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First up, the office of

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King County Executive.

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The county executive

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manages the delivery

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of such regional services

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as criminal justice,

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metro transit,

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and wastewater treatment.

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In 2020, the voters of

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King County amended the charter

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so that the sheriff became

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an appointed position.

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Beginning in 2022,

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the sheriff will be appointed

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by the executive

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and confirmed

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by the county council.

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The executive also directs

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the local services provided to

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those in the unincorporated

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areas outside of cities.

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This is a nonpartisan position

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and is elected

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for a four-year term.

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All voters in King County

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can vote for county executive.

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When COVID
arrived here,

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the first place
in the country

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impacted by
this deadly virus,

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I took swift,
decisive action.

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We led with
science and reason

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and saved
thousands of lives

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and reduced
our infection rate

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to among the lowest
in the nation.

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The New York Times
reported

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that had the rest
of America

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followed our lead,

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the nation could
have avoided

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more than
300,000 deaths.

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As we emerge
from the pandemic,

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I'm bringing
that same clarity

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and resolve to the
toughest challenges

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and uniting
our region

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for an
economic recovery

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where everyone
can thrive.

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We're taking
bold action

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on homelessness,

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moving thousands
off the streets

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and into housing

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with services
to restore lives.

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And through my

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Best Starts for Kids
initiative,

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we've kept
10,000 children

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and families
safely housed.

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This housing crisis,

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made worse
by the pandemic,

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requires
both compassion

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and the proven ability
to drive real change.

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We're improving public safety
and public trust

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by investing in
gun violence prevention

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and aid to victims of domestic
violence and other crimes,

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and collaborating
with communities

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to create real safety.

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I've asked community leaders
to work with me

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as we appoint a new sheriff
who is accountable to me,

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the council,
and the people.

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We're helping kids
stay in school,

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graduate, and avoid
the criminal legal system,

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and I've succeeded
in driving down

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the youth detention rate
nearly tenfold.

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And I'm taking urgent action
on climate,

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leading the fight for
regional light rail,

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and converting metro to
an all-electric fleet.

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And there's more
exciting progress to come.

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I'm grateful
for the endorsements

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of Govs. Inslee,
Gregoire, and Locke.

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Over 40
Democratic legislators,

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the MLK Labor Council,

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health care workers,
firefighters,

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building trades,

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the Washington
Conservation Voters,

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and the Alliance for
Gun Responsibility.

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My commitment to public service
was instilled in me

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by my parents,
retired public school teachers.

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Today, Shirley and I
are raising our daughter

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in the same West Seattle
neighborhood where I grew up.

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Let's keep working together
to help

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all King County
families thrive.

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Thank you.

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After 12 years of
current leadership

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failing to solve our biggest
problems like homelessness,

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it's time for change.

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And as we recover
from this pandemic,

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we need an executive
who understands how hard

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working families in King County
have struggled

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to make ends meet
even before this crisis.

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I'm the son of refugees
from White Center

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and worked as a janitor
at my own high school,

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and despite
great adversity,

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I built a successful career
in the private sector

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and now I represent my community
in the state Senate.

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We can build
a brighter future

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for every family
in King County.

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We can build a community

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where everyone has
a safe place to call home.

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Every senior can age
in place with dignity,

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and every parent can provide
for their kids.

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We can achieve all of this
if we had an executive

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who will act with
the urgency needed,

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to actually
solve problems.

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For years, the communities
I grew up in

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haven't gotten
the same investments

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to support
working people

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that made
my success possible.

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And as a result, residents
of South King County

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got sick and died
from COVID-19

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at twice the rates

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of those in other parts
of the county.

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Those deaths
were preventable

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if the county had prioritized
every community's safety.

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The pandemic wasn't
the first crisis

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where our current leadership
neglected working families

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who've been pushed out
of their neighborhoods.

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The status quo
has given us

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12 years of
unaffordable housing,

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longer commutes,
inaction on climate change,

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and worsening gun violence
in our communities.

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We need bold solutions

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implemented with transparency
and accountability.

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And I have the private
and public sector experience

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to get things done.
Let's get to work.

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to get things done.
Let's get to work.