Dave Upthegrove

ON THE ISSUES

• Advocate for protecting the Puget Sound
• Will invest to reduce carbon pollution, clean up toxins, and improve oil spill prevention
• Led major reforms to better protect Washington’s rivers and salmon populations

WHY THIS RACE MATTERS

• If elected, he will be the first out LGBT statewide executive office holder in the history of the State of Washington
• Keeping this office under pro-environment leadership is key as it oversees the Washington Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for environmental protection in the state.

CANDIDATE BACKGROUND

Dave Upthegrove is running for Lands Commissioner  of Washington. During his college years, he developed an interest in politics as an environmental activist on campus at the University of Colorado, where he earned his degree in Environmental Conservation and Biology — later earning a graduate certificate in Energy Policy from the University of Idaho. He believes strongly that now more than ever we need a dedicated, experienced environmental and conservation leader stewarding the public ownership of Washington’s six million acres of state lands. Protecting and maintaining the health of these lands, which include forests, coastal and aquatic parcels, as well as commercial and recreational areas, is critical to preserving our quality of life, combating climate change, and protecting our natural environment.

For  twelve years, he represented the diverse working-class suburbs of South King County in the State House of Representatives, where he served as Chair of the House Select Committee on Puget Sound — helping create the Puget Sound Partnership to restore our State’s crown jewel. He later served as Chair of the House Environment Committee — working in every corner of the State to reduce carbon pollution, clean up toxins, and improve oil spill prevention. In the Legislature, he helped lead the Blue-Green Alliance — a pro-labor, pro-environment coalition that rejected the false choice between jobs and the environment and found common ground to promote sustainable economic opportunities. For his dedicated work, he was honored as Legislator of the Year by the Washington Conservation Voters.

He now serves as the Chair of the King County Council, where he is working with colleagues to preserve public lands and manage growth, parks, wastewater, and transportation in environmentally sustainable ways in the state’s most populous county. During his tenure he has doubled funding for salmon recovery and led major reforms to better protect Washington’s rivers.

If elected, he will be the first out LGBT statewide executive office holder in the history of the State of Washington.