San Juan County Council candidate outlines eight years of ferry advocacy — and more work ahead
Ed.: The essays, analyses and opinions presented as Community Voices express the perspectives of their authors on topics of interest and importance to the community and are not intended to reflect perspectives on behalf of Salish Current.
Of Washington’s 39 counties, San Juan County is the only one made up entirely of islands reachable only by boat or plane. Most residents rely on Washington State Ferries, and for the past eight years I have served on our county’s ferry advisory committee, currently as chair, acting as a link between Washington State Ferries and the community. We advocate for local riders, track transit challenges and give the ferry community input on service changes.
The work has not been easy. Even before COVID, it was well known that the state was not building new vessels fast enough. Another concern was on the horizon: a large share of ferry employees was nearing retirement. During COVID, many retired early, leaving gaps in the workforce. For the first time, we began seeing sailings canceled because of crew shortages. Aging boats and a shortage of qualified crew are not problems the ferry advisory committee can solve on its own, but we have consistently communicated to ferry leadership what matters most to this community.
On our inter-island route, we work with Washington State Ferries to prioritize getting kids to school, workers to their jobs and residents to medical appointments and back home again. It is our lifeline within the county. The mainland route carries goods and services out to the islands: groceries, restaurant supplies, construction materials and visiting specialists for our clinics and hospitals. Headed back, it carries islanders to the mainland for appointments, shopping and travel.
Though we still have a long way to go, I am proud of what the committee has achieved:
- Going to just two schedules: peak-season and off-peak season
- Adjusting schedules to improve reliability
- Creating a county “Engage” page with information specific to the Anacortes–San Juan Islands route
- Maintaining strong, productive relationships with Washington State Ferries leadership
Most recently, the ferry advisory committee joined the San Juan County Council and the Town of Friday Harbor in a letter asking Washington State Ferries to update its long-range plan. The state has committed to building three new vessels, but none are funded beyond those three. In a county that depends on ferries to connect us to each other and to the mainland, we must keep pressure on our legislators to fund new ferries.
As a councilmember, I will stay focused on ferries and the economic well-being of our county. I bring eight years of experience and the relationships I’ve built to keep fighting for the level of service and the reliable fleet we need and deserve.
—By Jennifer Swanson, candidate for County Council District 3
Jennifer Swanson is the co-founder of the Shaw Island Community Land Trust, chair of the San Juan County ferry advisory committee, member of the Shaw Island School District Teacher Housing Finance Committee, part of the 2026 cohort of Leadership San Juan Islands, served seven years as the district’s superintended and served 11 years as an elected school board director. Before moving to Shaw Island, Jennifer was an elementary school teacher in Duvall, Washington.