Joel for a Better Bellingham Now

07/30/2023

Please "write-in" Joel Johnson for Mayor of Bellingham! This is a very competitive race and your support could help advance this independent candidacy on to the general election. This vote means endorsing a bold action plan to intervene in the suffering related to homelessness through the proclamation of a local public health emergency. Thank you for your support!

07/28/2023

Welcome to Washington where every intersection is a protected crosswalk - marked or unmarked!
My name is Joel Johnson, the "write-in" grassroots candidate for Mayor of Bellingham, and I care about pedestrian and cyclist safety. One of the fondest examples I have used over time to describe the kind hearted nature of Bellingham has been talking about pedestrian & cyclist safety and how courteous Bellingham drivers are. The main example that I have used over the years is the drivers who come to a four way stop sign and sit there arguing through hand gestures to allow the other to go first. Unfortunately, without continuing to effectively orient new Bellingham residents to this culture of courteous driving, now motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists are far less safe on our streets.

In April, I was downtown when I saw emergency vehicles shutting down the intersection at Magnolia and State Streets responding to a pedestrian who had been struck in the street. I started taking notice of a lack of regard for pedestrians and bicyclist and disregard for the laws designed to protect us. On a walk with my dog, and stepping into the yellow box, my well mannered baby took a seat next to me as we waited and waited. As car after car drove by in violation of the law I became more and more disturbed. Not just for my own situation but because I know kids and people in walkers use these crosswalks too. As it once felt safe to walk or cycle around the community we are having to do it with much more caution, in part because of a lack of public education and accountability around the law. In Washington State, every intersection is a crosswalk, whether it is marked or unmarked. If you see a pedestrian at the crosswalk at an intersection, it is your responsibility as a driver or even a cyclist to stop and allow them to cross.

If elected as Mayor I will take pedestrian and bicyclist safety seriously. I would like for us to study the implications of protected bike lanes, implement public education, a school crossing guard program, and traffic law enforcement. If you share in the values of pedestrian and bicyclist safety, please consider writing my name, Joel Johnson, on the ballot for Mayor. Not only will I be a champion for safe streets, I have a bold action plan to address the public health and safety emergency related to homelessness. Thanks for your support! For more info visit:

I launched this historic grassroots campaign as a 38 year old Bellingham native, born at St. Joseph’s Hospital, out of outrage for the suffering happening in our community. Growing up, I experienced the feelings of safety, enjoying the cleanliness and natural beauty and kindheartedness of all our ...

07/24/2023

Please join so many of us writing my name, Joel Johnson, on the ballot for Mayor of Bellingham. Because I have had several thousand 1-on-1 conversations, earned media standing up for our rights for fair elections, held a sit-in to participate in the largest forum - my candidacy has become competitive. Your support could help advance the bold action plan, to intervene in the suffering and restore a sense of safety in our community, to the general election. I have been working very hard to earn your vote, thanks for considering and your support!

All voting is by mail and ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. Aug. 1 or placed in official ballot drop boxes.

07/19/2023

Grassroots Mayoral Candidate Stages Sit-in to Win Seat in Biggest Local Forum

Bellingham, WA - The Downtown Bellingham Partnership and Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted the most widely attended Mayoral Forum July 19th at the Whatcom County Museum. The forum was set to exclude grassroots "write-in" candidate Joel Johnson, until the candidate quietly staged a sit-in at the stage of the forum ahead of its commencement demanding he be included.

Upon arrival at the forum, Johnson distributed campaign literature to community members waiting in line and entered the forum location with the other candidates proceeding to the forum hall. Johnson quickly picked up a lone chair in the back of the space and brought it to the candidates forum table and quietly sat down. He could be seen greeting other candidates prior to being approached by a Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce official where they seemingly discussed his unwelcome presence. Johnson stood his ground sitting quietly at the forum table while the hosts huddled in the hallway figuring out what to do. The forum hosts determined to accommodate Johnson who went on to deliver his bold campaign message challenging many of the establishment candidates with new ideas. "I want to extend a deep appreciation for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce for living out their values of equity and inclusion by choosing to include me in the forum" Johnson included in his introduction at the forum.

Johnson, who took the unique step in gathering over 2500 signatures attempting to get his name on the ballot, was rejected by the County Auditor to be included in the voters pamphlet and on the ballot. After attempting to remedy the situation by filing a preliminary injunction and exploring collaboration with other candidates, Johnson has since registered with the county as a "write-in" candidate. Johnson has been advancing a bold action plan to address the public health and safety emergency related to homelessness through the proclamation of a local emergency and taking executive action.

After demanding to be included and leaders of the hosting organizations agreeing to include Johnson, this message was effectively shared and included in the forum. Johnson's historic grassroots campaign has not only garnered the support of many voters but local business owners alike. Fernando Santos, the owner of the long standing restaurant Taco Lobo since 1999 describes why he is supporting Johnson in the primary "This is a serious situation when people don't want to come downtown because even though people care about the suffering, they are scared. Businesses are closing and leaving downtown. I even thought about selling but I'm holding on to our iconic downtown restaurant. After seeing Joel grow up in this community, I believe we need new leadership, bold action, and someone who understands the heart of Bellingham to lead our community, like him."

