2025 Sammamish City Council election candidate statements
Nine candidates are contesting for four available positions on the Sammamish City Council in the 2025 election cycle. Council Position No. 5, the only seat with a primary challenge, will be on the ballot for the Aug. 5 primary election where voters will decide which two candidates will continue to the general election. The Nov. 4 general election ballot will have Positions 1, 3, and 7 as well as the two top vote-getters for Position No. 5
Harlan Gallinger is challenging incumbent deputy mayor, Amy Lam, for Position No. 1. In his third bid for the council, Josh Amato is running for Position No. 3 against incumbent Sid Gupta. Three candidates are vying for Position No. 5: Lin Yang, Michael Boyer, and Karthik Seetharaman, all newcomers in the election. Debbie Treen seeks to unseat incumbent mayor, Karen Howe, for Position No. 7.
The Sammamish Independent will be publishing articles on each candidate throughout this election season for all agreeing candidates. The paper reached out to all nine candidates for an opportunity to write a statement on why they are running for the city council and why they are a good fit.
Council Position No. 1
Harlan Gallinger
Statement: This candidate did not provide a statement.
Endorsements: None at this time.
Website: www.HarlanGallinger.com
Contact: VoteHarlanGallinger@gmail.com
Amy Lam
Statement:
Serving our community as Deputy Mayor has been an honor and a privilege. I’m running for re-election to continue the forward-thinking vision our Council set forth in 2022.
Over the past four years, our Council has laid the groundwork for a stronger future by adopting strategic plans such as the Climate Action Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Critical Areas Update, Bike and Pedestrian Mobility Plan, and the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, which will guide our City’s growth and sustainability for the next twenty years.
As a Council Member, I advocated for and, with Council’s support, doubled sidewalk funding to $2.4 million over six years. This accelerates our timeline to improve walkability and pedestrian safety across the city. With city staff support, I also championed the partial opening of Beaton Hill Park, adding a trail that offers a safer pedestrian alternative to walking alongside traffic.
Over the next four years, I’m committed to ensuring our City is on a path to fiscal sustainability, strengthening our resilience to extreme weather, and supporting the Town Center project. It’s essential to expand housing options, diversify city revenue with new businesses, and build a space where people can gather and connect.
I’m proud of the progress we have made—and ready to keep pushing for a safer, more connected, and sustainable city for all.
Endorsements: 45th Legislative District Democrats, State Senator Manka Dhingra (45th LD), State Representatives My-Linh Thai and Janice Zahn (41st LD), the Mayors of Issaquah, Redmond, and Kirkland.
Website: amyforsammamish.com
Contact: vote.amylam@gmail.com
Council Position No. 3
Josh Amato
Statement:
Sammamish deserves a city government that works for the people who live here. Right now, the Council’s budget work plan includes more than 100 active items. Lack of focus has led to a new 6% utility tax and talk of more taxes to come. Meanwhile, road improvements have stalled, emergency planning is inadequate, and core services are falling behind.
My wife Jessica and I love this city. We’re building our lives here because this community shows up for each other when it counts. I’m a small business owner, former Planning Commission Vice Chair, and past president of the Sammamish Rotary. I manage the Rotary’s Christmas tree lot, which raises tens of thousands of dollars for food banks, nonprofits, and educational grants. I bring the experience to ask tough questions, set clear priorities, and drive the focus our city government needs to get results and rebuild trust.
I’m running to:
- Balance the Budget: Align spending with community values and outcomes
- Fix Infrastructure: Get stalled road projects moving and plan for emergencies
- Ensure Balanced Growth: Tie development to infrastructure and protect neighborhoods
- Restore Transparency: Track progress publicly to hold City Hall accountable
I’ll be an advocate for creative, community-focused solutions. I’m proud to support a community-led effort to turn the vacant CWU building into a vibrant hub with space for nonprofits, cultural events, and a city-supported thrift shop to help fund youth mental health, food access, and senior services.
Learn more at JoshForSammamish.com or call/text 253-722-9089.
Endorsements: None at this time.
Website: JoshForSammamish.com
Contact: Josh@JoshForSammamish.com
Sid Gupta
Statement:
I’m running for re-election to the City Council to further the foundations for a responsible, inclusive, and prosperous Sammamish.
I will continue to place sustainability at the core of our climate, urban forest, and fiscal policies. Implementing the plans we’ve created over the last two years – for enhanced transit service, safe routes to schools, and new trail connections and bike pathways – will take pressure off our roads and connect us to our city’s future. To meet challenges like environmental conservation, economic development, and equity, I’ve built regional and state relationships through collaborative work with committees including the Eastside Transportation Partnership, Kokanee Work Group, and Sound Cities Association Public Issues Committee.
