Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today? Yes, I want to support My Edmonds News!
Edmonds City Councilmember Will Chen on Friday announced that he will be a candidate for 32nd District State Representative Position 1 in this fall’s election. That seat is being vacated by incumbent Cindy Ryu, who last year announced that she will run for State Senate, attempting to unseat the incumbent, fellow Democrat Jesse Salomon. The 32nd District includes parts of Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline and north Seattle (see map here). Chen will run as a Democrat.
According to the press release announcing his candidacy, Chen will campaign on a range of issues, including affordability, public safety, fiscally responsible leadership, rising housing and health care costs, and supporting small businesses.
“Families, seniors, and small businesses across the 32nd District are feeling squeezed from every direction, and too often the conversation in Olympia doesn’t reflect what people are actually experiencing day to day,” Chen said. “I’ve spent my career working at the intersection of budgets, policy and people’s real lives. I believe we need leadership that pairs strong Democratic values with practical, accountable governance.”
First elected to the Edmonds City Council in 2021, Chen has served as finance committee chair, council president pro-tem and in multiple liaison roles, working on budgets, housing, infrastructure and policies that cross city and county lines. Prior to his election, he served on the Edmonds Citizens Housing Commission, helping develop recommendations to shape the future of housing options in the city. He also co-founded the Asian Service Center, a South Snohomish County nonprofit focused on connecting underserved communities with information and resources, and previously served as president of the Bing Kung Family Association in Seattle. He ran unopposed for reelection in 2025 and began his second four-year term on the Edmonds City Council earlier this month.
Chen joins what is shaping up to be a growing list of candidates for that position. According to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission’s website, as of Jan. 16, Chris Bloomquist, Keith Scully and Jenna Nand (Chen’s colleague on the Edmonds City Council) have also filed. May 4 is the deadline for candidates to file for the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. All candidates will appear on the Aug. 4 primary election ballot, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election. (See critical dates on the Washington Secretary of State’s website here).
“Our 32nd Legislative District is a strong Democratic district with a lot of committed people stepping forward,” Chen said. “My focus isn’t on other candidates — it’s on bringing a practical, fiscally responsible approach that’s grounded in real-world experience.”
In an email to My Edmonds News, Chen confirmed that he is now retired and has sold his CPA business. He said he plans to retain his seat on the Edmonds City Council while he campaigns for state representative. He also confirmed that should he be elected to the state Legislature, he would serve in both positions simultaneously. “I am 100% committed to perform both offices as I have retired,” he said.
“As Democrats, we should be focused on governing well,” Chen added. “That means standing up for opportunity, being honest about costs, supporting workers and small businesses, and making sure our policies are grounded in facts and deliver results people can feel in their daily lives.”
More information about Will Chen’s campaign and priorities is available at www.electwillchen.com.
Its exciting to see Will Chen running for state representative! It’s clear that he’s committed to public service and thoughtful leadership. Our community benefits from having leaders who listen and work to create long term changes.
Will Chen feels like someone who actually understands how local small businesses operate. His experience working on city budgets and community issues means he knows how rising costs, permits, and policy decisions affect places like Firdale Village. It’s refreshing to see a candidate who focuses on practical solutions and fiscal responsibility, not just big promises. Leaders with real local experience are exactly what small businesses in our community need.
Will is a warm and caring person who has always demonstrated genuine concern for both his local community and the broader world around him. I am proud to call him a friend and honored to support him as he continues his commitment to public service.
It concerns me that we now have two of our council members running for other offices. Our city has big problems that need to be dealt with, and their need to campaign for much of 2026 will result in those two members clearly having diminished time to attend to their council duties. It seems apparent that they saw this election period as an optimum time for them to run, because if they’re unsuccessful they can remain in their council position. The right thing for them to do is to resign so that the council can appoint appropriate replacements.
Will Chen has demonstrated to our Meadowdale neighborhood that he is willing to listen and engage. He is pragmatic, not partisan, and given our city and legislative district’s serious challenges, that is exactly what we need right now. I welcome his candidacy. Plenty of other legislators have held multiple posts. Councilmember Chen has my confidence he can ably do both.