Legislative Questionnaire – 2026 Revision
Candidate Info
Candidate Name: John Bielka
Position Sought: State Representative
Are you an incumbent for this position? Non-incumbent
Home Legislative District: 31
Are you a Democrat? Yes
Have you ever been a member of another party? No
Campaign Info
Campaign Manager or Point of Contact: Randy Durham
Mailing Address: 23811 186th Street East
Phone: 13607067206
Email: johnbielka@icloud.com
List social media sites:
Part I – Candidate Background
1. Please briefly describe your qualifications, education, employment, community and civic activity, union affiliation, prior political activity, and other relevant experience. What makes you the best candidate for this position or office? If possible, give practical examples.
I am a civil engineer, a Public Works Director, and a former Capital Project Manager and Interim Public Works Director for the City of Orting. My background is hands-on, technical, financial, and practical. I have managed streets, stormwater, water, sewer, facilities, equipment, capital projects, grants, contractors, emergency response, and daily public works operations.
I have a record of solving real problems, not just talking about them. In Algona, I helped solve a flooding problem that had affected the city for decades. Engineering consultants had estimated that a solution could take years and cost approximately $20 million. By taking a practical, hands-on approach, I helped identify and implement a solution for approximately $100,000 in a matter of months. I have also raised approximately $3.5 million for Algona and, while working for Orting, helped secure approximately $10 million in grants and a $10 million low-interest Public Works Board loan.
My employment background also includes owning and operating an excavation company, which gives me direct experience with construction, utilities, equipment, bidding, and project delivery. In the private sector, I have helped take companies out of bankruptcy, rebuilt management teams, and managed a unionized workforce of approximately 200 employees. That experience taught me how to manage budgets, work with labor, rebuild broken systems, and make hard decisions while still respecting employees and the public.
My community and civic activity has centered on local government service, infrastructure, public safety, flood control, utility systems, grant writing, and helping small cities stretch limited dollars. I understand the challenges facing working families, farmers, small cities, and local governments in the 31st District because I deal with these issues directly.
I am the best candidate for this office because I bring practical government experience, engineering knowledge, financial discipline, and a proven record of delivering results. I know how to find funding, fix infrastructure, manage public dollars, and solve problems that have been ignored for years. I am running to bring that same practical, results-driven approach to Olympia.
2. What prompted you to run for this office?
I was prompted to run because I believe the 31st District needs practical, results-driven representation focused on fixing real problems: infrastructure, affordability, public safety, farming, energy costs, transportation, and responsible use of tax dollars.
Through my work in local government, I have seen firsthand how state decisions affect small cities, working families, farmers, and local businesses. Too often, Olympia creates policies without fully understanding how they impact people on the ground. Cities are left trying to comply with unfunded mandates, families face higher costs, farmers deal with increasing regulatory pressure, and basic infrastructure needs are delayed because funding is too difficult to access.
I am running because I know how to solve problems. I have secured grants, managed capital projects, rebuilt operations, and found practical solutions where others only saw expensive problems. I want to bring that same hands-on, common-sense approach to Olympia. My goal is to represent the entire district, listen to people directly, and focus on practical solutions that improve daily life for working families, cities, farmers, and small businesses
3. What are your campaign’s most important priorities (three to five)? How do your priorities align with this position?
My campaign’s most important priorities are:
1. Affordability for working families.
Families in the 31st District are being hit by higher housing costs, utility bills, fuel prices, insurance costs, food costs, and taxes. I will support policies that reduce cost burdens on working families and make state government more accountable for how public dollars are spent.
2. Infrastructure and transportation.
As a civil engineer and public works director, I understand roads, bridges, water systems, sewer systems, stormwater, flooding, and capital project delivery. The 31st District needs stronger investment in local infrastructure, especially in small cities and rural communities that do not have large tax bases. I will work to bring state and federal funding back to the district.
