Bailey Stober to seek Kent City Council seat | Election 2013

Bailey Stober is running again for the Kent City Council.

Stober said he is waiting to see which councilmembers run for re-election before picking a position to seek.

The four-year terms of Councilmembers Jamie Perry, Dennis Higgins and Elizabeth Albertson expire the end of this year. Higgins said in a phone call that he is running again. Albertson said in an email she will issue a statement next month about her plans. Perry just announced she will not seek re-election.

Candidates can officially file May 13-17 with King County Elections, although many declare earlier and must file with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission once they announce their candidacy, place ads or raise campaign funds. The Primary Election is Aug. 6 and the General Election Nov. 5. The two candidates with the most votes in the Primary advance to the General Election.

Stober, who works as executive assistant to the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs lost a 2011 run for the City Council against incumbent Deborah Ranniger.

Stober said his background in policy and public relations and work with a wide range of elected officials on public policy and legislative initiatives, both locally and statewide, are reasons to elect him to the council.

“Kent has over 115,000 residents and 4,500 business that deserve elected officials who stand up for their best interests,” Stober said in a media release. “It’s clear that we can’t fully fund or fix the issues that impact us everyday – like traffic, parks and infrastructure, and public safety – without being engaged with our regional and legislative partners. I’ll make sure we’re not just at the table, but leading the discussions that impact our quality of life.”

Stober worked as a loss prevention manager for Kohl’s department store when he ran against Ranniger two years ago at the age of 20.

Stober said he hasn’t declared which position he will run for until the incumbents all announce their plans about whether to run again.

“I decided against waiting for councilmembers to announce their intentions because I want to make sure I have the time and resources to reach out to as many residents as possible,” Stober said in an email. “I also believe that no matter how the incumbents decide to proceed, I bring a fresh perspective and ability to leverage regional relationships that our city needs.”

Stober said he has endorsements from numerous current and former state and South King County politicians, including State Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle; State Reps. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington; Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle; and Luis Moscoso, D-Mountlake Terrace; and former Kent City Councilman Ron Harmon.

“I’ve had the honor of serving our current governor while working on statewide policy and initiatives,” Stober said. “I’m asking for your vote so I can put those skills to use in Kent and deliver results for you and your family.”

Before his appointment in September as executive assistant to the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs, Stober served as a Community & External Affairs director in the healthcare sector.

In addition to public policy, Stober said his professional background includes experience in Corporate Loss Prevention & Investigations. He has worked with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors on internal investigations, organized retail crime investigations and complex fraud cases. He is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners as well as holds an advanced certificate in the Reid Institute’s Interview and Interrogation technique.