At our FullConTech event on September 15, leaders from education, non-profits, government, and the tech industry gathered to look for actions we can take to ensure the long-term health of our economy. Many of the actions they recommended require adept and pragmatic political leaders – especially in Seattle.

We have a chance to select that group of political leaders for our city.

All nine seats on the Seattle City Council are up for grabs this November. Your ballots have been placed in the mail. We need a Seattle City Council that is tech savvy and understands the needs of this growing sector, while having the courage to pursue societal equity so that more citizens can benefit from the growth of tech.

Please take a few minutes and see who is running in the district where you WORK or LIVE in Seattle. It matters more than you can imagine.

At FullConTech, our community and industry priorities merged and resonated loudly. We urge you to use these priorities to choose wisely between the candidate selections in your district. The priorities identified by the FullConTech groups included:

• Investing in a high-performance public K-12 education system
• Improved public transportation and traffic management
• High speed broadband in disconnected areas
• Data driven approach to housing and urban planning
• Productive use of technology in city admin and operations
• Transparent communication on priorities and finances

We urge you to vote for candidates that have proven experience with these topics. Vote for candidates that have a track record of building organizations and crafting successful partnerships across multiple constituencies. Vote for those who have proven themselves as collaborators. Our city must address significant challenges. To succeed, we need leaders on the City Council who can compromise.

You can easily review each candidates at the seattle.gov voter guides: 

There you will find the district boundaries, the two candidates running to represent that district, and the details about their positions on various issues. Remember, even if you only WORK in a Seattle district you can still help. You only get to vote if you LIVE in that district – but you have the power to make a difference. Flex your civic muscles – call, canvass, urge your colleagues to vote!

The Seattle Chamber of Commerce interviewed each of the candidates. They have posted their recommendations and endorsements which you might find useful as you consider your own decisions. It’s not a complete view, but it is a helpful start.

Please vote. Your city is at stake. Please join your selected candidate’s campaign. Volunteer to help them call undecided voters for a few hours. Join their canvassing efforts for a few hours. This is worth more than any money in local politics. Your effort and your voice are your tools for change. Use them!

FWIW, I have personally canvassed for both Shannon Braddock (she is running in District 1 which is where I live) and Pamela Banks (she is running in District 3 and I am a huge fan of her work). Now it’s your turn!

Please join the entire WTIA membership in performing your civic duty and exercise your privilege to vote and canvass for the candidates you believe will best represent our interests. Together we can build the best Seattle City Council in our history.