3. Support for farmers, small businesses, and local jobs.
The district includes agricultural land, small towns, and working communities. Farmers and small businesses need practical support, not unnecessary red tape. I will advocate for programs that help farmers reduce energy costs, improve water and drainage infrastructure, access grants, and stay economically viable.
4. Public safety and emergency preparedness.
Safe communities require law enforcement, fire service, emergency access, flood control, functioning roads, and reliable utilities. My background in public works gives me a practical understanding of how local government responds when systems fail. I will support public safety funding and practical emergency preparedness.
5. Responsible, results-driven government.
I believe government should be measured by results. I have a record of solving problems, securing grants, and finding lower-cost solutions. I want to bring that same discipline to Olympia by focusing on outcomes, accountability, and practical fixes rather than political talking points.
These priorities align directly with the role of State Representative. The Legislature makes decisions on budgets, infrastructure funding, public safety, taxes, energy policy, housing, agriculture, and local government mandates. My experience gives me the technical and practical background to understand how those decisions affect people in the district and to fight for solutions that actually work.
4. How did you arrive at these priorities?
I arrived at these priorities through direct experience working in local government, managing infrastructure, applying for grants, dealing with budgets, and listening to residents, businesses, farmers, and city leaders.
As a public works director and civil engineer, I see every day how state policy affects local communities. When roads, bridges, water systems, sewer systems, stormwater systems, and public safety infrastructure are underfunded, the impact is not theoretical. It shows up as flooding, failing utilities, higher costs, delayed projects, and fewer resources for basic services.
I also arrived at these priorities by seeing how affordability is affecting working families. Higher utility bills, housing costs, fuel prices, food prices, insurance costs, and taxes are putting real pressure on people in the 31st District. State government needs to understand that every new mandate, fee, or regulation has a cost that eventually reaches families, farmers, small businesses, and local governments.
My priorities also come from practical problem-solving. In Algona, I helped solve a flooding issue that had affected the city for decades by finding a lower-cost, hands-on solution. That experience reinforced my belief that government should focus on outcomes, not excuses. The best policies are the ones that work in the real world.
The 31st District needs representation that understands both people and infrastructure. My priorities reflect what I believe residents want from state government: lower costs, safe communities, better roads and utilities, support for farmers and small businesses, and responsible use of public money.
5. What steps are you taking to run a successful campaign?
I am taking a disciplined and organized approach to running a successful campaign. I understand that the 31st District is a challenging district for a Democrat, so my campaign has to be practical, local, and focused on issues that matter to voters across party lines.
I have hired Taproot Consulting to assist with campaign strategy, communications, messaging, branding, and outreach. I also have a campaign manager who is a former attorney and has experience working in Olympia on policy development. That gives my campaign professional support and direct knowledge of how state policy is developed.
My campaign is also built around direct voter contact. I plan to knock on 10,000 doors across the district so voters can hear directly from me, ask questions, and understand that I am focused on practical results rather than political talking points.
I am setting a fundraising goal of $150,000 so the campaign has the resources needed for signs, literature, mailers, digital outreach, voter contact, events, and general campaign operations. I understand that a successful campaign requires both personal effort and the financial capacity to communicate with voters effectively.
My message is centered on practical problem-solving, affordability, infrastructure, public safety, support for farmers and small businesses, and responsible government. I am actively seeking endorsements from Democratic organizations, labor groups, local leaders, farmers, business owners, public employees, and community members.
Most importantly, I am running a serious, credible, district-focused campaign. My goal is to earn support from Democrats, independents, and practical-minded Republicans who want effective representation and a representative who understands how to solve real problems.
6. Will you accept donations from large corporations or are you going to be a small donor campaign?
My campaign will be focused on small donors, local supporters, labor, community members, and people who want practical, results-driven representation for the 31st District.
7. What is the code of conduct for your campaign?
My campaign’s code of conduct is based on respect, honesty, accountability, and service to the public.
