Primary election: Three candidates seeking open seat on Whatcom County Council
Three candidates are running for the open Whatcom County Council District 2 seat, which covers northern Bellingham, including Columbia, Silver Beach and other neighborhoods.
District 2 is one of five County Council districts. Its current council representative, Todd Donovan, is not running for a third consecutive term. There are also two at-large members on the seven-member council.
The County Council makes laws, appoints members of advisory committees and controls the purse through its budget authority.
All County Council races are nonpartisan. Only registered voters in District 2 can vote in this race.
Under Washington’s primary rules, the two candidates with the most votes will advance to the Nov. 4 general election.
Elizabeth Boyle
Elizabeth Boyle of Bellingham is an organizational consultant and has worked with local government and nonprofits in areas such as community health, the opioid crisis, youth well-being, and tribal environmental advocacy.
She has worked with the Bellingham Schools Foundation and is a board member at the YWCA, which offers shelter and other assistance to women and children.
Housing is Boyle’s primary focus, calling it “foundational for public health” in an interview with the League of Women Voters.
“The lack of affordable housing is the most urgent issue facing Whatcom County,” Boyle told The Bellingham Herald in an email. “Housing is the foundation for a healthy, stable life. Without it, it’s harder to stay employed, care for children, manage health, or feel safe. At the community level, housing is also the intersection of other key issues, including the environment, the opioid crisis, and overall affordability.”
She told The Herald that her plan to address the housing crisis has three pillars:
▪ Build more housing, including “homes of all shapes and sizes, maximizing density and infill in urban growth areas” and easing the permit process.
▪ Strengthen renter protections, cap excessive rent hikes and limit so-called “junk fees” as Bellingham has done.
▪ Expand access to emergency shelters and transitional housing, including tiny home villages and low-barrier shelters.
Boyle has a degree in business administration from West Virginia University and previously owned and operated two businesses, Decorating Your Life and Treasury of Memories. She served in PTA leadership for 12 years.
Her endorsements include the the Nooksack Indian Tribe, the 42nd Legislative District Democrats, the Riveters Collective and several labor unions, including the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council and the Bellingham/Whatcom County Firefighters IAFF Local 106, according to her campaign website.
Boyle leads the candidates with nearly $22,000 in contributions through July 16, according to reports filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission. More than $17,000 of her contributions came from individual donors.
Maya Morales
Maya Morales of Bellingham is a member of the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission, a panel that voters elect every 10 years to study the county charter and propose changes to the document, which is like a constitution.
Morales earned a bachelor’s degree in fine art and women’s studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages from the School for International Training Graduate Institute in Vermont.
She cited housing and poverty as her primary concerns locally.
“Whatcom County must work in concert with our cities to build quality affordable housing, and to ensure access to the stability and privacy of ownership for working families and individuals currently locked out of an increasingly impossible real estate market that’s privileged hedge funds and cash buyers. We need to repair and care for existing affordable housing, skill up our workforce in sustainable jobs that support our community and protect our region, and we must ensure that local entrepreneurs can explore new building materials and methods,” Morales told The Herald in an email.
Before her election to the Charter Commission, Morales worked for the WA Low Income Housing Alliance during the 2023 legislative session, urging passage of rent stabilization and other renter protection bills. She also worked to pass the People First Bellingham initiatives in 2021, including a ban on facial recognition technology and predictive policing software. She also advocated for the consumer protections under the My Health My Data Act, which passed in 2023.
“I offered bill redlines to key sponsors, the Attorney General’s Office, vetted some definitions and was invited to the bill signing to celebrate our coalition’s major win,” Morales said. She is also founder of WA People’s Privacy, which advocated for the measure.
Morales is endorsed by LPAC, which supports LGBTQ+ women candidates; FairVote Washington; Women of Color in Politics; the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington; and the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, according to her campaign website.
She reported more than $6,400 in donations through July 16, according to reports filed with the Public Disclosure Commission.
Mike Cullum
Mike Cullum of Bellingham is principal of Mary Purcell Elementary School in Sedro-Woolley, where he has served for 12 years.
He is on the appointed Whatcom County Civil Service Commission, which creates and administers rules and regulations for personnel administration in the Sheriff’s Office. He cites affordable housing and behavioral health among his key concerns.
“We know housing instability impacts a person’s life. The affordability concerns for families and individuals is not just about the availability of housing options, but also the struggle of being priced out of our local market. We need a coordinated approach that expands various housing options with a review of zoning and permit requirements that still protects safety and environmental concerns. And, recognizing the housing concern includes the need for economic opportunity and income growth,” Cullum told The Herald in a statement.
Cullum has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in school administration, both from Western Washington University. He taught in elementary grades and also taught middle school math. In addition, he served for three years as the district federal programs director for English language learners, multilingual learners, and migrant programs.
In addition his core issues, Cullum said he would prioritize public safety, including a new location for the Sheriff’s Office, which is housed in the basement of the downtown jail.
“We also cannot ignore the inadequate facilities for the Sheriff’s Office,” Cullum told The Herald in an email.
He reported more than $7,100 in donations through July 16, according to reports filed with the Public Disclosure Commission.
“My career has centered on supporting students and families, and my work on school bonds and levies has given me a strong understanding of public service,” Cullum said at his website. He listed no endorsements.
Election info
All voting is by mail in Washington. Ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. Aug. 5 and must be postmarked — not simply mailed — by that time. Postage is free. Ballots can also be placed in one of 20 special drop boxes located around Whatcom County.
In-person services are in Suite 103 of the Whatcom County Courthouse at 311 Grand Ave. Auditor’s Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Election Day hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those who didn’t receive a ballot should contact the Auditor’s Office at 360-778-5000 or elections@co.whatcom.wa.us.
U.S. citizens can register to vote, update their registration and get a replacement ballot online or at the office. Registration and voting aids are available. An accessible voting unit is equipped with visual and audio technology. Voters requiring assistance can vote on the accessible voting unit starting July 16.
Voter registration and address changes online or by mail must be received at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office by July 28. Address changes and voter registration are available in the Auditor’s Office until 8 p.m. Aug. 5.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM.
