The 34th Legislative District Democrats will host a virtual candidate forum this Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 to introduce eight candidates vying to fill vacant seats in the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives.

The forum – geared toward Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs) who will nominate candidates for the vacancies – aims to provide insights into the candidates’ qualifications and priorities.

The district currently has a vacant Senate seat and a conditionally vacant House seat (Position 1).

Eight eligible candidates have expressed their intent to seek nomination, with those having a local connection marked with an asterisk:

Ben Carr: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1
Brianna Thomas: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1
Csenka Favorini-Csorba: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1
*Emily Alvarado: Washington State Senate; currently serving as a member of the Washington House of Representatives for the 34th District.
Geoffrey Wukelic: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1
*Gina Topp: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1; currently serves as the Seattle Public Schools Board Director for District 6, which includes West Seattle and South Park.
John “Skip” Crowley: Washington State Senate and House, Position 1
*Sarah Moore: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1; currently serves in Position No. 5 on the Burien City Council.
*Stephanie Tidholm: Washington State House of Representatives, Position 1; currently serves on the Highline School Board for District 1.

Moore currently serves in Position 5 on the Burien City Council, and also serves as vice-chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and co-founded ACLU Burien People Power, reflecting her commitment to civil liberties and community engagement. Professionally, Moore has over two decades of experience at the Pacific Science Center and has managed a quarantine site with King County during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating her dedication to public health and education.

Originally, 12 candidates indicated interest, but three withdrew, and one was deemed ineligible due to lack of verification.

Forum Details

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 5, 2025: 10 a.m.
FORMAT: Virtual webinar via Zoom
MODERATOR: Jordan Crawley
QUESTIONS: Candidates will address pre-shared questions, with no live questions taken during the session.

While the forum prioritizes participation by candidates and PCOs, members of the public may attend as space permits.

Next Steps

Jan. 19: King County Democrats will meet to select nominees to be considered by the King County Council for appointment. Additional candidates may still be nominated at this meeting.
Jan. 21 (Tentative): The King County Council is expected to vote on appointments for the vacant positions.

For more information about the process, visit the 34th Democrats website, view the Procedures for Vacancies, or contact Beth Bazley, King County Democrats Chair, at enbazley@gmail.com.