Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Marcus Johnson (Mayor of Snoqualmie, Washington, candidate 2025)
 |
Special state legislative • Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • All local elections by county • How to run for office |
 |
Marcus Johnson ran for election to the Mayor of Snoqualmie in Washington. He was on the ballot in the primary on August 5, 2025.[source]
Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Marcus Johnson provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on July 6, 2025:
- Birth place: Seattle, Washington
- High school: Cleveland High School
- PhD: University of Washington Seattle, 2022
- Graduate: University of Washington Bothell, 2016
- Bachelor's: University of Washington Bothell, 2013
- Gender: Male
- Profession: Government
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign slogan: Time for A Change
- Campaign website
Elections
General election
General election for Mayor of Snoqualmie
Jim Mayhew and Katherine Ross are running in the general election for Mayor of Snoqualmie on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Jim Mayhew (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Katherine Ross (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
 = 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 Mayor of Snoqualmie
Marcus Johnson, Jim Mayhew, Matthew Mullvain, and Katherine Ross ran in the primary for Mayor of Snoqualmie on August 5, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Marcus Johnson (Nonpartisan) | |
| Jim Mayhew (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Matthew Mullvain (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Katherine Ross (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Marcus Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
Today, I serve the University of Washington and the City of Bellevue, where I've led transformative initiatives like the Centering Communities of Color program that wove resident voices directly into city policy, and organized community-wide hate crime prevention efforts bringing together police, prosecutors, and over 40 nonprofits. I've seen firsthand what's possible when we align policy with people and build authentic partnerships across differences. I'm running for Mayor of Snoqualmie because I believe in a community-first approach to leadership—one rooted in transparency, safety, equity, and sustainable growth. Snoqualmie is at a pivotal moment, and we need leadership that can balance preserving our small-town character with planning for thoughtful growth, supporting our local businesses while protecting our natural environment, and ensuring our systems serve everyone from our seniors to our youngest residents.
I'm committed to bringing the same collaborative spirit and proven results I've achieved in Bellevue to create a Snoqualmie that works for everyone—where transparent government, inclusive dialogue, and community-driven solutions move- People-First Leadership Rooted in Equity and Experience I’m a lifelong public servant who brings both lived experience and institutional insight. From growing up in South Seattle public housing to leading DEI and public safety initiatives in Bellevue, I know how to turn community input into real policy. As mayor, I’ll center transparency, inclusion, and collaboration in every decision.
- 2. Safe, Connected, and Prepared Neighborhoods Every Snoqualmie resident deserves to feel safe, supported, and heard. I will strengthen emergency readiness, improve community-police relations, and expand mental health and disaster response systems—ensuring that our city is not just protected, but prepared.
- 3. Smart Growth that Respects Snoqualmie’s Character As our city grows, we need leadership that honors Snoqualmie’s small-town values while planning responsibly for the future. I’ll champion affordable housing, support local businesses, and protect our natural beauty—making sure we grow sustainably and thoughtfully, with all voices at the table.
I care deeply about inclusive economic development, ensuring that small businesses, working families, and seniors can thrive without being displaced by rising costs. Through my work in Bellevue, I've helped design community engagement processes that ensure development decisions reflect resident priorities, not just developer interests.
My father passed away at the young age of 42, but his legacy continues to guide me. He brought our neighborhood together over BBQ, music, and real conversations about the issues facing Black communities. He made sure my siblings and I understood the structural challenges we faced—and he didn't just talk about change, he showed us what civic engagement looked like. He took us to city council meetings to see leaders like Mayor Norm Rice in action, and he always kept a pulse on how policy impacted people. His example taught me that effective leadership starts with listening to your community and building relationships across differences—something I've carried into every coalition I've built, from Bellevue's hate crime prevention work to community dialogues.
My great-grandmother Birdia Bush lived to be 100 years old, and she was a powerhouse. She worked as a clerk in the War Department and spent her spare time organizing nonviolent demonstrations to end segregation in Washington, D.C. She marched for justice, fought for civil rights, and constantly encouraged me to pursue higher education. Her stories—of resilience, fashion, and activism—reminded me that change is made by ordinary people who refuse to stay silent. Her courage to challenge systems directly influences how I approach equity work today—not just talking about inclusion, but actively dismantling barriers that keep people from participating fully in civic life.
