For your voting ease: A master list of the 2021 primary election endorsements

Candidate endorsements are often covered piecemeal, with a separate news item every time a notable local organization throws its support behind someone running for office in Clark County.

From a voter’s perspective, I don’t think that approach is very useful. If I were sitting down to complete my primary election ballot and staring at a list of unfamiliar names, I would want to go to one place to discern what each candidate stands for. Endorsements serve as a shortcut in that regard: Is the environment your top issue? Is it cutting red tape for developers? Is it labor rights? Chances are, relevant organizations have done the research on the candidates for you.

To create this list, I aggregated information from a few different sources. I used press releases issued over the course of the campaign season, endorsement roundups listed on candidates’ own websites, and announcements from the organizations’ websites and social media. I decided to forgo including individual endorsements, mainly because I’m not interested in being the arbiter of whose personal opinions are important enough.

I tried to make this list as comprehensive as possible. It’s possible I missed some. Luckily, this is the internet, and we’ll update as we go. If you know of any I omitted, please email me at calley.hair@columbian.com or DM me on Twitter @CalleyNHair.

Another note: You should have your ballot by now. If you don’t, you have until July 27 (aka this Tuesday) to sort it out online or Aug. 3 (aka Election Day) to sort it out in-person at the Clark County Elections Office.

Happy voting!

Development and business groups

The Building Industry Group of the Building Industry Association of Clark County:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)

The Clark County Association of Realtors:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Adrian Cortes (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 4)

Environmental groups

Sierra Club of Washington State:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Eric LaBrant (Port of Vancouver Pos. 2)

Washington Conservation Voters:
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Eric LaBrant (Port of Vancouver Pos. 2)

Sunrise Movement of Southwest Washington:
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)

Diversity, equity and inclusion groups

Southwest Washington’s League of United Latin American Citizens:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Eric LaBrant (Port of Vancouver District 2)
Adrian Cortes (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 4)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)

OneAmerica Votes:
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver School District Pos. 2)

Sage Leaders:
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)

Unions and labor rights groups

IBEW Local 48:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)

LiUNA Local 335:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)

SEIU 775:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)

Southwest Washington Central Labor Council:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Adrian Cortes (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 4)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)
Corey McEnry (Camas School District Pos. 1)

Vancouver Firefighters IAFF 452:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver Mayor)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)

Vancouver Police Officers Guild:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)

Washington Education Association:
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Corey McEnry (Camas School District Pos. 1)
Erika Cox (Camas School District Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)
Donna Sinclair (Washougal School District Pos. 3)
Chuck Carpenter (Washougal School District Pos. 3)

Democrats/left-leaning organizations

FUSE Washington’s progressive voter guide:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Mike Pond (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Chartisha Roberts (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)

Young Democrats of Clark County:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Don Stose (Ridgefield mayor)
Paul Greenlee (Washougal mayor)
Mike Pond (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Jackie Maddux (Battle Ground Public Schools Pos. 5)
Julie Bocanegra (Evergreen Public Schools Pos. 1)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Chartisha Roberts (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)

Clark County Democratic Women (Note: these are recommendations, not formal endorsements. The CCDW also included a disclaimer with the list stating that some of the candidates “are not aligned with our democratic values but pose the least harm in the race.”)
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Paul Greenlee (Washougal mayor)
Joshua Beck (Yacolt Town Council Pos. 3)
Devin Scroggins (Battle Ground Public Schools Pos. 1)
Julie Bocanegra (Evergreen Public Schools Pos. 1)
Teresa VanNatta (Hockinson School District Pos. 1)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Chartisha Roberts (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)
Donna Sinclair (Washougal School District Pos. 3)
Gibson (Fire Protection District Pos. 5)
Norman Harker (Clark Regional Wastewater District Pos. 2)

Republicans/right-leaning organizations

Young Republicans of Clark County:
David Gellatly (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3) (Note: It’s unclear if this is a formal organizational endorsement or just supportive posts to the YRCC Facebook page.)

Clark County Republican Women: (Note: It’s unclear if these are formal endorsements. They were included in the June 2021 newsletter as a list of “conservative candidates,” written by President Liz Pike. Pike has not responded to my phoned request for clarification.)
Earl Bowerman (Vancouver mayor)
Glen Yung (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Brian Munsen (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 1)
Josh VanGelder (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 4)
Tricia Davis (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 5)
Jennifer Senescu (Camas mayor)
Gary Perman (Camas City Council Pos. 1)
Leslie Lewallen (Camas City Council Pos. 3)
Palmer Davis (La Center City Council)
Derik Ford (Washougal mayor)
David Stuebe (Washougal City Council Pos. 3)
Chris de la Rocha (Washougal City Council Pos. 5)
Julie Russell (Washougal City Council Pos. 6)
Greg Seifert (Port of Vancouver District 2)
John Spencer (Port of Camas-Washougal District 1)
Jeramy Wilcox (Port of Camas-Washougal District 3)
Bruce Campbell (Clark Regional Wastewater District Pos. 2)
Ernie Geigenmiller (Camas School District Pos. 1)
Jeremiah Stephen (Camas School District Pos. 2)
Sadie McKenzie (Washougal School District Pos. 3)
Janice D’Aloia (Washougal School District Pos. 5)

Nonpartisan political organizations

National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Chartisha Roberts (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Wendy Smith (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 3)
Erica Cox (Camas School District Pos. 2)
Julie Bocanegra (Evergreen Public Schools Pos. 1)
Ginny Gronwoldt (Evergreen Public Schools Pos. 5)
Donna Sinclair (Washougal School District Pos. 3)

FairVote Washington: (Note: These aren’t formal endorsements but rather an acknowledgement of which candidates support ranked-choice voting.)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
John Burke (Woodland City Council Pos. 6)
Troy McCoy (Battle Ground City Council Pos. 1)
Keith Bellisle (Woodland City Council Pos. 1)
John Spencer (Port of Camas-Washougal District 1)

Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)

Media

The Columbian Editorial Board:
Anne McEnerny-Ogle (Vancouver mayor)
John Blom (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Kim Harless (Vancouver City Council Pos. 1)
Erik Paulsen (Vancouver City Council Pos. 2)
Diana Perez (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
David Gellatly (Vancouver City Council Pos. 3)
Julie Bocanegra (Evergreen Public Schools Pos. 1)
Sandra Zavala-Ortega (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Kathleen O’Claire (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)
Chartisha Roberts (Vancouver Public Schools Pos. 2)

Calley Hair

Calley Hair

I write about city and federal politics. Find me at twitter.com/CalleyNHair

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