Candidate filings book two Pullman primaries

With candidate filings concluded, two primary races are set for Pullman's ballot in August.

Primary races are held when there are three or more candidates running for the same position, and the election will narrow the ballot down to two candidates for November.

There will be three Pullman City Council races in total, but the ward three race only has two candidates, incumbent Jeff Hawbaker and Brandon Chapman, so that race will go straight to the November ballot.

WARD ONE Currently, Al Sorensen serves on the city council for ward one.

Sorensen has served in that position for one term, and he also previously served another term on the council, though not continuously with his current term.

He filed for re-election, and he said he is hoping for the chance to continue to help Pullman develop.

“My thing is I've been on there now for three-and-a-half years, almost four, and there's an awful lot of work to be done in the city,” he said.

“Now's a really good time to really get this thing kicked in the butt and get it going.

I'm totally in on that.” Sorensen, who grew up in Pullman and attended schools there, said he wants to help upgrade downtown Pullman to a place that people want to go to shop and eat, continue to work on solutions for paving and re-paving streets around the city and see the airport project to its finish.

“There's just a lot going on in Pullman, and I enjoy being on the city council,” he said.

“On the Pullman council, there are no party politics involved.

I'm working for the residents of the City of Pullman, and I'm trying to make Pullman as good a place as it can be.

The needs of the most people in Pullman is the way I make my decisions.” Filing against Sorensen were Hannah Krauss and Eric Fejeran.

Krauss moved to Pullman in July of 2014, and she said she has fallen in love with the community.

“I love Pullman, as cheesy as it sounds.

I didn't come here for school, I didn't come here for a job,” she said.

“I picked Pullman on purpose.” Krauss works in marketing and communications for technology companies, and she said she can do her work from anywhere.

Last year, she started an organization, Palouse Upstanders, to help bring attention to discrimination and other issues.

She also is the president of Inland Oasis, which seeks to create a welcoming community for those who identify as LGBTQ. She said she likes being involved.

“I'm wanting Pullman to stay an amazing place,” she said.

“What's important for me for the town is I look at education and economic opportunity and growth.

I want there to be reasons for people to stay in Pullman and help grow the town.” Fejeran said he is also looking forward to the upcoming primary election.

“I have to get started soon and hit the ground running,” he said.

“I'm really excited to talk to people in Pullman.” Fejeran said he will spend much of June and July knocking doors, and he is looking forward to getting to know people in the community.

“I want to work on building relationships that will last for years instead of just at election time when I'm asking for your vote,” he said.

“I care about Pullman, and with all the junk that's been going on in politics this year, it's time to get off the sidelines and be involved.” Fejeran works at SEL in the quality division, and he is also a part-time student online with Spokane Falls Community College.

He chairs the Whitman County Democrats, and he is also on the board of Pullman's United Way.

WARD THREE The ward three race will be the largest on the ballot.

Fritz Hughes, who currently holds the seat, decided not the run for re-election, and his seat attracted four candidates.

Dan Records moved to Pullman to attend WSU, and he currently works as the affirmative action coordinator and senior investigator at the office for equal opportunity at the university.

He said he sees the opportunity to run for city council as a way to be involved.

“I've always been interested in being more involved in local politics,” he said.

“I've lived in Pullman for 13 years, and I'm wanting to give back to my community.

I want to give back in any way that I can.” Records actually lives next door to Hughes, and he said he has spoken to Hughes about the city council and what is going on in Pullman.

He said learning about the issues and opportunities from Hughes helped him in his decision to run.

“City government is a great opportunity to get involved,” he said.

Austin Brown is a recent graduate of WSU, having graduated this month with a bachelor's in political science.

He is currently employed in new student programs at WSU, and he plans to continue studying at WSU in the fall for his master's degree in political science.

During his time at WSU, he worked in residence life and housing and as an ASWSU senator.

He said he wants to help Pullman grow.

“My biggest thing, especially in Pullman, is seeing the divide between many of the permanent residents and the vast amount of students in the city,” he said.

“Students are equal residents as well, and I haven't seen them receive as much outreach.

I want to bridge that divide.” Troy Smith has lived in Pullman since 2014, and he said he is looking forward to this opportunity.

“I’d like to serve my community and help as far as tourism and volunteerism,” he said.

Smith is from Federal Way, where he was involved with non-profit organizations and had organized book drives.

He said issues important to him in Pullman are the airport project and things such as Pullman Transit fees and lighted roadways.

Garren Shannon said his decision to run is about giving to the community.

“If you want to make it better, you put your hands to the muck and mire,” he said.

“I’ve always been a volunteer.” Shannon has previously chaired the Lentil Festival beer garden and Pullman’s planning commission.

“I understand the inner workings of the city and understand the city legislative body and the code,” he said.

Currently, he co-chairs the Pullman 2040 committee.

“That will be a driving force to get the voice of the community and to hear what the community wants,” said Shannon.

He is currently employed as director of technology at Pullman High School, and he said he hopes to help Pullman revitalize its downtown and make Pullman more of an active place.