Part II – Yes or No Questions, please qualify your response if necessary
1. Do you support steps to build a fairer economy through tax reform and progressive taxes as wealth increases?
Yes
I support making Washington’s tax system fairer, but I do not support tax policy that simply raises costs on working families, small businesses, family farms, seniors, or local employers.
My focus is on tax fairness, affordability, and accountability. Any tax reform should reduce pressure on working and middle-class families, protect people on fixed incomes, and avoid pushing more costs onto local communities. I believe those with the greatest ability to pay should contribute fairly, but the state also has a responsibility to spend public money wisely and show clear results.
2. Do you support the right of workers to unionize and bargain, including public employees and excluding the military?
Yes
I support the right of workers to organize, unionize, and bargain collectively, including public employees, while excluding the military.
My background gives me a practical perspective on this issue. I have managed unionized employees and understand that good labor relationships require respect, accountability, communication, and a shared focus on providing reliable public services. Workers deserve safe working conditions, fair treatment, and a real voice in the workplace.
3. Do you support robust investment in publicly owned housing/subsidized housing for elderly and low-income individuals/families, and zoning changes to support such housing?
Yes
I support targeted investment in housing for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and low-income working families, especially when it helps keep people housed and reduces pressure on emergency services, local governments, and taxpayers.
I also support reasonable zoning changes that allow these projects to be built where they make sense, particularly near services, transportation, jobs, schools, and utilities. Housing policy has to be practical. It should include infrastructure planning, local input, and clear accountability for how public funds are spent.
4. Do you support legislation to address climate change and protect our environment, including the Keep Washington Evergreen Act?
Yes
Yes. I support practical legislation to address climate change, protect our environment, and preserve Washington’s forests, farms, rivers, and natural resources. I also support the goals of the Keep Washington Evergreen Act, especially the focus on conserving working forests, reforestation, forest health, and reducing the permanent loss of forestland. The proposal has been described as targeting conservation of one million acres of working forest and reforesting one million acres by 2040.
My approach is practical. Environmental policy should protect clean air, clean water, forests, farmland, fish habitat, and public health, but it must also be affordable and workable for families, farmers, small businesses, rural communities, and local governments.
5. Do you support women’s unrestricted access to reproductive healthcare?
Yes
I support women’s unrestricted access to reproductive healthcare. I believe reproductive healthcare is healthcare. I will support policies that protect access, privacy, medical freedom, and the ability of women to make their own healthcare decisions without government interference.
6. Do you support achieving a universal, affordable, quality single payer healthcare program?
Yes
I support the goal of universal, affordable, quality healthcare, including a single-payer model if it is responsibly designed.
At 65, I understand how important Medicare, prescription costs, doctor access, and out-of-pocket expenses are. Healthcare reform should lower costs, protect seniors and working families, preserve access to providers, and avoid unnecessary disruption.
I support moving toward a system where people can get the care they need without being bankrupted by medical bills.
7. Do you support laws regulating the purchase, ownership, and carrying of firearms?
Yes
I support reasonable firearm laws that improve public safety, keep guns away from people who pose a danger, and protect responsible, law-abiding gun owners. Any regulation should be practical, constitutional, and focused on reducing violence.
8. Do you support the separation of church and state?
Yes
I support the separation of church and state. People should be free to practice their faith, or no faith, without government interference, and government should not favor one religion over another.
9. Do you support due process for everyone including undocumented immigrants?
Yes
I support due process for everyone, including undocumented immigrants. Due process is a basic constitutional principle that protects people from government action without fair procedures. The Fifth Amendment uses the term “no person,” not “no citizen,” and federal constitutional guidance recognizes that people physically present in the United States generally receive due process protection.
I believe the law should be enforced, but it must be enforced fairly, legally, and with basic constitutional protections.
10. Do you support accountabilty for ICE activities?
Yes
I support accountability for ICE activities. Immigration laws should be enforced, but enforcement must be lawful, transparent, and respectful of due process and constitutional rights.
