Kerri Burnside

Kerri Burnside (she/her) is a lifelong Bellingham resident, community organizer, and housing justice advocate running to bring bold, inclusive leadership to Bellingham City Council. A queer woman, renter, and someone who has experienced housing insecurity and gaps in health care firsthand, Kerri brings both lived and professional experience to the fight for equity and opportunity.

Kerri currently serves as President of the Silver Beach Neighborhood Association and the Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee representative. She is the Community Housing Advocate on the Whatcom County Housing Advisory Committee, an organizer with the Bellingham Tenants Union, and a member of the Whatcom Housing Alliance Policy Task Force. Her advocacy has helped secure stronger tenant protections, expand affordable housing policies, and support people experiencing homelessness.

If elected, Kerri will be the first openly queer woman to serve on Bellingham City Council. Her campaign centers renters, working families, and those too often left out of the conversation. She is committed to responsible growth, sustainable development, and ensuring that every person in Bellingham has a safe, stable place to call home.

Kerri believes in government that listens, includes, and delivers—and she’s ready to be a voice for those who’ve gone unheard for too long.