Andrew Reding (Whatcom County Charter Review Commissioner Board District 1, Washington, candidate 2024)

Andrew Reding

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Whatcom County Charter Review Commissioner Board District 1

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Personal

Profession

Public service

Submit contact information

Send Ballotpedia contact information for this person

Andrew Reding ran for election to the Whatcom County Charter Review Commissioner Board District 1 in Washington. Reding was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Reding completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Andrew Reding provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 2, 2024:

• Graduate: Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs
• Profession: Public Service
• Prior offices held:
  • City Council Member, Sanibel, Florida (1997-2001)
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign endorsements
• Campaign YouTube video

Elections

General election

General election for Whatcom County Charter Review Commissioner Board District 1 (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Whatcom County Charter Review Commissioner Board District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Liz Darrow (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Roderick Dexter (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Bill Geyer (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Todd Lagestee (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Joel Pitts-Jordan (Nonpartisan)
		Andrew Reding (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Dan Robbins (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Sarah Rothenbuhler (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Endorsements

Reding received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Reding's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.

• FairVote Washington
• Seattle Transit Riders Union

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Andrew Reding completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Reding's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

In the six years I’ve had the pleasure of serving as Whatcom County Democrats Chair and Campaign Chair, together we have flipped the County Executive, Prosecutor, Sheriff, all three state legislative seats in the 42nd LD, the PUD, and the Conservation District into the Democratic column.

And yet I also have a solid record of collaborating with Republicans in support of common goals, as described further down. This is a nonpartisan position, focusing on the structure of government.

I'm endorsed by Whatcom County Democrats, 42nd LD State Sen. Sharon Shewmake, 42nd LD Rep. Joe Timmons, all three 40th LD state legislators – Sen. Liz Lovelett, Rep, Debra Lekanoff, Rep. Alex Ramel – and all four Democratic County Council members – Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, Todd Donovan, and Barry Buchanan.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I already have a track record of delivering charter reform:

  Collaboration on a previously adopted county charter amendment. Three years ago, I teamed up with County Council Member Rud Browne in researching and drafting an amendment to reduce the number of signatures required for county initiatives. A bipartisan supermajority of the County Council placed it on the ballot as Prop. 2021-13. It passed with 54.5% support.

  Another collaboration is on this year’s ballot. Prop. 2024-22 would expand the Conflict-of-Interest section of the County Charter.
• Ability to reach across the aisle. This year’s proposed amendment is a collaboration with Republican County Council Member Kathy Kershner, who introduced it. It was placed on the ballot in a bipartisan 6-1 vote, with only Ben Elenbaas opposed. Kathy and I have since collaborated in writing the PRO statement in the Voter Guide.
• Some ideas I believe we should explore: Adopting Ranked Choice Voting. Alaska and Maine have done it. Cities across the country have done it, and our status as a Charter County allows it. We could even consider removing the primary in local races by using RCV. That would greatly reduce the cost of running for office. Continuing support for direct democracy. Three years ago (see below), we lowered the signature requirements for initiatives. We should do likewise for county charter amendments directly from the public. Guarantees for union organizing.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing, environment, human rights, essential freedoms

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A commitment to basic civics, including good government, accountability and transparency, fair representation.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I'm gay. I was the first openly LGBTQ+ elected official in Southwest Florida in the late 1990s - early 2000s, when gay sex was still a crime in Florida. I faced discrimination and threats in a very conservative community.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Whatcom County Democrats, State Sens. Sharon Shewmake and Liz Lovelett, State Reps. Joe Timmons, Debra Lekanoff, and Alex Ramel, and Whatcom County Council Members Kaylee Galloway, Jon Scanlon, Barry Buchanan, and Todd Donovan.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Absolutely essential. The public should always be fully informed. Elected officials should be accountable when they themselves break the law, or else respect for the rule of law is undermined.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel

External links

Search Google News for this topic