As the youngest person ever appointed to the Bothell Planning Commission, Carston relied on his background in environmental engineering and salmon conservation to kickstart his civil service journey back in 2019. During his tenure on the Planning Commission, he has excelled and is seen as a natural leader by his peers, serving as Vice Chair since 2020. After being reappointed to the commission this past year, he has shifted his focus to land use and housing issues, making it a priority to connect with his neighbors and ensure the equitable growth of development.

As both a Sound Transit Community Oversight Panelist and former steering member of Bo-POP, Bothellites for People-Oriented Places, Carston understands that a growing Bothell needs development and transportation to work in conjunction. During his interview with the EBA, he highlighted his desire to enhance community transit with rapid transit lines and to incentivize utilization.

Due to his promising future in civil service, understanding of the current housing crisis, and vision for a growing Bothell, the EBA gladly endorses Carston in his race for Bothell City Council Position 4.