All four of the Burien City Council seats on the ballot will be contested in the Aug. 6 primary election.
Three or more candidates filed for each position. Council members are currently split 4-3 on many issues.
Lauren Berkowitz and Kip Walton filed last week to take on Jack Block Jr., who also filed for re-election.
Berkowitz filed a complaint against Block for a post on his private Facebook page, which she found offensive. The council censured Block with four votes for censure and three abstentions.
The race for former mayor Joan McGilton’s seat features four candidates. Running against McGilton are frequent council critic Debi Wagner, arts commissioner Andrea H. Reay and Robert L. Richmond III.
Len Boscarine and Nancy Tosta will oppose former deputy mayor Rose Clark.
Mayor Brian Bennett announced shortly before the filing period that he would not stand for re-election. Bennett endorsed planning commissioner Joey Martinez. Council critic Chuck Rangel and long-time resident Steve Armstrong are also running.
The top two candidates in the primary for each position will go on to the Nov. 5 general election.
As crowded as the Burien ballot is, two women who announced they would run did not file—arts commissioner Shelli Park and Marlene Allbright. Allbright ran afoul of the state Public Disclosure Commission for not registering with the agency.
There will be one primary race for a SeaTac City Council position. The SeaTac council has also often been split 4-3.
Councilman Rick Forschler, who is already running campaign ads on cable TV, is opposed by former candidate Othman Heibe and Kathryn Campbell.
In the November election, Mayor Tony Anderson will run against Suber Adam and Joe Van will oppose Councilwoman Pam Fernald.
With a proposition to set wage and working conditions for airport and hospitality workers expected to be on the general election ballot, union workers could also target Forschler and Fernald. Long-time councilman Gene Fisher was ousted in the 2011 city council election after unions campaigned against him.
On the other hand, a vocal group of residents and business people, who have stayed active in SeaTac politics despite the 2011 setbacks, is expected to rally around Forschler and Fernald and target Mayor Anderson.
In Des Moines, recently appointed Councilman Jeremy Nutting will face Chuck Swesey and last-minute filer James Payne.
Victor L. Pennington II will face Councilwoman Carmen l. Scott and Robert Bonds will take on Mayor Dave Kaplan in November. Mayor pro tem Matt Pina and Councilwoman Melissa Musser are unopposed.
In Normandy Park, Mayor Clarke Brant filed but then withdrew, leaving Mike Bishoff unopposed for Brant’s council seat.
In the general election, it will be Kathleen Waters versus Councilwoman Marion Yoshino and Chris Coleman against Tom Munslow.