John Lewis's March trilogy – This graphic memoir shows how ordinary people can create extraordinary change through organized, persistent action. Lewis's approach to "good trouble" and building coalitions across differences directly influences how I think about local leadership.
Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – A powerful reminder that resilience and voice can emerge from struggle, and that leaders must create space for everyone's story to be heard.
Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence – Strong leadership isn't just about good ideas; it's about building relationships, managing conflict, and bringing out the best in others. This shapes how I approach everything from community dialogues to city council meetings.
Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me – An unflinching look at how structural inequities affect real families and communities. It reinforces why equity must be at the center of policy decisions, not an afterthought.
W.E.B. Du Bois's The Souls of Black Folk – A timeless examination of democracy, representation, and what it means to serve communities that have been historically excluded from power.
Transparency and collaborative leadership are essential. Residents deserve to know how decisions are made and how their input shapes outcomes. I focus on building bridges across differences—bringing together voices that don't always sit at the same table.
My work leading Bellevue's hate crime prevention initiative exemplifies this: bringing together police, prosecutors, and community members who had reason to distrust each other, but building lasting partnerships through shared values and genuine respect.
I'm a proven coalition builder. Whether leading Bellevue's hate crime prevention initiative—bringing together police, prosecutors, and over 40 nonprofits—or co-facilitating the Centering Communities of Color program alongside Councilmember Janice Zahn, I know how to bring people together across differences to achieve shared goals. I don't just convene meetings—I build partnerships that deliver real results.
I lead with both empathy and evidence. My work as a professor and city strategist has taught me to listen deeply, especially to marginalized voices, while using data to inform smart, equitable policy. I believe the best solutions come when lived experience meets clear metrics.
I'm also unafraid of hard conversations. From organizing public dialogues on hate crimes to facilitating workshops on race, privilege, and belonging, I've helped communities navigate difficult truths while finding common ground.
I know how to navigate complex systems without losing sight of real people. Whether leading billion-dollar strategic planning processes or implementing equity-focused budgeting frameworks, I've ensured that government works for everyone—not just the loudest or most connected.
A mayor must provide executive leadership while working collaboratively with city council, managing the budget responsibly, and building regional partnerships that benefit residents. In Snoqualmie specifically, that means balancing our small-town character with thoughtful growth, supporting local businesses, and protecting our natural environment.
The role also demands accessibility and accountability—showing up for residents, ensuring public safety systems are proactive and inclusive, and making government operations transparent and efficient.
I want to be remembered as a mayor who didn't just manage systems but reshaped them—who worked across silos to make government more transparent, equitable, and responsive to real community needs. In Snoqualmie specifically, I hope to transform how we approach inclusive growth, ensuring our development preserves community character while creating opportunities for all residents to thrive. Whether it's rethinking how we invest in public safety, how we support working families and small businesses, or how we protect our environment, I want my work to reflect the belief that policy is personal—and that good governance can change lives.
I'll measure success not just through traditional metrics, but by whether residents feel genuinely heard in city decisions, whether our budget reflects community priorities, and whether trust in local government grows stronger each year.
The vivid memory I have is watching coverage of the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) from August 1990 to February 1991. At eight years old, I didn't fully understand the significance of what we were seeing, but I remember the dramatic footage and how our teachers tried to help us process these major world events. Channel One shaped how many of us first engaged with national and world affairs—and how media was introduced in the classroom.
Looking back, it was also my first experience recognizing that information and influence often go hand-in-hand. While the program was meant to inform, it also included commercial content—something that later sparked debate about advertising in schools. Even then, I began to understand that education and media aren't neutral—and that who controls the narrative matters.
One particular lesson that stayed with me was discovering that I was a natural leader. My supervisor began giving me responsibilities that required me to guide my co-workers, and I found that I could help bring out the best in others while keeping our team focused on the work. That early recognition of my leadership abilities was a pivotal moment.
