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Also running are sitting council member Diane Buckshnis and retired news editor and filmmaker Mike Rosen.

Buckshnis has served on the Edmonds City Council since 2010 and has a professional background in banking and finance. She also serves as a representative on the Watershed Restoration Inventory Area Salmon Recovery Council (WRIA 8) and the Puget Sound Partnerships’ (PSP) Salmon Recovery Council. Buckshnis is an active volunteer in the Edmonds community with local arts festivals and fundraisers for the community.

Buckshnis's goal for running for mayor is to restore trust. Her campaign priorities include environmental stewardship by protecting and restoring watersheds and expanding access to open space. While her priorities remain vague, her recent vote in to label everyone without a home a criminal by making homelessness itself a crime raises doubts about whether her housing priorities align with the needs of all Edmonds residents. She stated during her campaign kick-off that “currently we have serious issues with zoning,” but the point was only connected to "environmentally sensitive areas."

Mike Rosen has served on the Edmonds Planning Board and Center for the Arts and says his main objective in running for mayor is to restore the community's confidence in city government. His campaign website lacks substantive answers to the issues facing Edmonds and each category is instead filled with questions. With regard to growth management, he acknowledges the projected population increase Edmonds is expected to see. However, Rosen would increase homelessness by gating off large areas to only the most expensive type of housing, because he believes it is an essential "charm" of the community. This stance does not address the fact that the current zoning model is inadequate to support the expected growth in the city.

Despite receiving strong endorsements from former Edmond mayors, Rosen has yet to provide concrete plans for advancing the city.

Last updated: 2023-07-13

Also running are sitting council member Diane Buckshnis and retired news editor and filmmaker Mike Rosen.

Buckshnis has served on the Edmonds City Council since 2010 and has a professional background in banking and finance. She also serves as a representative on the Watershed Restoration Inventory Area Salmon Recovery Council (WRIA 8) and the Puget Sound Partnerships’ (PSP) Salmon Recovery Council. Buckshnis is an active volunteer in the Edmonds community with local arts festivals and fundraisers for the community.

Buckshnis's goal for running for mayor is to restore trust. Her campaign priorities include environmental stewardship by protecting and restoring watersheds and expanding access to open space. While her priorities remain vague, her recent vote in to label everyone without a home a criminal by making homelessness itself a crime raises doubts about whether her housing priorities align with the needs of all Edmonds residents. She stated during her campaign kick-off that “currently we have serious issues with zoning,” but the point was only connected to "environmentally sensitive areas."

Mike Rosen has served on the Edmonds Planning Board and Center for the Arts and says his main objective in running for mayor is to restore the community's confidence in city government. His campaign website lacks substantive answers to the issues facing Edmonds and each category is instead filled with questions. With regard to growth management, he acknowledges the projected population increase Edmonds is expected to see. However, Rosen would increase homelessness by gating off large areas to only the most expensive type of housing, because he believes it is an essential "charm" of the community. This stance does not address the fact that the current zoning model is inadequate to support the expected growth in the city.

Despite receiving strong endorsements from former Edmond mayors, Rosen has yet to provide concrete plans for advancing the city.

Last updated: 2023-07-13

City of Edmonds

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Election Day August 1, 2023
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Edmonds Mayor

Edmonds Mayor

Mike Nelson photo

Mike Nelson

Website Endorsements (Twitter)

Incumbent Mike Nelson is running for re-election as mayor of Edmonds. Having been initially elected in 2019, Nelson's prior experience includes serving as a city council member from 2015 to 2017. Throughout his tenure, Nelson prioritized the modernization of the Police Department, focusing on improved training and upgraded equipment, and appointed the city's first female police chief.

Nelson's commitment to addressing historical disparities led to the identification of parkland in underserved communities and the creation of a dedicated park acquisition fund. With $1.3 million allocated, the city is competing to acquire more open space in south Edmonds for a new park.

Demonstrating his broader focus on public safety, Nelson has allocated resources to bolster emergency medical services (EMS), established the Human Services Division, and appointed the city's first full-time care coordinator to provide crucial social work services to the community. If re-elected, Nelson's top priorities will be to enhance community strength, safety, inclusivity, equity, and overall prosperity.

In contrast to his opponents, Mayor Nelson's current term continues to achieve significant milestones, such as the recent passage of the 2023 Climate Action Plan, which aims to rejuvenate the city and achieve its carbon neutrality target by 2050. Mike Nelson is the best choice for Mayor of Edmonds.

Last updated: 2023-07-17

Incumbent Mike Nelson is running for re-election as mayor of Edmonds. Having been initially elected in 2019, Nelson's prior experience includes serving as a city council member from 2015 to 2017. Throughout his tenure, Nelson prioritized the modernization of the Police Department, focusing on improved training and upgraded equipment, and appointed the city's first female police chief.

Nelson's commitment to addressing historical disparities led to the identification of parkland in underserved communities and the creation of a dedicated park acquisition fund. With $1.3 million allocated, the city is competing to acquire more open space in south Edmonds for a new park.

Demonstrating his broader focus on public safety, Nelson has allocated resources to bolster emergency medical services (EMS), established the Human Services Division, and appointed the city's first full-time care coordinator to provide crucial social work services to the community. If re-elected, Nelson's top priorities will be to enhance community strength, safety, inclusivity, equity, and overall prosperity.