Johnson captured the attention of local business owners and community members who have been calling for the city to address safety downtown by describing a plan to close alleyways downtown to unauthorized use, creating a public safety presence in downtown and restoring a sense of accountability in the community. Brian Womack, the owner of Headquarters Barbershop on Commercial Street and founder of the Fatherhood Foundation says "I think Joel is the best prepared leader to clean up downtown and our community while respecting everyone's human rights and as a person of color who has experienced and overcome oppression, that is important to me and my family." Along with addressing public safety, Johnson advanced bold strategies of reform to the planning department through code form zoning, pairing public housing assistance with a community jobs program, and introducing the idea of a significantly reduced fee parking program for business owners, employees and residents.

Our city is about to elect a new mayor, so join us at our 2023 Mayoral Forum! Find out what each candidate has to say about Downtown; from continuing the pos...

07/13/2023

Please share through the grassroots!

Check out Joelforbham's video.

07/11/2023

“I am the only candidate for mayor of Bellingham who is not entrenched in city government or a millionaire. That’s how come a groundswell of support is developing around this grassroots effort. The people of Bellingham are like me, fed up with shape-shifting and too little, too late pace and we want bold change and a new approach to how we are addressing the crisis in front of us,” Johnson said in his statement.

06/30/2023

Starbucks Workers Shut Down Local Stores as a Part of a Nationally Coordinated Effort
and Local Candidates and Community Members Stand With Them

Bellingham, WA - Members of Starbucks United, who work at the three corporate operated Starbucks locations in Bellingham, shut down the stores today by going on an Unfair Labor Practice Strike. Union members say their stores have been directed to remove Pride Month decorations in the stores, a move that mirrors a wave of anti-lgbtqi policy that is storming across the country from Florida to Washington.

"We are here today on strike to protest the removal of Pride Decorations. As a Starbucks
Workers United member I am proud to be able to express myself at work without scrutiny from my coworkers. We are all people and deserve to be included in our community. We need more inclusive spaces for all whether housed or unhoused" Emily Dakota Invernon a 3 year employee of the company stated.

Over 50 people, including union members from Cordata, Iowa Street and Sehome Village along with members of the community, took direct action at two of the locations while all three locations were forced to close due to the strike. Grassroots Bellingham mayoral candidate Joel Johnson and Ward 3 City Council candidate Liz Darrow both participated in the strike at both locations. "Unions built our country and they have been under attack for decades, that's how
come the courage of Starbucks workers to stand up for their rights is so commendable and igniting a movement of more and more workers organizing in their workplace. When Bellingham residents stand up to multi-billion dollar international companies they deserve local elected officials who will stand in solidarity with them." Said Johnson. The grassroots candidate is now asking voters of Bellingham to write his name, Joel Johnson, on the ballot for mayor. This follows the controversy of the submission of a petition with over 2500 community members that
was found insufficient by the county auditor to waive the fee for his name to appear on the ballot.

Liz Darrow, who is running for council and has a long history of being a champion for working families shared " I stand in solidarity with Starbucks United, and with LGBTQ people in
Bellingham and across the nation who are consistently under attack by discriminatory legislationand labor practices. This is a moment to show our community that standing together across movements strengthens conditions for all workers."

06/26/2023

Congrats to Community First Whatcom and the huge achievements with initiatives to increase the minimum wage and protect renters! I'm voting YES on initiatives 1 & 2 and I hope you do too!

06/20/2023

Statement on ADA Issues Related to Homelessness: People with mobility needs such as walkers, guide dogs, people using wheelchairs or other devices deserve free and unobstructed access on our public sidewalks. Due to exacerbated public safety issues related to homelessness and poverty, many families and individuals are forced to seek shelter on our sidewalks or park oversized RVs and have belongings spewed across the sidewalk. Take Cornwall Avenue for example, I do not believe that a person with a disability using a mobility device would be able to navigate their way to Glass Beach on that sidewalk due to personal belongings, trash and debris cluttered across the sidewalk. These kind of conditions not only rise to the level of a public health emergency, they create great risk to our city.

That is how come I have been fighting so hard to advance the platform of the Proclamation of a Local Public Health Emergency related to Homelessness. In my opinion, if we really want to have a bold intervention in the suffering that we are seeing it is going to take addressing the root causes of the issues. The city could act now to create a safe space for people living in RVs or seeking shelter. The longer we wait, the more risky it is that these issues will impact some of our most vulnerable residents. I'm running a write-in campaign for Mayor of Bellingham to provide bold leadership in the crisis our community is facing. Learn more:

Joel is a community leader who served on the Board of Directors and is a former President of the Board for the Whatcom Family & Community Network and recognized with the organization's Community Builder Award. As a conservationist, Joel cares about environmental issues and the preservatio...

06/18/2023

I'm inviting you to join in our campaign to have a bold intervention in the suffering by writing my name on the ballot for Mayor of Bellingham. Help support with street art, with removable chalk, make a recycled cardboard campaign sign or host a sign making party! Thanks for your support!

06/18/2023

Bellingham Mayor Race Write-In Announcement
"Now, I am left to ask for the support of the only people who can actually decide that yes the definition of an emergency is met and we are all going to get behind a bold action plan to have an intervention. During the primary is our opportunity to dream big and take a chance on the candidacy that most speaks to the issues that we care about regardless of color or class or anything else. So I am asking for you to stand with me! Even though the county auditor has refused to pre-print my name on the ballot, will you please print my name on the ballot for mayor of Bellingham? This is our chance to take back our community to create a culture of a responsive government for the people and by the people. I am putting it all on the line, going out on a limb, because I care deeply about what's happening in our community. I'm asking you to support my leadership, join in on this historic campaign, and be a part of the movement to save our community"

For more information visit joelforbham.com