Upper Left Strategies

Strategy for winning campaigns and organizations.

Campaigns, independent expenditures, public affairs and voter texting since 2018.

Seattle, Washington

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Reed Award winner, Charleston 2026 My Guy Girmay Trailing 25 to 16 in our first poll. We gave voters a line to repeat. Girmay won the general with 54%.
Girmay Zahilay with his family in the Leaders We Trust ad Watch Girmay Zahilay, “Leaders We Trust”TV, King County Executive2025
Columbia Snake River Campaign postcard with an orca Public affairs Nez Perce Tribe, Snake RiverAdvocacy mail2025 to 2026
Protect Pay Transparency mailer with a Magic 8 Ball Public affairs Protect Pay TransparencyMail for Emery Reddy2026
Bad for Our Kids text message video Text video Southwest WA Priorities, “Bad for Our Kids”Independent expenditure, MMS2026
Sharon Tomiko Santos mailer Mail Sharon Tomiko SantosState House, 37th LD2026
Toshiko Hasegawa endorsement mailer Mail Toshiko HasegawaKing County Council, District 22026
Patty Kuderer in her Insurance Commissioner ad Watch Patty Kuderer for Insurance CommissionerTV and digital, statewide2024
Michael Charles and Michael Fertakis of Upper Left Strategies

Michael Fertakis, Senior Principal, and Michael Charles, Partner.

By the numbers, since 2018

$20M+

In campaign and client programs managed.

2M+

Text messages sent to voters through Downballot.

1M+

Mail pieces designed and dropped.

75+

Commercials and videos produced for TV, digital and text.

Upper Left Strategies is a Seattle firm built on Democratic campaign experience and trusted by business. We have guided winning campaigns from local races to statewide office, run the independent expenditures that decide legislative majorities, and represented tribes, companies and institutions before city halls, county councils, the Legislature in Olympia and decision-makers across the Pacific Northwest.

Numerous national political awards, including three 2026 Reed Awards and three Pollies from the American Association of Political Consultants.

2026 Reed Awards Winner AAPC Gold Member

What we do

Three practices, one senior team. The people who write your plan are the people who run it.

Campaign strategy
Independent expenditures
Public affairs
Campaign plansBudget, calendar, targets and the win number, on paper before the first dollar moves.

Managed political texting, built for the races further down the ballot.

Downballot is our texting practice. We handle 10DLC compliance, the copy, the send and the replies, then report back. Programs start as low as 8¢ a text and can launch in as little as 48 hours.

Where we've worked

Larger circles mean more of our work there.

Statewide