Leadership in this role means bridging policy with people, ensuring that decisions are informed by those most affected. It means bringing departments, residents, businesses, and community partners together—not around politics, but around shared goals: safety, affordability, sustainability, and inclusion. It also means representing our community's interests in regional partnerships and working collaboratively with neighboring jurisdictions.
It also means showing up during both good times and challenges. Whether it's a community roundtable, a local business opening, a budget hearing, or a moment of crisis—a mayor must be present, accountable, and trustworthy.
The mayor's top priority should be amplifying community voice—ensuring that policy decisions reflect the real needs of residents, not just procedural requirements. That means convening diverse perspectives through community forums and collaborative planning sessions, fostering transparent dialogue, and working closely with fellow council members to ensure our actions align with long-term community priorities like housing affordability, public safety, economic development, and environmental sustainability.
The council represents the voice of the people across neighborhoods and priorities, while the mayor is responsible for executing the vision and ensuring city operations run efficiently and equitably. That means the mayor should lead with transparency—keeping the council informed, seeking their input early, providing access to information needed for effective oversight, and building alignment around policies that reflect community needs. It also means respecting the council's budget authority and working closely with them during the budget process.
Disagreements will happen, but progress depends on trust built through regular communication, joint problem-solving, and modeling respectful discourse—even when perspectives differ. This includes maintaining open dialogue beyond formal meetings to address challenges before they become conflicts.
Snoqualmie is a city where people look out for each other. It's a place where history matters, where our tribal partnerships and cultural landmarks remind us we're part of something larger. And with incredible outdoor recreation right at our doorstep—hiking trails, parks, and river access—we're blessed with both community connection and natural wonder.
Another major challenge is building community resilience—from strengthening emergency preparedness in the face of climate change and wildfire risks, to ensuring our public safety systems are both effective and equitable. We'll also need to expand access to mental health resources, senior services, and youth programs as our population diversifies and ages.
Finally, we must confront the challenge of keeping civic trust strong. In a time of political polarization, Snoqualmie has the opportunity to lead with transparency, empathy, and authentic public engagement—making sure every resident sees themselves reflected in the decisions we make.
That means advocating strongly for local needs while aligning with broader state priorities. It also means ensuring that state resources are distributed equitably, especially to growing cities like Snoqualmie that are balancing preservation with development. As mayor, I'd work to strengthen relationships with agencies like Commerce, Transportation, and Ecology to ensure our community is never left behind in Olympia's decisions.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the federal government?
Cities are often where federal policies meet everyday life, so the relationship with the federal government should be one of active collaboration and strategic investment. Whether it's infrastructure, climate resilience, affordable housing, or public safety grants, we need federal support that is both accessible and adaptable to local contexts.
That means investing in officer wellness and training, supporting reform grounded in data and community input, and expanding partnerships with mental health professionals and social services. It also means strengthening community policing and neighborhood engagement initiatives. My experience leading Bellevue's hate crime prevention work—bringing together police, prosecutors, and community organizations—demonstrates how effective collaboration can build trust while keeping everyone safe. It means celebrating what works—while not shying away from tough conversations when change is needed.
That means investing in officer wellness and training, supporting reform grounded in data and community input, and expanding partnerships with mental health professionals and social services. It also means celebrating what works—while not shying away from tough conversations when change is needed.
In my work with the City of Bellevue, I helped develop and implement the Budget Equity Toolkit, a framework that ties resource allocation directly to community impact—especially for historically underserved groups. That experience reinforced a core principle I carry into this campaign: transparency isn't just about open books—it's about open dialogue.
As mayor, I would prioritize participatory budgeting, accessible financial reporting, and public dashboards that make it easy for residents to track progress on city initiatives. I'd also ensure these transparency measures reach all residents through multilingual resources and multiple communication channels. Accountability means establishing clear audit processes, listening when things don't go as planned, being honest about challenges, and course-correcting in partnership with the community.
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 Johnson completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Mayor of Snoqualmie |
Footnotes
