It’s filing week in Washington!

Candidates are officially declaring their intent to run for elected office, and Washington Bikes is gearing up for endorsement season.

2017 filing week is upon us and the deadline to file as a candidate for elected office is this Friday, May 19 (which is also F5 Bike Everywhere Day!). Here at Washington Bikes we’ve been busy getting ready for the 2017 electoral season. You might wonder, what does that really mean? Well, in a nutshell: writing endorsement questionnaires, assessing where a WA Bikes endorsement will be most meaningful, planning candidate forums and fundraising for the WA Bike PAC. (Save the date: WA Bike PAC will celebrate Seattle’s pedal power with an event at Optimism Brewing on Thursday, June 15!)

Washington Bikes is excited for all that lies ahead on the 2017 campaign trail; we hope you’ll join us in helping to elect leaders who share our vision for active, connected and safe communities.

Why Washington Bikes endorses

Washington Bikes endorses electoral candidates at all levels of government. Endorsement and support are given to candidates who commit to or have a record of making communities better for people on bikes — through growing local economies, improving health outcomes, or creating safer streets and roadways. Additionally, Washington Bikes makes endorsements of ballot measures which will benefit Washington communities through bolstering transportation choices, supporting outdoor recreation, and working to safely connect neighborhoods and cities.

Where Washington Bikes endorses

Washington Bikes has identified key regions for engagement in the 2017 electoral season. These regions include: Bellevue, King County, Port Angeles, Sammamish, Seattle metropolitan area, Shoreline, Spokane, Tacoma, Redmond and Vancouver.

Reasons for regional focus:

• Our goal is to build an endorsement program that has strong accountability and follow-through built in, to both the candidate and Washington Bikes. Washington Bikes endorsement process is in its second year, and so it is beneficial to begin in communities where partners who advocate for bicycling already work. Washington Bikes endorsement program will continue to grow as we build statewide relationships and execute plans of engagement, while continuing to support and monitor endorsed candidates.
• Races that fall outside of the regions of focus may also be considered.

Read on for details on Washington Bikes’ endorsement process.