LYNNWOOD—Lynnwood Council Vice President Joshua Binda appears to have falsely claimed in the Snohomish County Voter’s Pamphlet (p. 73) that he graduated from Western Governors University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. Further, no enrollment records for Joshua Binda were found to confirm that he ever attended the University of Washington as he claims in his profile on the City of Lynnwood webpage along to several media outlets.
Western Governors University (WGU) is a private, nonprofit online university founded in 1997 by a group of U.S. governors to provide accessible, competency-based education. The university is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and offers 60 accredited bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in fields like business, IT, education, and healthcare. WGU serves over 150,000 students, primarily working adults, and is recognized for its flexibility and career-focused approach.
According to verified documents provided to the Lynnwood Times, Lynnwood Council Vice President Josh Binda enrolled at Western Governors University (WGU) for June 2025 and is projected to graduate from the institution in 2027 and does not currently hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from WGU.
Binda claimed to be currently “attending the university of Washington where he is majoring Business Management and minoring in Political Science” on the City’s website for years 2023, 2024, and as of October 7, 2025. However, according to Victor Balta, Media Contact for the University of Washington, a review of the student database (which Balta confirmed shows alumni as well as of the end of December 2024) shows no student having attended the University of Washington under Binda’s name.
A second source of verified documents provided to the Lynnwood Times also show no enrollment history for Binda ever attending the University of Washington.
Binda is not endorsed by the LiUNA LOCAL 242 UNION as he claims on his website. Sources, close to the issue has informed the Lynnwood Times that multiple requests have been made to Councilman Binda to remove their endorsement.
Binda claimed to be a practicing Real Estate Agent for John L. Scott however the Lynnwood Times confirmed that his real estate license is inactive and therefore he cannot practice in the State of Washington. There is no record of Binda ever selling a home in Washington state.
Binda claimed that he worked as an integration engineer for Jeff Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin. A 2023 court document for wage garnishment confirmed that his last day of employment with Blue Origin was on July 15, 2022. Two independent sources familiar with Blue Origin’s Integration Engineer job title shared that the position does not require a college degree only a high school diploma or equivalent. The Lynnwood Times is currently awaiting confirmation from Blue Origin concerning Binda’s employment and in what capacity.
The 425 Business Magazine – who named Binda their 30 under 30 in 2022 – and King 5 both have previously reported that Binda has “made his living as real estate agent and as an engineer for Blue Origin.”
Binda claimed that he attended Sno-Isle Tech where he attained his aerospace engineering certification and that he was the student body president both years he was there.
Back in February 2025, Diane Bradford, Communications Director for the Mukilteo School District, did confirm with the Lynnwood Times that Binda attended Kamiak High School, where he graduated from in 2017 and took classes at Sno-Isle TECH. However, Bradford was unable to confirm what certification he was awarded by Sno-Isle nor was she able to divulge his involvement with the student body at Sno-Isle TECH as their database does not indicate that information, according to her.
Separate from Bradford’s response, the Mukilteo School District did confirm, a year earlier, that no one by the name of Josh Binda was ever student body president nor in student government at Kamiak High School. The Lynnwood Times is still awaiting confirmation of Binda’s involvement with Sno-Isle TECH’s Associated Student Body.
All other Lynnwood City Council candidates’ education background checks did not reveal any inconsistencies with claims in their voter pamphlet statements. The education background information for Lynnwood City Council candidate Mpiima M. Mugambe could not be verified but this was not because of any inconsistencies with claims in his voter pamphlet statement. Mugambe has posted a picture of his University of Washington degree to Facebook.
In Washington state, including Snohomish County, candidates submit statements to the local Voters’ Pamphlet voluntarily, and elections offices (like Snohomish County’s) do not fact-check or edit content for accuracy—only for compliance with formatting and ethical guidelines (e.g., no obscenity or defamation). However, knowingly providing false information, such as fabricating educational credentials, could trigger both civil and criminal penalties under state election and campaign finance laws.
The Snohomish County Voter’s Pamphlet
The Snohomish County Voter’s Pamphlet is a nonpartisan resource published by the Snohomish County Elections Office to help voters make informed decisions during elections. It serves as an official guide for local primaries, general elections, and countywide special elections in Snohomish County. The pamphlet included candidate statements, ballot measures, and key voting information such as ballot drop box locations (35+ sites open 24/7), deadlines, and accessibility options.
Snohomish County Voter’s Pamphlet is mailed to every household in Snohomish County for primaries, general elections, and countywide specials—reaching approximately 470,000 registered households.
Governed by Snohomish County Code Chapter 2.49, the pamphlet ensures transparency. Candidates must file a Declaration of Candidacy with the county and Public Disclosure Commission, and they can opt to submit statements (up to 200 words) and photos by the end of May for November general elections.
Author: Mario Lotmore
2 Responses
I see they scrubbed your posts from the Lynnwood subreddit.
Keep up the good work!
They fear the truth!
I can only hope Mr. Binda is not re-elected. I will not vote for him. His behavior has consistently been lacking in moral judgment and now it is obvious he is ethically compromised. Do not vote for Josh Binda, he is undeserving of support.