Voting is a privilege that many around the world do not have today and is critical for a democracy to thrive. We should not miss an opportunity to impact our society. While there are a lot of national issues that impact communities throughout our country, it is the local issues that impact us more directly. Who gets elected in off years like this one has more impact on our community than in many major elections. That is why it is critical that we all exercise our right as voters. Regardless of who you are voting for, please do make sure you vote. It matters.

I have had the privilege of meeting most of the candidates that are running in our elections and have learned a lot about who they are as people and how they will impact our community in the future. Regardless of who wins, we will have great people working to make our community better in the future.

Below are the people that I am supporting this election and why I believe they will be the best for the future of our community. In all cases, my focus is around how they will impact our lives and environment in a positive way. I encourage you to join me and supporting them with your vote.

Redmond City Council position 2: Steve Fields – as a former opponent, I got to know a lot about Steve, he is a genuine person who has shown through his actions that he truly wants to work for the community. His passion and experience will prove to be invaluable on the city council and I look forward to his impact on the city and the direction we need to move in the future.

Redmond City Council position 4: Tanika Padhye – When Tanika was selected by the current city council, she was the only candidate that I felt would be a great choice for the role. This is why chose not to run against her when I decided to run. She has been on the council for eight months and I have seen her grow into a more independent candidate. Having had the opportunity to learn about her and her positions has helped me build my confidence in her ability to provide a positive impact on our city in the future.

Redmond City Council position 6: Jeralee Anderson – After getting to know Jeralee during the primaries, it was clear to me that she is extremely smart and will bring a different level of impact to the city council. Her work as part of the Greenroads foundation will help Redmond continue to move toward being a more green and environmentally friendly city and help set a standard for our region.

King County Port: Ahmed Abdi – Ahmed has spent his career working for the community and had pushed efforts that will help the working people in King County and the port. We are a region that has grown dramatically over the years and the impact the port roles have on our growth with respect to the environment and the working families are critical. The port plays a huge role in our region and having Ahmed on the port commission will bring a much needed voice of the community.

Lake Washington School District board: Anita Damjanovic – Anita is an educator that will focus on the needs of students. Having been a parent of one of her students, it was clear that she builds toward the success of students. Having a voice for students will be critical to ensure we focus on building the best educated future leaders.

State Senate 45th District: Manka Dhingra – Manka has the experience and vision that will help Olympia continue to focus on the rights of all citizens of our state. She will help ensure that the voice of the district is heard and help us build communities that will work together and ensure that we can build successful plans for education and transportation.

While I can’t vote for the following candidates, I encourage friends who can to do so.

Kirkland City Council position 7: Uzma Butte – Uzma has been a key driver in building a community focused effort in Kirkland, her experience as a small business owner and her drive to success will make her a great regional partner in solving hard problem that we will need to address as our communities grow together.

Bellevue City Council position 5: Janice Zahn – I have had the opportunity to learn more about her role and vision for Bellevue and as a neighboring city, it will be critical to have someone like her as partner to help us build a regional vision for transportation and environmental plans for our future.

Osama Hamdan

Redmond