I support a robust town center that will offer diverse and affordable housing while providing new ways to gather, recreate, and keep our dollars in Sammamish. I will continue to champion a healthy tree canopy cover goal that informs our strategies for stewardship and emergency management, as well as a vibrant community center serving the needs of our seniors, our youth, and community non-profits.
Including 8 years of service on the Parks and Recreation Commission, I have spent a decade translating our community’s passion into meaningful policy. As a Native Plant Steward and Sammamish’s Volunteer of the Year in 2018 for my work in habitat restoration, I have hands-on experience preserving our natural environment.
Our diversity is our strength. Let’s be stronger together.
Endorsements: WA Conservation Action, King County Democrats, & 5th, 41st, and 45th LD
Democrats.
Website: sidforsammamish.com
Contact: electsidgupta@gmail.com
Council Position No. 5
Michael Boyer
Statement:
I’ve proudly called Sammamish home for 30 years. My wife and I raised our two sons here and wish to stay. Now retired and on a fixed income, that desire has become a difficult proposition. I am running for City Council to ensure that all residents, regardless of life stage, can grow, renew and thrive.
My career has been one of analysis, problem solving and leadership in creating a better future. With the city facing financial, growth, infrastructure, and environmental challenges, I will bring my education (BSIE, MBA, Ph.D.) and over four decades of career experience to bear. If elected, I will pursue prosperity, preservation and public good in every action.
Prosperity is about having a flourishing life, filled with blessings and positive outcomes. Citizens should keep what they’ve earned and enjoy the fruits of their labor. We cannot tax our way to prosperity or build our way to solvency. Fiscal responsibility is essential for Sammamish to succeed.
The intent of preservation is to appreciate the value of what has been built, maintain what has created the character of the city, and renew what has become stale, unnecessary or wasteful. We must preserve the natural beauty and unique character of Sammamish.
Public good are actions or policies that benefit the entire community. Growth must pay for itself and be of public benefit. Decisions and investments must serve the public good of all residents, not just a few or those who are not yet here. I promise common sense, principled governance.
Endorsements: None at this time.
Website: votemichaelboyer.com
Contact: election@michaelboyer.com
Karthik Seetharaman
Statement:
My family realized our American dream in Sammamish with its amazing schools, safe neighborhood and beautiful parks, giving my daughters the right environment to grow up into good citizens. I am bringing my life experience as an immigrant, parent, former planning commissioner and technology professional to the council driving analytical thinking and data-driven decision making.
Talking to residents, especially our seniors, opened my eyes and my heart to a painful truth: many feel unheard, overlooked, and disconnected from the decisions being made at City Hall. Hearing their stories about rising costs, limited access to services, and a sense that their voices no longer matter was deeply moving. I was convinced that something had to change.
I will be a voice that listens, acts transparently, and puts Sammamish families, neighborhoods, and quality of life first. I believe in protecting the natural beauty of our city with its parks, trees and lake, while planning smartly for the future. I’m especially focused on preparing Sammamish for emergencies, such as the bomb cyclone, because keeping our families safe must always come first. I want to ensure our city’s budget reflects the priorities of our people and that every dollar is used wisely.
This is a pivotal time for our city. We need leaders who can balance growth with preservation, ambition with accountability. I’m running not as a politician, but as your neighbor shaping our future into a Smart. Sustainable. Sammamish.
Endorsements: None at this time.
Website: www.votekarthik.com
Contact: info@votekarthik.com
Lin Yang
Statement:
I am the first city council candidate who actually grew up in Sammamish, graduating from Eastlake High School in 2001. My lifelong passion has been to give back to the community that raised me. As a teen, I founded the Sammamish Youth Board, the City’s first commission, to give young people a voice in shaping City policies. More recently, I established the Sammamish Independent, our city’s only newspaper, and trained high school students to be its reporters. It is one of the few newspapers in the U.S. that is run by youth.
Like many of my neighbors, I am oriented towards action. We are a community of ambitious residents who step up to provide what our community needs, and we need City leadership that matches our ambitions. I will work to deliver what Sammamish residents have wanted for decades, including more retail, restaurants and services, diverse housing options, frequent transit service, a community center, fewer power outages, and responsible budget management.
I believe an effective city government shouldn’t just cover the basics. It should help everyone in our community thrive. There is so much more that City Hall can do to support families, youth, seniors, and those who work hard every day to make a living.