I support oversight, clear standards, and investigation of misconduct when it occurs. ICE already has an Office of Professional Responsibility that investigates employee misconduct, which shows accountability is a legitimate part of law enforcement, not an attack on law enforcement.
11. Do you support Keep Washington Working Act?
Yes
I support the Keep Washington Working Act. Immigration enforcement should primarily remain a federal responsibility, and local law enforcement should stay focused on public safety, crime prevention, and serving local communities.
I support enforcing the law, but it must be done legally, fairly, and with due process. The Act requires state and local agencies to follow state and federal law while limiting their role in federal civil immigration enforcement.
Part III – Free Response. Briefly answer the following questions.
1. What steps do you think need to be taken to improve voter turnout and increase voter trust in our election process?
I believe voter turnout and trust improve when elections are accessible, secure, transparent, and easy to understand.
I support mail-in ballots because they make voting easier for working families, seniors, people with disabilities, military members, caregivers, and people with busy schedules. Voters should not have to choose between work, family obligations, and participating in democracy.
I also support clear voter information, accessible ballot drop boxes, language assistance where needed, strong election security, accurate voter rolls, transparent ballot-counting procedures, public observation, and clear communication from election officials
2. What safety, law, or justice reforms are you currently in favor of, and how will you work to implement them?
I support reforms that improve public safety, protect civil rights, and make the justice system more effective and accountable.
I support strong local law enforcement, but I also support accountability, proper training, de-escalation, and fair treatment for everyone. Communities need officers who are well trained, properly staffed, and trusted by the public.
I also support expanding mental health and substance-use treatment so police are not the only response to every crisis. When someone is dangerous, there must be accountability. But when the real issue is addiction, mental health, homelessness, or lack of services, we need better tools than simply cycling people through jail.
I am also in favor of stronger action on domestic violence, property crime, fentanyl, youth violence, and repeat offenders. People deserve to feel safe in their homes, businesses, schools, and public spaces.
3. What legislative reforms do you support to achieve greater equity and inclusion for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals in our communities?
I support legislation that protects equal treatment, personal freedom, and public safety for everyone, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
My focus is on practical reforms that make communities safer and fairer: enforcing anti-discrimination laws, protecting access to housing, employment, education, healthcare, and public services, and ensuring that people are treated fairly by government agencies and the justice system.
I also support policies that reduce hate crimes, bullying, and harassment, while protecting free speech and respecting families, schools, and local communities.
4. What are some obstacles inherent in proposed legislative solutions to climate change? How would you approach those obstacles in order to best overcome or minimize any negative effects?
I support action on climate change, but legislation has to be practical and affordable. If a policy raises energy costs, creates unfunded mandates, or moves faster than the infrastructure can support, it can hurt working families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses.
My approach would be to focus on solutions that produce measurable results while minimizing harm. That means investing in energy efficiency, microgeneration, grid reliability, stormwater and flood control, forest health, wildfire prevention, clean water, and infrastructure grants for local communities.
I would also support phased implementation, cost-benefit review, and direct assistance to communities most affected by the transition. Climate policy should protect the environment, but it also has to protect affordability, jobs, agriculture, and basic public services.
5. Do you think public schools are adequately funded? If not, what minimum requirements should be met in an adequately funded public school system? What specific forms of taxation would you support to attain that funding?
No. I do not believe public schools are adequately funded when districts are still struggling with special education, transportation, staffing, mental health support, school safety, classroom materials, aging facilities, and career training.
An adequately funded public school system should include safe buildings, qualified teachers and staff, reasonable class sizes, strong special education services, student support services, transportation, and basic classroom resources. It should also strengthen CTE, career-connected learning, apprenticeship pathways, and trade programs so students have real options after graduation besides only a four-year college path.
I have volunteered for years with the CTE program at Chief Leschi Schools, and I believe trade and technical programs are critical for students, families, employers, and local economies.
By typing my name below, I declare under penalty of perjury the foregoing is true and correct.
Printed Name: John Bielka
Date: 05/10/2026
