Joe Burns (Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6, Washington, candidate 2025)

Joe Burns

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 5, 2025

Education

Other

College of Southern Idaho

Personal

Religion

Christian: Methodist

Profession

Management

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Joe Burns is running for election to the Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6 in Washington. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source] He was on the ballot in the primary on August 5, 2025.^[source]

Burns completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Joe Burns provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on July 7, 2025:

• Other: College of Southern Idaho
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Christian: Methodist
• Profession: Management
• Prior offices held:
  • Ward 6 City Council Member (2022-Prsnt)
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes
• Campaign slogan: I’m a regular guy who shows up, works hard, and puts our community first.
• Campaign website
• Campaign endorsements

Elections

General election

General election for Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6

Joe Burns and Karl de Jong are running in the general election for Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Joe Burns (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Karl de Jong (Nonpartisan)

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	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.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6

Joe Burns, Kent Mocabee, and Karl de Jong ran in the primary for Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 6 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate
		Joe Burns (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Kent Mocabee (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Karl de Jong (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

To view Burns's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Joe Burns completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Burns' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’ve been the Automotive Shop Foreman at Rallye Auto Sales in Burlington for the last nine years. Working with the Guffie family at Rallye Auto has been a blessing, and I have truly enjoyed running the shop while tackling the challenges of auto repair. I am the current Council Member representing Ward 6, Chair of the Board for Helping Hands Food Bank, and a former President of the Lions Club.

I’ve spent my time on the Council going out of my way to work with city staff and fellow council members to ensure we move policies forward that benefit our community. I enjoy bringing people together to make a positive difference, whether that’s local business owners, unions, or our local non-profits. We can learn from each other and find better ways to move our community forward.

My wife Naomi and I have two young sons, a one-month-old and a four-year-old, who are our world. I want to do everything in my power to ensure they have a happy, safe, and thriving community to grow up in. Naomi and I have loved helping run the Loggerodeo Grand Parade with the Lions Club, and this was the first year I worked as the Parade Foreman. I also take the Log Drive truck through the parade, and that gives me a wonderful opportunity to see all the joy our work brings to our hyphenated city.

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’m a strong supporter of public safety initiatives, always keeping in mind how new policies might affect our residents. In my time on Council, I have pushed for us to be proactive on crime prevention and for policies that better equip our officers and firefighters with the tools they need to succeed. When I see an issue with one of our departments, I ask how I can help. When something goes wrong, I ask what we can do better. I am proud to be endorsed by former Police Chief Lin Tucker.
• I’ve pushed back on state mandates to zone for more apartments when our community has made it clear that’s not what they want. We must preserve our community’s character and find creative ways to help young residents own homes and build generational wealth. Too many apartments create a cycle where people can’t buy, and limiting smaller homes or condos for first-time buyers or seniors who want to downsize compounds the issue. I have been lobbying state representatives to help fix this imbalance.
• I’m so proud of the work we’ve done with parks in our community. We revitalized Memorial Park, adding a splash pad for kids to play, picnic shelters, and restrooms. I supported the addition of trails east of the dog play area at Riverfront Park, including voting to expend city resources for parts that were not donated. This year, we broke ground on Olmsted Park in the northeast corner of town. This park will connect to the walking trails at Northern State, have a handicap-accessible trail and dock for fishing, picnic shelters, and the next phase will include a play area.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

It’s very important to me that we provide opportunities for kids to stay busy and have fun. I grew up with a single mother and know firsthand the importance of having activities to stay engaged after school. I’m also passionate about our parks, housing issues, and public safety. My goal is to help create a great place where all our families can live, work, and play.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

City Council provides an opportunity for neighbors to work for their community, serve their country, and provide the services we all rely on to prosper.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, and the ability to work with anyone. Listening more than talking, working with people who specialize in a field to ensure we have the knowledge to be as successful as possible. Persistence is key, many of the issues cities face can take years to tackle and you have to be willing to keep pushing on a door until it opens.

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

Reading the council packet is an absolute must. This can be hundreds of pages of legal documents that require a solid understanding of the material to make an informed decision. Staying up to date on current events in the community and responding to questions in a thoughtful and considerate way are also essential. I believe in looking at problems from the perspective of the person coming to you so you can understand where they’re coming from. In my time on Council, I have missed only one meeting, if I’m sick or on vacation, I attend on Zoom. It is deeply important that elected officials show up for the people they represent.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

As a teenager, I worked for a friend’s uncle doing work at his apartment complex. From maintaining the pool to helping remodel apartments, I learned a lot there.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

When I go out and talk with people, I often find myself bringing things down to a much more local level than they might be thinking. City Council is the legislative branch of the city. We don’t control the day-to-day operations, but we do control the purse strings that keep it running. There are a great deal of things mandated to us by the federal, state, and county governments that we must navigate to fulfill our constituents’ needs and wants for our city.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do believe that past work with government is a plus, and being the incumbent means I’m up to speed on what has been happening over the past four years. It’s rare for someone who is not currently in office to show up for every council meeting and see what’s been happening. I also believe anyone who has taken the time to understand how laws are written can have an advantage in this position.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Anyone holding public office should be willing to hear out people they do not agree with and find common ground. A willingness to work with others towards a common good for our community is a must.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

The Council controls the finances of the city, and due to good stewardship during my time on Council, we have built up a 30% cash reserve that will allow us to confidently face any issues that may arise. The Council also helps direct the city’s long-range planning. A previous Council allowed a large block to be zoned for apartments, but I have pushed back on this happening again. Instead, we have found more creative ways to meet the state’s density requirements.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Former Police Chief Lin Tucker, Mayor Julia Johnson, Commissioner Lisa Janicki, Former Commissioner Ted Anderson, Council Member Paul Cocke, and former Council Member Brendan McGoffin.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe it’s very important that the city budget be publicly available, along with all information about state audits. People deserve to know where their money goes.

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.

Other survey responses

Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Burns completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.

• VoteWA Profile

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