the last year. It also represents how much people are willing to invest to inspire change for our community. 

Thank you for investing in our future. Now it’s time to vote for our future.

Marie Shimada

Candidate for Island County Commissioner, District 1

marieshimada.com

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Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, donated, mentored and supported this campaign so far. 

We are so close to winning another D seat on the BOICC! We are in the home stretch, and the three biggest ways you can help in the final moments of this campaign are (1) keep sharing— don’t assume people know they can vote for District 2, or that they will know who I am (all of Island County votes for Districts 1 & 2, regardless of where you live); (2) donate! Every dollar helps; and (3) come sign wave with us! There are many opportunities left, just visit my website at ElectElliott.org or email me for details on any of these three things. – Christina Elliott

Thank you,

Christina

Candidate for Island County Commissioner, District 2

Donate

Your generous contributions will directly help ICD:

• Host local community education and information events
• Coordinate local Democratic Party volunteers activities
• Train and inspire PCOs to action
• Provide tools, materials and space for local Democratic Party planning and organizing

For the biggest bang for your buck, mail your checks to:

[Ed. Note: donation information omitted]

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[Editorial Policy: The Voter Interests Project is a non-partisan organization. Part of our mission is to keep voters informed about the activities of elected officials and candidates for public office. We do not endorse or support any particular candidates; therefore, we omit all email links and donation links from candidate communications to supporters. If you are interested in supporting a candidate, we recommend you contact the candidate or their campaign directly.]