Snohomish County Democratic Party Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs) Thursday night selected Edmonds School Board Director Carin Chase as their top choice among seven candidates vying for appointment to fill the vacant Snohomish County Council District 3 seat. State Rep. Strom Peterson and attorney Colin McMahon also were recommended from among seven candidates who sought the vacancy created after Stephanie Wright resigned last month to take an executive position in county government.

The county’s 3rd District represents the cities of Edmonds and Lynnwood and the Town of Woodway, as well as unincorporated areas. Under the county charter and the state Constitution, since Wright was a Democrat, Snohomish County Democrats got to pick the three nominees via a vote of its precinct committee officers. Those names will then be submitted to the county council for their consideration later this month.

Chase, a resident of unincorporated Esperance, said she was the first choice of PCOs, receiving 57.8% of the PCOs vote on the final ballot. She is in her second term on the school board, having first been elected in 2014. She is also an elected member of the bipartisan Charter Review Commission, and is a member and chair of Snohomish County’s Human Rights Commission.

“I appreciate the PCOs of Snohomish County Council District 3 for your confidence and vote to elevate my candidacy as your number-one choice,” Chase said. “I am prepared to step in immediately to fulfill the duties and obligations required by the vacated seat. If selected for council seat, position 3, I will commit to full-time service on the council.”

Peterson, an Edmonds resident, is currently running for re-election to the 21st District Position 1 House seat he has held since 2015. Prior to that, he served on the Edmonds City Council. The 21st District includes portions of Edmonds, Lynnwood, Everett and Mukilteo.

Peterson and his wife Maria Montalvo owned downtown Edmonds’ Cheesemonger’s Table, which closed in 2021. Prior to that, they operated a joint venture, Olives Gourmet Foods, with childhood friend Michael Young.

McMahon, a Lynnwood resident, has been a public defender in Snohomish County since 2015. He has served on a number of councils and committees and now sits on the Mental Health Advisory Council for Disability Rights Washington; Snohomish County Bar Association Board of Trustees; and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee of the Snohomish County Democrats Central Committee (SCDCC). He is also the second vice chair for the SCDCC.

He previously served on the Washington State Bar Association’s young lawyers committee as the representative for Snohomish County and on the Downtown Everett Association‘s parking and transportation committee.

Other candidates who submitted their names for the District 3 vacancy were former Edmonds City Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, Snohomish County Planning Commissioner Chris Eck, Lynnwood City Councilmember Julieta Altamirano-Crosby and Lynnwood Planning Commissioner Naz Lashgari.

The county council — which currently has two Democrats and two Republicans — is scheduled to interview the three PCO nominees later in September before making a final selection. The successful appointee will run in the general election in 2023.