Five candidates have filed for the five open Kirkland City Council positions so far this week during the King County candidate filing period.
Candidates have until May 17 at 4:30 p.m. to file for an elected position to be considered during the November general election.
Incumbent council members Deputy Mayor Doreen Marchione, Penny Sweet and Amy Walen are in the mix with Shelly Kloba, who was recently chosen by the council to temporarily fill Position 2 after former Councilman Bob Sternoff resigned in March.
But one new candidate, Jay Arnold, filed for Position 1, which will be vacant after Mayor Joan McBride steps down from her seat at the end of the year. Arnold announced his bid for the seat back in February.
Since then, he has received nearly 30 endorsements from elected officials, former council members and community leaders – some of which include McBride, Rep. Larry Springer, and Jon Pascal, vice chair of the Planning Commission.
Pascal, who ran against Arnold for Kloba’s seat, said in a recent news release that he and Arnold have similar perspectives from serving together on the Planning Commission.
“He recognizes the importance of encouraging economic development, while at the same time addressing concerns in our neighborhoods,” Pascal said.
Arnold said he’s grateful to have Pascal on his team, as he hopes to tap into Pascal’s “transportation expertise” if he does take the council seat.
“I’m really excited to have Jon supporting my campaign,” Arnold said. “We share similar passions and experiences. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jon.”
Despite Arnold’s many endorsements and little competition as of the Reporter’s deadline, according to the Public Disclosure Commission’s website, he said he expects some competition by the end of the week.
“I’m pretty confident I can win this but I know there’s other work ahead,” he said. “I do have a lot of support, and I’m honored to have that support, but I also know there’s a lot of folks in the city who don’t know who I am or what I stand for.”
Arnold said he plans to change that by actively discussing issues, such as how to address the outdated city and neighborhood plans, with the community this summer and fall.
Shelley Kloba, current councilwoman in Position 2, looks at her interim term as a great opportunity for the Kirkland voters.
“I do have confidence that hard work and doing my homework will show people that I’m a person that operates with integrity and has the best intentions,” Kloba said, “and that my positions are consistent with my values.”
Kloba acknowledges she has a busy summer ahead while she balances being a first-time councilwoman and campaigning to maintain her spot. She said she plans to do a plethora of public outreach activities such as attending neighborhood meetings, picnics, regional meetings and having campaigning parties to learn about her constituents.
But at the end of the day, she will maintain her platform that the council continues to be transparent, specifically, as the Comprehensive Plan is updated within the next two years.
Councilmen Dave Asher and Toby Nixon will continue to serve Kirkland until their terms expire at the end of 2015 and are up for re-election.
Voters of the August primary will narrow the race if a council position has more than two competing candidates. Washington’s primary voting period is from July 19 to Aug. 6, the day of the primary.
