Candidate Profile: Gael Tarleton For Secretary of State

WASHINGTON — The 2020 election is heating up in Washington and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but voters will also decide the outcome of state representative and senate seats.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Gael Tarleton, a Seattle, WA (Ballard) resident is running for Secretary of State.

Age: 61
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family: Bob Tarleton, Husband
Occupation: Washington State Representative - 36th District (8 years, elected 2012)
Previous elected experience: I am a four-term legislator from the 36th District, and I have served in the Washington House of Representatives since 2013. Before that, I was elected Seattle Port Commissioner twice, King County-wide, in 2007 and 2011.
Family members in government: My husband, Bob, worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency from 1979-1997, and then as a consultant to federal government agencies from 1998-2012.
Campaign website: https://voteforgael.org

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Voting rights and election security are under attack, and if elected, I will work to protect every vote and every voter. We must ensure that all Washington voters can access the ballot, that their ballot will be counted, and that they believe that the election results are legitimate.

We do this by expanding voting access and registering every eligible voter. We need to expand automatic voter registration, increase voter education, and stop unnecessary purges of our voter rolls. We must also work to secure the vote against all threats. The current federal security standards for our voting machines are fifteen years old. We must update these to ensure that our systems stay safe, and we must develop emergency preparedness plans so that our elections can continue, whether through foreign hacking or a global pandemic.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My opponent has not done enough to protect our elections from foreign and domestic interference, and she has failed to stand up to President Trump’s attacks on our democracy. After Russian hackers worked to influence the 2016 election, she testified in Congress against H.R. 1, which would have ensued billions in cybersecurity funding. After Donald Trump’s appointees at the USPS dismantled mail sorting machines and removed mailboxes, she refused to join AG Ferguson’s lawsuit against Trump and the USPS.

My opponent has chosen to use the power of her office to oppose federal legislation that would have expanded voting rights and election security funding across the nation. She opposed this legislation even as she was implementing voting rights expansion and election security measures passed into Washington State law by the legislature in 2018. If elected Secretary of State, I will ensure that I am supporting national efforts to expand voting rights and election security measures that the people of Washington support.

As a national security expert with 30 years of experience, I have spent my career protecting our democracy. I will take on anyone threatening our elections, whether it’s Russia’s President or our own.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am the House Finance Chair responsible for tax policy and revenue plans to support the state’s $52 billion biennium budget needs. I served as House Majority Floor Leader for three years and understand how to gain bipartisan support for critical legislation, a skill that is essential for state agency-request legislation in every legislative session. I have served on the Technology and Economic Development Committee for 8 years and have been a leader in protecting the state’s critical infrastructure, including our elections infrastructure.

I have 30 years of experience as a senior national security and defense intelligence analyst defending our nation against foreign threats and protecting critical infrastructure from potential disruptions.

Additionally, I have more than 25 years of leadership and management experience, leading 100-person organizations and managing international and domestic operations for a Fortune 500 company. As a federal government contractor, I have led multi-million dollar technology programs for the defense and intelligence communities.

In these uncertain times, the job of this office has changed, and I am prepared to deal with the challenges ahead. My record as a lawmaker since 2013 – from supporting every effort to expand voting rights, protect elections systems and voter information, to funding civic studies and voter education and outreach -- will help me lead voter education efforts with the legislature, executive branch, and our communities state-wide. I believe my background in national security and critical technology investment is what we need right now to protect the integrity of our elections while we expand voter participation in the coming decade.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

Through the Secretary of State’s role as the registrar of businesses and companies in Washington state, I will work to ensure an equitable economic recovery from the economic disruptions and losses related to COVID-19. As our economy recovers, the Secretary of State should work closely with state offices that have a shared mission in promoting more equitable business opportunities to ensure that the recovery is shared across our community.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?

Racial bias, both explicit and implicit, extends into every facet of our lives. As Secretary of State, I will work to ensure that all voters are able to express themselves at the ballot box. At this very moment, Republicans across the country are trying to suppress the voting rights of people of color, and we need a Secretary of State who will aggressively fight back against these efforts while increasing voting outreach to diverse communities within our state.

Furthermore, the Secretary of State’s office under my leadership will champion a diverse, healthy, and equitable business environment where all our people thrive. The Secretary of State must work closely with state offices that have a shared mission in promoting more equitable business opportunities. An equitable economic recovery from the economic disruptions and losses related to COVID-19 will require state-wide elected officials working in partnership with state and local officials, businesses, and community organizations. I know the work that needs to be done, and I will work hard to make Washington more just for all.

How do you think Washington should address the threat posed by Climate Change?

Washington has been a leader among the states for sustainable energy. During my time as a legislator I have worked to protect our environment to ensure that all Washingtonians have clean water, air, and land. In 2018, I was recognized by the Washington Conservation Voters as their "Legislator of the Year," because of the work I did to pass clean energy legislation and move our state to a 100% clean energy future. I have worked to battle climate change, protect our streams and salmon and promote a fossil free future.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Beyond ensuring our elections are fair and accurate, a top priority of mine is to significantly increase the percentage of eligible voters who register to vote, and then to increase the voter turnout rates. That’s how we’ll increase the number of people who vote – by showing them how to participate. I will be a champion for voter education, voter participation, and high voter turnout in every election. I introduced legislation in HB 2421 this session to require state funding for state and federal elections, to include state funding to local elections officials to expand voter education and engagement, especially focusing on communities with the lowest voter registration levels of eligible voters. The election funding passed and will become law as of July 2021. The State Senate stripped out the voter education language, however, so we need to go back to the legislature and get this done. In the meantime, my campaign will help educate our current and future voters about their rights and how to exercise them. Washington’s vote-by-mail system is designed to make voting more accessible. The legislature’s leadership also has led to automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, vote-by-mail with free postage, and pre-registration of 16- and 17-year olds, and ballot drop boxes.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I’m one of 7 kids, raised by parents who believed their 5 daughters and 2 sons had an equal right to an education so that we could earn a living and contribute to the communities where we live. My Mom used to tell us “do the best you can, where you live, every day.” My Dad was a lot more straightforward: “be honest, and be yourself.” The first thing I value is what my parents taught me: to be honest and to serve my community.

As a woman who pursued a career in national security, I’ve had to fight for equal pay, workplaces free from harassment and discrimination, and opportunities for promotion where men made all the decisions. In my political career, I have been a champion for workers, women, and immigrants – fighting against sex trafficking as a Port Commissioner, fighting for jobs through the Great Recession, fighting to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, fighting for equal access to college scholarships for the DREAMers, and being a champion for every Washingtonian to earn a living wage and be safe in their homes and communities.