Election preparations and early voting are well underway for the Aug. 5 primary election in Auburn and King County.

Where there are three candidates for a position, the top two vote-getters will move on to the general election in November. The primaries specific to Auburn are as follows.

Auburn mayor

Incumbent Nancy Backus, the first female ever elected mayor of Auburn, is in the running for her fourth consecutive term. She is running against Auburn City Councilmember Yolanda Trout-Manuel, who was first elected to the council in 2013, and local businessman Ronnie Morgan, a political newcomer.

During the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored debate at the Auburn Senior Center on July 9, the three candidates for Auburn mayor fielded questions about taxes, public safety, youth and the need for decent-paying jobs.

Auburn City Council Pos. 4

Three candidates are vying for this seat: Erica Tomas, an epidemiologist with Washington State Department of Health; Brian Lott, small business owner and senior project manager; Yuval Fleming, a program manager.

Read their answers to the Auburn Reporter’s primary election questionnaire here.

Auburn City Council Pos. 6

Lisa Stirgus was appointed to the council in April to complete the unfinished term of Larry Brown and now running for a full 4-year term. She is facing Cobi Clark, a former housing producer and business owner involved in policy research/ analysis, and James Jeyaraj, a former Auburn City Councilmember.

Read their answers to the Auburn Reporter’s primary election questionnaire here.

King County Council District 7

This district covers Federal Way and part of Auburn. The seat has been held by incumbent Pete von Reichbauer, who was first elected to the council in 1993. Challengers in this race are Pahaliyah Brown, public project manager and longtime community volunteer, and Maya Vengadasalam, accountant and business analyst and former Kent School Board member.

Click here to read their statements in the voters pamphlet.

Prop. 1: King County Parks Levy

A ballot measure in the upcoming Aug. 5 primary election asks King County voters to approve Proposition No. 1, the replacement parks levy.

The King County Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Levy is a not a new tax, but a replacement for the expiring parks levy. Voters first approved the levy in 2008, and have renewed it every eight years.

If voters again approve the levy by a simple majority, the new tax rate would be 23 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value for six years. For the average King County homeowner with $844,000 in assessed property value, the annual bill comes out to $194, or about $16 a month.

The proposed tax rate is higher than the levy voters approved in 2019, which was a little more than 18 cents per $1,000 assessed property value. Supporters note that the cost difference is about $3.50 a month.

King County expects to collect more than $1.45 billion over the six years of the levy to support more than 250 parks, 185 miles of regional trails, 215 miles of backcountry trails, and 32,000 acres of open space. Levy revenue makes up about 85% of the department’s budget.

FYI

• Ballots can be returned by mail, at a ballot drop box, or in-person at a vote center.

• According to the Washington Secretary of State, ballots were mailed to eligible voters in 37 counties, encompassing approximately 87.4% of registered voters in the state as of July 21.

• Deadline for online or mail-in voter registration or updates was July 28, but voters may still register or update their information in person at county election offices or voting centers up until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5.

• County elections offices are conducting pre-election audits of voting equipment and software to ensure security and trustworthiness. Many offices are also inviting the public, media, and candidates to observe these tests. King County provides a live stream of election activities for public observation.

Auburn City Council Position 6 candidates facing off in the August primary. Pictured left to right: Lisa Stirgus, Cobi Clark, James Jeyaraj. (Courtesy photos)

Auburn City Council Position 4 candidates facing off in the August primary. Left to right: Yuval Fleming, Brian Lott, Erica Tomas.