Work the vote — Seattle District 3

Work the Vote is Working Washington's Voters Guide for the 2015 Elections. Follow along here and find out how the candidates for Seattle Council District 3 (Capitol Hill, Montlake, Central District) make their case for workers votes.  

1) MAKE A BRIEF VIDEO

We asked all 18 candidates for Seattle City Council to make a brief, simple video — using just their voice, their cell phone, and maybe a selfie stick — that answers the question:

HOW WILL WORKERS BE BETTER OFF IF YOU'RE ELECTED?

Here's what the candidates sent in:

2) CHAMBER OF SECRETS?

Big business lobby groups like the Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Restaurant Association are typically the most prominent opponents of higher wages, paid sick days, and other workers rights issues. They also endorse candidates, but their process and agenda are bit of a mystery. We know they have questionnaires and even interviews, but what happens there is rarely made public, and it's not always clear why they end up backing the candidates they do.

SO WE ASKED EACH CANDIDATE TO GO PUBLIC WITH THE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES THEY COMPLETED FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE WASHINGTON RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION (AKA WASHINGTON HOSPITALITY PAC).

In addition, we asked for them to answer two additional questions: 

1. If you or your opponent has received an endorsement, direct contributions, or an independent expenditure on your behalf from either of these groups.

2. Why you think these business lobby groups made the endorsements and spent their resources as they did.

Here's what the candidates sent in:

ON RUNFORTHEMONEY.ORG…

Check out runforthemoney.org for info about big-dollar independent expenditures in this year's City Council races.

ABOUT DISTRICT 3

Seattle Council District 3 covers Capitol Hill, Montlake, and the Central District. City council races are officially non-partisan — nobody is listed on the ballot as a Democrat, a Republican, or a member of any other party. Kshama Sawant is an incumbent member of the City Council. 

Note: People who live in District 3 also get to vote in the races for the two council seats that represent everyone in the city — Position 8 and Position 9, so check out those guides too.

RETURN YOUR BALLOT BY NOVEMBER 3RD

Ballots will be mailed out in mid-October, and must be postmarked by Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2015.