BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Like many western Washington cities, Bellingham is growing and experiencing its fair share of growing pains.
The question for voters this Election Day will be how mayoral candidates April Barker and Seth Fleetwood will ease those growing pains.
Barker believes the city is headed in the wrong direction. Topping Barker's political priority list is affordable housing. She said the city needs to build more housing for the middle class.
"The stuff we stopped building back in the '80s is the answer we need to go back to. The duplexes, the triplexes. All different types of housing styles that can match those wages," Baker said.
Fleetwood favors higher density buildings, urban villages and more high-rises downtown.
However, he is sensitive to what some fear might become the "Ballardization" of Bellingham – a reference to the once quaint Seattle neighborhood now overrun with condos and apartments.
"We don't need to be afraid," said Fleetwood. "I think Seattle offers a laboratory we can look at that identifies things that have been done well and things that we can avoid."
Both candidates have served on the Bellingham City Council.
Fleetwood has earned the endorsements of outgoing mayor Kelli Linville, as well as the police and firefighter unions. Barker's supporters include the Bellingham Tenants Union, IBEW and Lummi Nation.
Fewer than 500 votes separated the two in the August primary.
The biggest difference between them may be their personal backgrounds. Barker is a mom and former college volleyball standout while Fleetwood is an attorney and mountain climber. Each says those activities have influenced how they've run this race.
"I think it's the energy that you bring, the understanding of goal setting and the understanding of being connected to something broader and greater than yourself," said Barker.
"Climbing a mountain is a commitment," said Fleetwood. "Climbing this mountain, winning this race and getting to the top successfully is going to feel really good."