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Campaigns and Elections

Hacks & Wonks Interviews with King County Executive Candidates

Check out the lightning round comparison of King County Executive candidates!

Hacks & Wonks Interviews with King County Executive Candidates

Eight candidates have entered the open race for King County Executive - Hacks & Wonks spoke with two of them.

Lightning Round Comparison

For your convenience, results of our Hacks & Wonks Lightning Round!

Q: Do you own or rent your residence? Girmay Zahilay: Own, Claudia Balducci: Own Q: Are you a landlord? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Have you ever been a member of a union? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Have you ever walked on a picket line? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ever crossed a picket line? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No
Q: Is your campaign staff unionized? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: If your campaign staff wants to unionize, will you voluntarily recognize their effort? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: What political party do you identify with? Girmay Zahilay: Democrat, Claudia Balducci: Democrat Q: Have you used the library system in the past month? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you or someone in your household ever relied on public assistance? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: Have you ever been stopped or questioned by police? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ever worked in retail or a job where you had to rely on tips? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ever owned a business? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Have you ever managed a team of 10 or more? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ever managed a team of 100 or more? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: Have you ever reported someone’s misconduct in your workplace? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ever fired someone? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you have a favorite sports team you actively follow? Girmay Zahilay: Any team LeBron is on, Claudia Balducci: Thunderbolts Q: Do you believe a larger visible law enforcement presence is the most effective way to reduce crime in King County? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Do you believe the size of the King County Sheriff's Office is too small, too large, or just right? Girmay Zahilay: Too small, Claudia Balducci: Too small
Q: Do you support implementation and expansion of non-deputy crisis response teams? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you support the use of automated license plate readers in King County? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: I don’t know Q: Do you think facial recognition should be banned in county use? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Should King County significantly increase funding for public defender services? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you believe the King County Sheriff's Office budget should be increased in the next biennial budget? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: Do you believe the new transit safety task force legislation will significantly improve safety on King County transit? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: Waffle Q: Should King County prioritize investment in restorative justice programs over traditional incarceration for non-violent offenders? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Should do both Q: Should King County fund and provide gender affirming care? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Should King County cooperate with ICE? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: Only as required Q: Do you support closing the King County Jail? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No
Q: Do you support closing the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center, aka King County’s Youth Jail? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Do you commit to maintain or increase funding for community violence intervention programs? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you agree with how former Executive Constatine handled disagreements over homelessness policy and enforcement with the City of Burien? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Have you ever contested a traffic ticket? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ever served on a jury? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: Have you ever been arrested? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Have you taken transit in the past month? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you taken transit in the past week? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ridden a bike in the past month? Girmay Zahilay: Didn’t ask, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you ridden a bike in the past week? Girmay Zahilay: Didn’t ask, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: Do you prefer dogs over cats? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Loves both Q: What’s your favorite season? Girmay Zahilay: Summer, Claudia Balducci: Fall Q: Do you believe King County should reduce its overall number of employees to cut costs? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Do you believe King County relies too much on contractors? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Possibly Q: Are you open to privatizing some county services if it proves more efficient? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No
Q: Do you believe King County government is currently sufficiently transparent? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Will you provide a base budget analysis of the King County budget in your first year? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you support a .1% sales tax increase for King County? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: What should that sales tax increase go towards? Girmay Zahilay: Public safety and public health, Claudia Balducci: Preventing cutting basic services Q: Would you support any modifications to Sound Transit plans that would delay existing implementation timelines? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: No
