Pradnya Desh (Bellevue City Council Position 4, Washington, candidate 2025)
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Pradnya Desh is running for election to the Bellevue City Council Position 4 in Washington. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source]
Desh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Pradnya Desh provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 21, 2025:
- Birth place: New York, New York
- High school: Dublin High School
- Bachelor's: Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 1996
- Graduate: Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 1998
- J.D.: Catholic University, 2002
- Gender: Female
- Religion: Presbyterian
- Profession: Attorney
- Prior offices held:
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bellevue College (appointed) (Prsnt)
- US Department of State, Trade Attache, Geneva (appointed) (2004-2008)
- Board of Trustees of Bellevue College (appointed) (2022)
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign website
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- Campaign YouTube
- Campaign YouTube video
Elections
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Bellevue City Council Position 4
Pradnya Desh and Jared Nieuwenhuis are running in the general election for Bellevue City Council Position 4 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Pradnya Desh (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Jared Nieuwenhuis (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = 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
Desh received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Desh's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Pradnya Desh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Desh's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Bellevue is my home. Over the past 17 years, my sons have grown up here. Two are now Huskies at the University of Washington and the youngest is in high school. As a mother, I have seen firsthand both the opportunities and challenges our community faces.
On the City Council, I will bring experience in diplomacy, law, and business to focus on practical solutions that make Bellevue more affordable, sustainable, and safe. My priorities are expanding housing options for families and seniors, solving congestion with smart growth and better public transportation coverage, improving bikeability and walkability so residents can get around safely and easily, supporting small businesses and startups, and protecting our quality of life through education and community investment.- Build Housing for a Growing Bellevue While Protecting Our Community Bellevue should be a place where families, workers, and seniors can thrive — not be priced out. I will champion housing solutions that expand affordability while respecting the needs of our neighborhoods. Smart growth means creating more housing choices, supporting young families, and ensuring our seniors can stay in the community they helped build. Growth is coming, and with the right planning, we can keep Bellevue livable and welcoming.
- Reduce Traffic and Expand Transportation Options to Cut Emissions Traffic is one of the biggest frustrations for Bellevue residents, and it also drives up carbon emissions. I will push for smart growth strategies, expanded public transportation coverage, and safe, connected walking and biking routes. By reducing gridlock and making it easier to get around, we can improve quality of life while lowering emissions. Investing in sustainable transportation will help Bellevue stay vibrant, healthy, and climate-resilient for the future.
- Keep Bellevue Safe with Balanced and Community-Focused Solutions Every resident deserves to feel safe at home, at school, and in our neighborhoods. I will support strong public safety services while also investing in prevention, including mental health resources, youth programs, and community partnerships to address problems before they become crises. Public safety is not only about policing; it’s about building trust, reducing crime, and ensuring emergency services are equipped to respond quickly and effectively. With balanced, practical and well-funded solutions, we can keep Bellevue one of the safest cities in the U.S.
This role is also important within the state’s legal and governmental framework. Cities like Bellevue have significant discretion under Washington’s laws to manage growth, guide infrastructure investment, and ensure public resources are used responsibly. Bellevue’s position as a regional economic and innovation hub means that City Council decisions affect not just our city, but the Eastside and Seattle.
Analytical and pragmatic. It is not enough to have good intentions; we must design policies that actually solve problems and monitor that they are continuing to deliver results. I believe in carefully assessing challenges, drawing on evidence, and creating solutions that make a measurable difference in people’s lives.
A Councilmember must balance Bellevue’s long-term vision with day-to-day needs — ensuring housing is affordable, transportation systems are effective, public safety is strong, and economic opportunities are accessible. Because land use and infrastructure decisions shape the city for decades, this role requires careful analysis, transparency, and community input.
Another important but often overlooked responsibility is oversight. Beyond setting policies, Councilmembers monitor how well city departments carry them out, asking tough questions and ensuring that resources are used efficiently and fairly. This accountability function is critical to maintaining trust in government and delivering results for the community.
At the same time, government needs leaders who bring new perspectives and innovative ideas. Experience should be paired with a willingness to listen, collaborate, and focus on results. What matters most is not whether someone has held office before, but whether they have the skills, integrity, and commitment to solve problems for the community.
Stories like hers remind me why education and workforce development matters so much to me. When we invest in education, we don’t just transform individual lives — we strengthen families, neighborhoods, and the long-term health of our city.
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 Desh completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