In contrast to his opponents, Mayor Nelson's current term continues to achieve significant milestones, such as the recent passage of the 2023 Climate Action Plan, which aims to rejuvenate the city and achieve its carbon neutrality target by 2050. Mike Nelson is the best choice for Mayor of Edmonds.

Last updated: 2023-07-17

Brad Shipley photo

Brad Shipley

Website Instagram

Brad Shipley has left his job as a senior planner for the city of Edmonds in order to run for mayor. Shipley studied urban design and planning at the University of Washington and is a volunteer with Duwamish River Cleanup.

Shipley's priorities include creating a wider range of housing options, adding more safe and accessible transportation, protecting the environment, and cooperating with local businesses. His background in city planning has shaped several of his policy proposals - he supports the idea of creating neighborhoods that are designed for the lives of people rather than cars. He also wants to bring back monthly mayor's columns in local papers to be more transparent with residents. 

However, for many of his professed issue areas, Shipley has stated his concern without proposing concrete steps that he would take to tackle them. He is supportive of more housing density to help keep people housed, but also emphasizes his belief in the rights of property owners and is concerned about the "feel of the city." He agreed that a community free of hatred and discrimination is a good goal, but admitted he’s "not sure what role the government should be playing in getting us there."

Last updated: 2023-07-12

Brad Shipley has left his job as a senior planner for the city of Edmonds in order to run for mayor. Shipley studied urban design and planning at the University of Washington and is a volunteer with Duwamish River Cleanup.

Shipley's priorities include creating a wider range of housing options, adding more safe and accessible transportation, protecting the environment, and cooperating with local businesses. His background in city planning has shaped several of his policy proposals - he supports the idea of creating neighborhoods that are designed for the lives of people rather than cars. He also wants to bring back monthly mayor's columns in local papers to be more transparent with residents. 

However, for many of his professed issue areas, Shipley has stated his concern without proposing concrete steps that he would take to tackle them. He is supportive of more housing density to help keep people housed, but also emphasizes his belief in the rights of property owners and is concerned about the "feel of the city." He agreed that a community free of hatred and discrimination is a good goal, but admitted he’s "not sure what role the government should be playing in getting us there."

Last updated: 2023-07-12

Other Candidates

Also running are sitting council member Diane Buckshnis and retired news editor and filmmaker Mike Rosen.

Buckshnis has served on the Edmonds City Council since 2010 and has a professional background in banking and finance. She also serves as a representative on the Watershed Restoration Inventory Area Salmon Recovery Council (WRIA 8) and the Puget Sound Partnerships’ (PSP) Salmon Recovery Council. Buckshnis is an active volunteer in the Edmonds community with local arts festivals and fundraisers for the community.

Buckshnis's goal for running for mayor is to restore trust. Her campaign priorities include environmental stewardship by protecting and restoring watersheds and expanding access to open space. While her priorities remain vague, her recent vote in to label everyone without a home a criminal by making homelessness itself a crime raises doubts about whether her housing priorities align with the needs of all Edmonds residents. She stated during her campaign kick-off that “currently we have serious issues with zoning,” but the point was only connected to "environmentally sensitive areas."

Mike Rosen has served on the Edmonds Planning Board and Center for the Arts and says his main objective in running for mayor is to restore the community's confidence in city government. His campaign website lacks substantive answers to the issues facing Edmonds and each category is instead filled with questions. With regard to growth management, he acknowledges the projected population increase Edmonds is expected to see. However, Rosen would increase homelessness by gating off large areas to only the most expensive type of housing, because he believes it is an essential "charm" of the community. This stance does not address the fact that the current zoning model is inadequate to support the expected growth in the city.

Despite receiving strong endorsements from former Edmond mayors, Rosen has yet to provide concrete plans for advancing the city.

Last updated: 2023-07-13

Also running are sitting council member Diane Buckshnis and retired news editor and filmmaker Mike Rosen.

Buckshnis has served on the Edmonds City Council since 2010 and has a professional background in banking and finance. She also serves as a representative on the Watershed Restoration Inventory Area Salmon Recovery Council (WRIA 8) and the Puget Sound Partnerships’ (PSP) Salmon Recovery Council. Buckshnis is an active volunteer in the Edmonds community with local arts festivals and fundraisers for the community.

Buckshnis's goal for running for mayor is to restore trust. Her campaign priorities include environmental stewardship by protecting and restoring watersheds and expanding access to open space. While her priorities remain vague, her recent vote in to label everyone without a home a criminal by making homelessness itself a crime raises doubts about whether her housing priorities align with the needs of all Edmonds residents. She stated during her campaign kick-off that “currently we have serious issues with zoning,” but the point was only connected to "environmentally sensitive areas."

Mike Rosen has served on the Edmonds Planning Board and Center for the Arts and says his main objective in running for mayor is to restore the community's confidence in city government. His campaign website lacks substantive answers to the issues facing Edmonds and each category is instead filled with questions. With regard to growth management, he acknowledges the projected population increase Edmonds is expected to see. However, Rosen would increase homelessness by gating off large areas to only the most expensive type of housing, because he believes it is an essential "charm" of the community. This stance does not address the fact that the current zoning model is inadequate to support the expected growth in the city.

Despite receiving strong endorsements from former Edmond mayors, Rosen has yet to provide concrete plans for advancing the city.

Last updated: 2023-07-13