Pahaliyah Brown
Pahaliyah Brown ran for election to the King County Council to represent District 7 in Washington. He lost in the primary on August 5, 2025.
Brown completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Pahaliyah Brown's career experience includes working as a program manager. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in 1991.[1]
Brown has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
- Korean American Baptist Church
- Teamsters
- Auburn YMCA
Elections
2025
See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2025)
General election
General election for King County Council District 7
Incumbent Pete von Reichbauer defeated Maya Vengadasalam in the general election for King County Council District 7 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Pete von Reichbauer (Nonpartisan) | 59.7 | 23,746 | |
 | Maya Vengadasalam (Nonpartisan) | 40.0 | 15,915 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 131 | ||
| Total votes: 39,792 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for King County Council District 7
Incumbent Pete von Reichbauer and Maya Vengadasalam defeated Pahaliyah Brown in the primary for King County Council District 7 on August 5, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Pete von Reichbauer (Nonpartisan) | 56.6 | 17,039 | |
| ✔ | | Maya Vengadasalam (Nonpartisan) | 26.3 | 7,905 |
 | Pahaliyah Brown (Nonpartisan) | 16.7 | 5,034 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 100 | ||
| Total votes: 30,078 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Brown in this election.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Pahaliyah Brown completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brown's responses.
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I’m the proud son of a retired U.S. Air Force veteran and a Korean mother, and I’ve dedicated my life to bringing people together — coaching youth sports, organizing neighborhood events, supporting local churches, and mentoring the next generation. My faith as a Christian grounds me in service, humility, and the belief that we are called to care for one another.
Now, I’m running for King County Council because it’s time for new energy, fresh leadership, and a real commitment to transparency, fairness, and community-first decisions. We’ve had the same incumbent in office for decades. Our communities deserve more than the same old politics — we deserve a future we shape together.- It’s Time for Change and New Leadership Rooted in Service and Collaboration. After decades under the same incumbent, our communities need new energy and a fresh perspective. I’m not running to lead alone — I’m running to serve and collaborate with our community. South King County’s best solutions are already found in the brilliance and lived experience of our people. My job is to lift them up and act. I’m running to serve, not to sit — and I will be active, present, and fully engaged in all County Council duties. It’s time to listen better, act faster, and deliver cleaner transit, better parks and open spaces, and real economic prosperity for South King County.
- I Know How King County Works — and Where It Needs to Improve. I’ve spent my career solving problems, managing complex projects, and helping teams deliver real results. I understand how to get things done — and I’ll make sure government works for the people, not just for insiders or special interests. We deserve clean and safe public spaces, connected and culturally relevant parks, and expansive open spaces where families can gather and enjoy peace. I will fight for a fairer, more transparent distribution of county resources — because South King County deserves its share of investment to grow economically and thrive.
- I Believe in Community-Centered Leadership. I’m rooted in faith, service, and fairness. As someone who has coached youth sports, organized neighborhood events, and supported local churches, I believe leadership means being present, listening deeply, and building trust. Whether it’s improving public safety, expanding access to parks and clean transportation, or creating real opportunity for families and small businesses — I’ll work with you to shape a better future, together.
I care deeply about how policy shows up in real life — whether it’s a clean park to walk with your kids, a safe bus stop to get to work, or a community space where neighbors can gather. I’m also committed to policies that create real economic opportunity: support for small businesses, workforce development, and more local investment.
Servant Leadership captures my belief that leadership is about listening first, lifting others up, and making decisions rooted in humility, integrity, and service to the people. That philosophy has shaped my 30 years in public service and how I would lead on the County Council — not by command, but by collaboration, presence, and care.
Elected officials must be accessible, able to build trust across diverse communities, and unafraid to challenge the status quo when people are being left behind. They should lead with transparency, because the public deserves to know how decisions are made and why.
Public office is not meant to be a 30-year career. We are called to serve — not to settle in. Our role is to uplift communities, develop the next generation of servant leaders, and seek bold, creative solutions to long-standing issues that have gone unresolved for too long.
First, I have over 30 years of public service experience working inside King County government. I know how the system works — and where it needs to change. I’ve led complex projects, brought diverse teams together, and helped deliver real improvements that impact people’s daily lives.
Second, I lead with integrity and a heart for service. I show up, I listen, and I follow through. I believe leadership is about stewardship, not status — and that trust must be earned through transparency and action.
Third, I live in the community I serve. I’ve coached youth sports, organized block parties, supported local churches, and built lasting relationships across South King County. I know this district’s struggles and strengths — and I’m committed to lifting it up with purpose.
Fourth, I bring the perspective of someone with a diverse cultural background — as a proud Korean and Black American, and a Korean speaker. That lived experience has shaped my lifelong commitment to making sure underserved and marginalized communities are included, respected, and heard. I believe every voice matters — and I’ll work to ensure government reflects the full diversity of the people it serves.
Fifth, I come from a proud military family — my father is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, and I’ve lived in many places both across the U.S. and internationally. I deeply value our veterans and their families, and I bring a lived, multicultural worldview to this work. South King County is one of the most culturally rich and diverse regions in the state — and I will always lead with deep respect and honor for all cultures and people.
A Councilmember must live full time in the community they serve — and I do. You can’t represent a place you’re not rooted in. Living here means I see what’s working, what’s not, and what our families truly need to thrive.
This role isn’t just about passing budgets or shaping policy — it’s about ensuring that decisions reflect the real needs of working families, small businesses, and communities across South King County. A Councilmember should fight for fair access to resources, champion clean and safe public spaces, improve transportation options, and help create economic opportunity for all.
I want to be remembered as someone who didn’t just talk about change — but helped make it real. Someone who helped clean up our streets and parks, expanded opportunities for working families, brought public resources back into our communities, and created space for others to lead.
I want my legacy to include uplifting others — especially the next generation of servant leaders — to continue challenging the status quo and improving the quality of life in our community. Leadership isn’t about holding power; it’s about sharing it, growing it, and leaving things better than we found them.
As a person of faith, I also want my legacy to reflect humility, compassion, and a deep commitment to putting others first. I want to be known as a bridge-builder — someone who brought people together, honored every culture, and believed that every voice matters.
For far too long, King County resources have disproportionately gone to wealthier areas like Seattle and the Eastside, leaving South King County underserved and underfunded. This isn’t just a feeling — it’s reflected in County budget patterns, infrastructure disparities, and even in the County’s own Equity and Social Justice reports. South King County faces higher poverty rates, fewer transit and park investments, and greater health and environmental burdens — all while contributing tax dollars that have too often funded improvements elsewhere.
It’s time to make up for years of underinvestment by directly reinvesting in South King County — improving our infrastructure, expanding culturally relevant public services, and creating economic opportunity where it’s long overdue.
As your Councilmember, I will open up the process, communicate in plain language, and ensure South King County residents aren’t just watching government happen — they’re actively shaping it.
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 Brown completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate King County Council District 7 |
Footnotes
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State of Washington Olympia (capital) |
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