City of Yakima
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Welcome to the Fuse Progressive Voters Guide to the 2025 Primary election! Since 2008, we've compiled information about candidates and ballot measures that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. You can learn about our partners and decision-making process here. We will continue to add additional recommendations until voting begins on July 16.
Yakima School Board
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below school district races on your ballot.
Pam Shelton was inspired to run after the current board's unsavory decision to lay off educators to save money. Born and raised locally, Shelton worked for years as a bookkeeper and recently served as a substitute teacher in the school district.
Shelton believes that eliminating teachers should be a last resort because of the important role they play in students’ lives. If elected, she wants to protect resources for students and prioritize respect for educators.
We appreciate her vision, passion, and educational experience within the district. We recommend voting for Pam Shelton to make progressive change on the Yakima School Board in Position 1.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Pam Shelton was inspired to run after the current board's unsavory decision to lay off educators to save money. Born and raised locally, Shelton worked for years as a bookkeeper and recently served as a substitute teacher in the school district.
Shelton believes that eliminating teachers should be a last resort because of the important role they play in students’ lives. If elected, she wants to protect resources for students and prioritize respect for educators.
We appreciate her vision, passion, and educational experience within the district. We recommend voting for Pam Shelton to make progressive change on the Yakima School Board in Position 1.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Pam Shelton was inspired to run after the current board's unsavory decision to lay off educators to save money. Born and raised locally, Shelton worked for years as a bookkeeper and recently served as a substitute teacher in the school district.
Shelton believes that eliminating teachers should be a last resort because of the important role they play in students’ lives. If elected, she wants to protect resources for students and prioritize respect for educators.
We appreciate her vision, passion, and educational experience within the district. We recommend voting for Pam Shelton to make progressive change on the Yakima School Board in Position 1.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Other Candidates
Two other candidates are running for Yakima School Board Director, Position 1.
Dr. Esperanza Lemos is the Director of Education at radio station KDNA, broadcast to farmworkers in the lower Yakima Valley, and seeking to uplift the entire Hispanic/ Latino community. Unfortunately, Dr. Lemos' campaign did not include specific policy proposals or solutions she would implement if elected.
Jose Gutierrez does not have a detailed campaign website available as of early July, nor did they submit a statement for the Yakima County voters' pamphlet.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Two other candidates are running for Yakima School Board Director, Position 1.
Dr. Esperanza Lemos is the Director of Education at radio station KDNA, broadcast to farmworkers in the lower Yakima Valley, and seeking to uplift the entire Hispanic/ Latino community. Unfortunately, Dr. Lemos' campaign did not include specific policy proposals or solutions she would implement if elected.
Jose Gutierrez does not have a detailed campaign website available as of early July, nor did they submit a statement for the Yakima County voters' pamphlet.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Jonathan Babcock is running for Yakima School Board Director in Position 2. He has been a teacher in Sunnyside for 22 years and serves as Co-President of the educators’ association. B
Babcock seeks to bring an educator’s perspective to board decisions, ensuring that students and classrooms are the last place cuts are made, not the first. He believes the district must lead by example by scrutinizing central administration and operational spending. His approach prioritizes staffing, preventing personnel cuts, and implementing strategies for retention.
We recommend Jonathan Babcock for Yakima School Board Director, Position 2, because of his strong support from local educators.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Jonathan Babcock is running for Yakima School Board Director in Position 2. He has been a teacher in Sunnyside for 22 years and serves as Co-President of the educators’ association. B
Babcock seeks to bring an educator’s perspective to board decisions, ensuring that students and classrooms are the last place cuts are made, not the first. He believes the district must lead by example by scrutinizing central administration and operational spending. His approach prioritizes staffing, preventing personnel cuts, and implementing strategies for retention.
We recommend Jonathan Babcock for Yakima School Board Director, Position 2, because of his strong support from local educators.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Jonathan Babcock is running for Yakima School Board Director in Position 2. He has been a teacher in Sunnyside for 22 years and serves as Co-President of the educators’ association. B
Babcock seeks to bring an educator’s perspective to board decisions, ensuring that students and classrooms are the last place cuts are made, not the first. He believes the district must lead by example by scrutinizing central administration and operational spending. His approach prioritizes staffing, preventing personnel cuts, and implementing strategies for retention.
We recommend Jonathan Babcock for Yakima School Board Director, Position 2, because of his strong support from local educators.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Other Candidates
Real estate agent Ryan Beckett is running for re-election to the Yakima School Board, where he currently serves as President. He is also Chair of the City of Yakima’s public facilities district, which provides oversight for the Yakima Convention Center, and prior to that spent nine years on the Board of Yakima Valley Tourism. His son attends Yakima public school.
His campaign is endorsed by several past board members as well as the Yakima County Republican Party and the Yakima Association of Realtors. In his re-election campaign, he repeats inflammatory conservative language around diversity and inclusion. In 2024, he also voted in favor of a "Program Reduction in Force," which laid off more than 100 employees throughout the district.
Yakima schools deserve a progressive leader who will uplift and serve our kids, not cut programs and staff members.
Juan Romo is also running for Yakima School Board Director, Position 2. Romo is co-campaigning with Pam Shelton and is running to address inequities in the school district. Although his campaign lacks specific policies or solutions, he opposes cuts to teachers and support staff. We would like to see a more robust plan for accomplishing his goals.
Last updated: 2025-07-14
Real estate agent Ryan Beckett is running for re-election to the Yakima School Board, where he currently serves as President. He is also Chair of the City of Yakima’s public facilities district, which provides oversight for the Yakima Convention Center, and prior to that spent nine years on the Board of Yakima Valley Tourism. His son attends Yakima public school.
His campaign is endorsed by several past board members as well as the Yakima County Republican Party and the Yakima Association of Realtors. In his re-election campaign, he repeats inflammatory conservative language around diversity and inclusion. In 2024, he also voted in favor of a "Program Reduction in Force," which laid off more than 100 employees throughout the district.
Yakima schools deserve a progressive leader who will uplift and serve our kids, not cut programs and staff members.
Juan Romo is also running for Yakima School Board Director, Position 2. Romo is co-campaigning with Pam Shelton and is running to address inequities in the school district. Although his campaign lacks specific policies or solutions, he opposes cuts to teachers and support staff. We would like to see a more robust plan for accomplishing his goals.
Last updated: 2025-07-14