I will bring my years of experience as a journalist, public school teacher, budget consultant, and technology leader to this role. I have a Bachelor’s in Public Policy from Cornell University, Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University, and MBA from UCLA.
Endorsements: King County Democrats, 5th, 41st, and 45th LD Democrats, Women of Color in Politics, MLK Labor, King County Federation of Democratic Women, King County Young Democrats, Sammamish City Council Members Kali Clark, Sid Gupta, and Pam Stuart, Redmond City Council Member Melissa Stuart, Snoqualmie Valley School District Board VP Ram Dutt Vedullapalli, Lake Washington School District Board Member Mark Stuart, Former Sammamish Mayors Bob Keller, Don Gerend, and Tom Vance, Former Sammamish City Council Member Rituja Indapure, State Representative Janice Zahn (41st LD), State Representative Osman Salahuddin (48th LD), and Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho.
Website: www.linforsammamish.com
Contact: linforsammamish@gmail.com
Council Position No. 7
Debbie Treen
Statement:
I’m running for Sammamish City Council because OUR city has serious budget and growth management issues. It’s time for professional leadership.
After earning my Business Administration degree from Seattle University, I launched my career in public accounting as a Certified Public Accountant. It took resilience to rise in a field with few women at the table. I spent 15 years as Chief Financial Officer for nonprofits, publicly traded and private companies. In 2024, I retired from Cornish College of the Arts, where I led through economic shifts, kept budgets on track, and championed sustainability, skills Sammamish needs right now.
I’ve also served six years on the Bothell City Council, including two as Mayor. I’ve worked with developers, environmental groups, and regional agencies. I know how to collaborate—and when to stand firm. One-size-fits-all regional plans don’t work for every community, and Sammamish deserves better.
I’m proud to be a kidney donor, and served 9 years on Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation Board, raising millions for this local nonprofit that started the first dialysis clinic in the world.
When my husband Kent and I moved here in 2010, Sammamish felt like the perfect place to settle down. But lately it feels like we’re becoming “Anywhere, USA.” We now worry that rising taxes and overdevelopment could push us out.
We need to balance competing interests and look for common ground, including all viewpoints. As a seasoned professional with years of public service and financial leadership, it’s time for a new direction.
Endorsements: None at this time.
Website: Treen2025.com
Contact: Treen2025@gmail.com
Karen Howe
Statement:
I’m proud to call Sammamish home for over 30 years. It’s an honor to serve this amazing community—as a longtime volunteer and now as your Mayor. I’m running for re-election to build on the progress we’ve made together—from expanding more affordable housing options to executing our climate and sustainability plans and improving the ways we get around town. Public safety, emergency preparedness, and long-term financial stability remain my top priorities. I want Sammamish to be a safe, beautiful, and inclusive place where teachers, first responders, families, and retirees can live and thrive. Today, Sammamish is ranked the safest city in Washington (1).
We must continue to invest in smart transportation options—walkable neighborhoods, bike-friendly streets, and reliable public transit—to connect people to jobs, schools, parks, and essential services. Success means delivering on our 2025 work plan and keeping the community engaged and informed every step of the way.
Together, we can build a sustainable future for Sammamish. Help me continue to:
- Advocate for our parks and natural habitat
- Provide safe roads, sidewalks, bike paths + enhanced public transit options
- Leverage my experience in youth advocacy to serve our youngest community members
- Utilize my business background as a former CEO to ensure prudent and transparent financial management
- Kickstart new, progressive revenue options
- Champion development of a dedicated Senior/Community Center
- Promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity
Let’s continue with common sense initiatives to ensure our community is the home we’re proud to leave the next generation.
(1) https://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-washington/
Endorsements: National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, MKL Labor, 41st & 45th LD Democrats, State Senator Manka Dhingra, State Representatives Roger Goodman & Janice Zahn, King County Councilmembers Sara Perry & Girmay Zahilay, LWSD Board Member Lindsey Yokum, Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, Kirkland Mayor Kelli Curtis, Bothell Mayor Mason Thompson, Kenmore Mayor Nigel Herbig, Woodinville Deputy Mayor James Randolph, Newcastle Councilmember Paul Charbonneau, Redmond Council President, Vanessa Kritzer, Kirkland Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold, Kirkland Councilmember Neal Black, Issaquah Council President Lindsey Walsh and Deputy Council President Barb de Michele, former Sammamish Councilmember and community leader Rituja Indapure and more.
Website: electhowe.com
Contact: Karen@electkarenhowe.com
Last updated: Jun. 7, 2025.
