Lynden, WA – Kathy Kershner, a two-term member of the Whatcom County Council, announced today she will run for re-election this year in District 4, which encompasses the city of Lynden and about two dozen other precincts throughout the heart of the county.
Kershner was elected in 2019 with an overwhelming 75% of the vote. She currently serves as Chair of the County Council’s Finance and Administrative Services Committee, and Public Works and Health Committee.
“I’ve worked with the Executive and County Council members across the political spectrum to improve public safety,” Kershner said. “Most recently, I led the effort on council to add 10 deputies to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office over the next two years.”
During her current term, Kershner strengthened the county’s Division of Emergency Management, Public Works Department, and Health Department so they can better respond to floods, pandemics, and other emergencies. She also voted for comprehensive plan amendments and code changes to the Cherry Point industrial zone, which have kept many of the county’s best paying jobs intact.
“We have so much to be hopeful for as we look to the future. I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished, but there’s a lot more to do.” Her agenda, Kershner says, is to continue to provide effective, accountable, and smart government, and to advocate for a safer, stronger, and more compassionate community.
“In my third term, I’ll focus on ensuring that your local government listens and is responsive to you. This means increasing senior access to housing, support services, and transportation. It means confronting the deadly spread of fentanyl, which has parents across our county worried. And it means being responsible stewards of your tax dollars, especially as the recent economic downturn has left so many in our community with so little to spare.”
Going forward, Kershner believes that it’s vitally important for District 4 to have a representative from the heart of the county who shares a common history and outlook, and who can persuasively speak to the issues and concerns that its voters care about. “My constituents deserve a strong, steady, and crisis-tested voice, ever vigilant and advocating on their behalf,” she says.
Kershner retired from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service. She then founded Advocations, a small business focused on serving the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. She has a bachelor’s degree in Family Resources from the University of Hawaii.
Kershner is endorsed by many prominent Whatcom County leaders, including Sheriff Bill Elfo, Port of Bellingham Commissioner Ken Bell, and Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis.
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