Q: Do you support King County issuing more bonds to fund large capital projects? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Would you support tolling on King County roads (beyond existing toll lanes) to fund transportation projects? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Potentially Q: Should King County prioritize investments in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure over new road construction? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: What’s your favorite park in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Seward Park, Claudia Balducci: Marymoor Park Q: What’s your favorite restaurant in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Poquitos, Claudia Balducci: Tutta Bella
Q: What was the last live performance you saw in King County? Girmay Zahilay: They Not Like Us, Claudia Balducci: Something at Marymoor Q: What’s your favorite song? Girmay Zahilay: Human Nature, Claudia Balducci: Little Girl Gone Q: What’s your favorite album? Girmay Zahilay: Confessions, Claudia Balducci: Waffle Q: Who is your favorite local artist? Girmay Zahilay: Sir Mix-A-Lot, Claudia Balducci: Screaming Trees Q: What's the last song you listened to? Girmay Zahilay: The One, Claudia Balducci: Little Girl Gone
Q: What’s the most recent book you read? Girmay Zahilay: Abundance, Claudia Balducci: Didn’t ask Q: What was the last sports event you attended in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Mariners opening day, Claudia Balducci: Cricket match Q: What’s your favorite cafe or coffee house in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Boon Boona, Claudia Balducci: Caffe Vita Q: Do you plan to increase funding for investigations of labor violations like wage theft and illegal union busting? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do large corporations in King County pay their fair share of taxes? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No
Q: Do small businesses pay their fair share of taxes? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Maybe Q: Do you support the rent stabilization bill that passed in the most recent legislative session? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you support stricter rent stabilization measures in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Maybe, Claudia Balducci: Maybe Q: Do you support expanding the "Right to Counsel" legislation for tenants facing eviction in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Waffle Q: Should King County continue its current level of funding for the King County Regional Homelessness Authority? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: Do you support using county funds to purchase vacant hotels for immediate homeless shelter? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you support King County playing a more active role in regulating short-term rentals like Airbnb? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Do you believe King County should require cities to accept a certain quota of affordable housing units? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: What’s your go-to karaoke song? Girmay Zahilay: It’s Gonna Be Me, Claudia Balducci: I Will Survive Q: Favorite TV show to binge? Girmay Zahilay: Breaking Bad, Claudia Balducci: Andor
Q: First concert you ever attended? Girmay Zahilay: LMAO, Claudia Balducci: Beach Boys Q: Favorite Seattle sports moment? Girmay Zahilay: ‘96 NBA Finals as Sonics, Claudia Balducci: Ken Griffey ‘95 slide Q: What’s your favorite comfort food? Girmay Zahilay: Ethiopian food - injera, Claudia Balducci: Risotto Q: Early bird or night owl? Girmay Zahilay: Night owl, Claudia Balducci: Night owl Q: What's a hobby people wouldn’t expect you have? Girmay Zahilay: Watching Pokémon, WWF, Power Rangers, Claudia Balducci: Bicycling
Q: What’s your favorite neighborhood in King County? Girmay Zahilay: Columbia City/Rainier Vista, Claudia Balducci: Beacon Hill Q: Who’s a current Seattle-based artist or musician you love? Girmay Zahilay: Macklemore, Claudia Balducci: Waffle Q: What’s a book you wish more people read? Girmay Zahilay: The New Jim Crow, Claudia Balducci: Biography about harm reduction Q: What’s your favorite rainy-day activity? Girmay Zahilay: Getting pho with wife, Claudia Balducci: Going for a walk Q: What’s your favorite Sound Transit station name? Girmay Zahilay: Othello, Claudia Balducci: Symphony
Q: Have you voted in every general election in the past 4 years? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you voted in every primary election in the past 4 years? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you made any political endorsements that you regret? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes Q: Have you made any political donations that you regret? Girmay Zahilay: No, Claudia Balducci: No Q: Did you vote to approve the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) levy on the April 22nd ballot? Girmay Zahilay: Yes, Claudia Balducci: Yes
Q: In 2024, did you vote for Nick Brown or Pete Serrano for Attorney General? Girmay Zahilay: Brown, Claudia Balducci: Brown Q: In 2024, did you vote for Bob Ferguson or Dave Reichert for Governor? Girmay Zahilay: Ferguson, Claudia Balducci: Ferguson Q: In 2024, did you vote for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris for President? Girmay Zahilay: Harris, Claudia Balducci: Harris

Full Interviews

Listen to or read transcripts of our interviews with them here:

Girmay Zahilay

Girmay Zahilay Outlines Vision for Executive Role
King County Executive candidate Girmay Zahilay details plans for the region’s biggest challenges, including homelessness, public safety & housing affordability.
Hacks & WonksShannon Cheng

Claudia Balducci

Claudia Balducci Details Platform for County Leadership
King County Executive candidate Claudia Balducci outlines her approach to the region’s biggest challenges, emphasizing housing affordability, prevention-focused public safety & regional coordination.
Hacks & WonksShannon Cheng

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