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In his statements to local media and in the Snohomish County voters pamphlet, Lynnwood City Councilmember Josh Binda allegedly stated false information regarding his educational experience.
Binda seeks reelection to his Position 3 seat on the council and is opposed by Bryce Owings.
In the voter’s pamphlet, Binda said he received a bachelor’s degree in business management from Western Governor’s University. An online database providing enrollment information shows Binda was enrolled in and completed classes this year, but did not list a completed degree under his name.
Binda provided proof of courses he completed in an email to Lynnwood Today and said he plans to apply for graduation after the Nov. 4 election.
In a statement to Lynnwood Today, Binda said Snohomish County Elections staff told him education experience on the pamphlet was “up to interpretation.”
The county doesn’t edit candidate responses on the pamphlet for grammar or accuracy, but there are potential penalties for including false statements.
According to University of Washington spokesperson Victor Balta, there is no record of Josh Binda attending any of the institution’s three campuses. In his biography on the city’s website, Binda said he studied business and political science at the University of Washington. Binda didn’t address this matter in his statement.
Binda also previously on his campaign website listed an endorsement from the Laborers Local 242 union but later said it was a mistake. His website now lists an endorsement from Laborers Local 292 union out of Everett. Charles Burgess, the business manager of the union, confirmed the institution endorsed both Binda and his opponent.
Lynnwood Today was notified of the matter last week through an email tip. The Lynnwood Times last week also published an article alleging Binda’s false claims.
In a statement to Lynnwood Today, Binda said this was not the first time Lynnwood Times “attempted to disseminate misinformation about me, and such claims have been easily disproven in the past.”
“I have provided evidence of my educational credentials and will not be engaging further with these malicious and absurd claims,” he said. “My focus remains on the issues that matter to our community.”
Find more election information at Lynnwood Today’s Election 2025 page.
— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.
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