Jason Moon to again challenge Strom Peterson in 21st District Pos. 1 race

Mukilteo City Council President Jason Moon is again running for the Position 1 seat in the Washington State Legislature now held by Edmonds resident Strom Peterson.

Moon also ran against Peterson in 2024, but lost in the primary in a three-way race that included Moon, Peterson and Riaz Khan. Peterson defeated Khan in the general election, receiving 70% of the vote.

Both Moon and Peterson are running as Democrats in the 21st District, which includes portions of Edmonds, Lynnwood and Everett, along with Mukilteo and unincorporated areas.

Moon, a Korean American born in Chicago and a 40-year South Snohomish County resident, said in a news release he is challenging Peterson because too many residents feel unheard on the issues that matter most — financial responsibility, housing pressures, homelessness/drug impacts and public safety.

Moon serves as vice president of the National League of Cities (NLC) Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials and sits on NLC’s Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Federal Advocacy Committee. He was appointed to the Puget Sound Regional Council Economic Development Board and the Washington State Wildlife Diversity Advisory Council. Moon holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Communications and an MBA from the University of Washington.

Peterson is also a member of the Snohomish County Council, and Moon said he has serious concerns that Peterson is serving in two elected positions at once — something he believes makes it impossible to give the 21st District the focused attention its communities deserve.

Moon said that when an elected official divides their time between multiple roles, community priorities inevitably slip, and diverse communities continue to go without meaningful representation in state government. Highlighting what he said is a long record of showing up at schools, neighborhood meetings, cultural events and community conversations, Moon said that the 21st District needs a full-time representative rooted in the community.

He also pointed to recent state-level decisions that he believes take too much authority away from local jurisdictions and fuel housing pressures by forcing density that doesn’t fit families or neighborhood character. Land-use and housing decisions are better resolved by people who live in the community and understand its nuanced needs, Moon said.

Peterson is chair of the Housing Committee in the House of Representatives. During a town hall in Edmonds Feb. 21, he acknowledged tensions over local control and bills affecting ground‑floor retail requirements, but stressed that legislation is being revised to protect “vibrant downtown cores” while still ensuring more housing options.

He cited his bill (HB 2266), which is designed to compel or enable every community — including suburban cities like Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mukilteo — to allow emergency, transitional and permanent supportive housing. It’s based on the premise that homelessness is fundamentally a housing problem that exists everywhere, not just in big urban centers, Peterson said, adding that “People are struggling in all of our communities, not just big cities.”

Learn more about Jason Moon at his website hellojasonmoon.com.