Contact me and we'll be in touch soon!
Contact me and we'll be in touch soon!
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE
SLOWING DOWN
RENT INCREASES
INCREASING AFFORDABILITY
REDUCING
HOMELESSNESS
ABOUT EDWIN
Edwin Obras immigrated to the United States as a child from the Philippines and was the first in his family to graduate from college
He earned a B.A. from the University of Washington and later a Master of Public Administration from Northeastern University, reflecting a strong academic foundation. Professionally, Edwin has over 25 years of experience in the human services field, working both for nonprofit organizations in King County and for the City of Seattle. He spent 17 years with Seattle’s Human Services Department, rising to the position of deputy division director, and previously served as the division’s budget and policy director and contracts manager.
Representative Edwin Obras just finished his first session in the Washington State Legislature. He is a member of the Healthcare & Well-Being Committee, the Labor & Workforce Standards Committee, and the Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee—demonstrating his strong focus on improving quality of life, protecting workers’ rights, and enhancing public safety. In addition to his committee work, Representative Obras serves as Assistant Majority Whip.
His work in Seattle focused on critical social issues – homelessness, anti-hunger efforts, youth development, community safety, and supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
In addition to his professional career, Edwin has been deeply involved in community service. He chaired the SeaTac Human Services Advisory Committee from 2016 to 2018, helping guide local human services policy. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Filipino Community of Seattle and was the board’s president for five years (since 2019). In that role he has co-chaired a capital campaign to develop affordable housing for families, demonstrating a commitment to improving housing access in his community.
Edwin grew up in Seattle’s diverse Beacon Hill neighborhood and has emphasized that his “lived experience” as a Filipino American informs his public service and advocacy for marginalized communities. He is also a father to a young adult son, who is a graduate of the University of Washington.
PRIORITIES
Edwin’s platform centers on social equity, worker protections, and community well-being. Drawing on his extensive human services background, Rep Obras has prioritized policies that serve traditionally marginalized residents . Rep Obras is honored to advocate for policies that support workers, improve public safety, and strengthen the wellbeing of the 33rd and the state as a whole. His early legislative agenda in Olympia reflects his values, as he has focused on protecting workers’ rights, enhancing economic security for working families, and improving safety and justice in the 33rd and around Washington.
Edwin's priorities are:
-
Workers’ Rights and Fair Labor Practices: Rep Obras is a strong proponent of labor protections, especially for low-income and frontline workers, where labor protections can often be lacking. He highlights the typically struggles that ride share and hospitality drivers go through, and pushes for laws to protect them from exploitation and unsafe working conditions. Edwin has sought to hold employers accountable to existing labor laws to ensure workers have the safe working conditions they deserve. Likewise, he advocates for service industry employees, such as tipped workers, to ensure they keep their hard-earned wages and tips, and has earned the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union 925. Unlike his opponent, Rep Obras is a strong advocate for raising the minimum wage so that everyone can earn a living wage.
-
Housing Affordability and Community SupporT: Rep Obras is committed to supporting the 33rd, and does so via passing bills that improve housing stability for renters. He worked on HB 1217, that ensured there to be no rent or fee hikes on renters without notice, and allows for the Attorney General to step in if renters are being taken advantage of. While under his opponents mayoral run in Burien, Burien has faced controversy after controversy about the ways his opponent works to help the unhoused population. Edwin has worked towards real solutions, finding ways to take the unhoused population off the streets. This work combined, shows the effort that Rep Obras is committing make housing affordable and strengthen community supports to ensure that no resident of Washington State is falling through the cracks.
-
Community Safety and Justice Reform: Serving on the House Committee for Community Safety, Edwin has made public safety a priority, using innovative approaches to achieve reform. He introduced legislation to improve the state’s jail system and enhance safety by pushing for independent oversight in city, county, state and region Washington State jails. Additionally, Rep Obras has passed legislation that expands background checks into more positions, filling the gaps, ensuring that vulnerable populations such as seniors and children can feel safer. This shows Edwin's focus to keep Washingtonians safe.
-
Health Care and Wellness: As a member of the Health Care & Wellness Committee, Edwin supports expanding access to healthcare and mental health services, consistent with his background in public health and social work. Currently in Committee is HB 1792 that seeks to centralize nursing certifications, removing the current patchwork of oversight agencies, creating a more straightforward way to certification for nurses, and a safer environment for all patients. Rep Obras's career in public mental health, alongside his predecessor’s legacy in suicide prevention and mental health, show his commitment to improving behavioral health resources and ensuring vulnerable populations can access care.
-
Immigrant and Marginalized Communities’ Representation: Edwin has made it clear he values the diversity of the 33rd District and aims to give voice to immigrant communities. He has shared information about resources like the state’s Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance and has encouraged immigrant constituents to reach out with their needs. His colleagues noted his advocacy for marginalized communities as a key strength – party leaders supported his appointment in part by citing his “advocacy and service in the Filipino and other marginalized communities” and a desire to diversify legislative representation. This aligns with Obras’s platform of inclusion and equity. He is part of the House Democrats’ Members of Color Caucus, working to address structural barriers and uplift communities of color across Washington.