If early election results hold, Thurston County Sheriff's Office and board of commissioners will see significant changes in the coming year.
Deputy Derek Sanders is leading incumbent Sheriff John Snaza in results released by the county Auditor Tuesday night. Meanwhile, voters appeared to be leaning in favor of re-electing Commissioner Tye Menser and expanding the board to from three to five members.
The latest update from the county Auditor's Office indicated voter turnout was at about 35.5% of 195,610 registered voters. However, there were still many votes left to be counted.
County Auditor Mary Hall, who was also up for re-election this year, estimated about 30,000 ballots had been received but not yet counted Tuesday night at the Ballot Processing Center in Tumwater.
When factoring in those ballots, Hall said turnout was at about 50.8% but she expected it to hit 60% in the coming days as more mail-in ballots came in.
In 2018, the most recent mid-term election year, turnout reached 51.9% on election day. That turnout far surpassed the 34.2% recorded in 2014 but fell short of the 54.02% recorded in 2010.
Thurston County will post updated results daily until the county certifies results Nov. 29. The Secretary of State has until Dec. 8 to certify returns.
Thurston County Sheriff
Deputy Derek Sanders claimed about 54.7% (35,517 votes) while Sheriff John Snaza earned 44.9% (29,138 votes) in Tuesday's tally. This makes Snaza the only Thurston County incumbent to trail his challenger.
Sanders, 28, has served as a deputy for six years under Snaza. Both ran as independents.
When reached Tuesday night, Sanders said he felt encouraged by the results so far. He received the early returns while surrounded by local law enforcement at Nicole's Bar in downtown Olympia.
"A lot of people asked me if I was nervous going into it and I kept telling them no," Sanders said. "I did everything in my power that was moral and ethical to win this race... We went into this pretty confident that people wanted change."
Sanders said he felt ready to take control of the Sheriff's Office and work alongside those who voted for and against him.
"This Sheriff's Office will serve you equitably and fairly, regardless of how you feel," Sanders said. "So I'm excited to serve everyone."
A victory for Sanders would make him the first new sheriff since 2011. Snaza has held the role since then and won reelection in 2014 and 2018 without facing any challengers.
During the campaign, Sanders criticized his boss's leadership in recent years and even accused him of investigating him for political gain — a claim Snaza denied. Sanders particularly focused on transparency and accountability as well as recruiting and retention concerns.
Among his ideas, Sanders has suggested creating domestic violence and homelessness teams, setting up a community advisory board and even empowering armed veterans to protect schools.
Meanwhile, Snaza has touted his three decades of law enforcement experience as well as recent efforts to improve the county jail and acquire body cameras for deputies. He previously said he had every intention to continue growing the Sheriff's Office with another term.
Snaza did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
Thurston County Commissioner District 3
Democrat Tye Menser led the race Tuesday night with 57.6% (39,089 votes) while Republican Vivian Eason earned 42.3% (28,661 votes).
If his lead holds, Menser would win a second term on the Board of County Commissioners, effectively maintaining a Democratic majority on the board. He currently serves alongside Democrat Carolina Mejia and Independent Gary Edwards.
Menser told The Olympian he was pleased by his lead in the early returns Tuesday night. He said he received the results while recovering from a cold at home.
"I would just like to thank the voters for trusting me to serve for another four years," Menser said. "I feel like I've been effective, but I think I have the chance to be even more effective. We got a lot of work started that I want to see through to completion."
Menser said he would continue to engage and listen to those who do not support him. "We get better results for everyone when folks that don't agree work together," Menser said.
While in office, Menser has helped improve the county's finances, establish a rainy-day fund and oversee federal approval of a long-time-coming habitat conservation plan.
He has advocated for criminal justice reform, protecting the environment and making progress on housing and homelessness.
Eason, a veteran and retired county employee, has described herself as a fiscal conservative with a background in emergency management.
She believes the current commission has neglected rural communities and saddled them with the costs of the new habitat conservation plan. Additionally, she has called for the commission to increase funding for the sheriff's office so it can better respond to crime trends.
When reached Tuesday night, Eason said she felt positive about the results and did not intend to give up.
"We could still come back because a lot of Republicans in unincorporated Thurston County vote late," Eason said. "Don't give up. Keep praying."
Countywide measures
Votes in favor of expanding the County Commission and the Port of Olympia Commission appeared to be leading in early returns Tuesday night.
In Tuesday night's tallies, about 54.8% (36,469) voted to approve Thurston County Proposition No. 1 and 45.2% (30,115) voted against it. As for Port of Olympia Proposition No. 1, about 50.5% (33,329) voted in favor of it and 49.5% (32,683) voted against it.
If the measures pass, then each commission will move to increase their membership from three to five next year, effectively setting up the county for new elections.
Both bodies decided to put their respective measures on the ballot this year after the county population surpassed 300,000. Proponents of the change have argued it will improve communication among commissioners, the delegation of tasks and representation.
Menser, who supports expanding the county commission, said he felt excited by the early returns.
"I think that's really going to enhance the quality of government in Thurston County in a lot of ways," Menser said. "So, I'm very pleased to see that the voters were able to support that."
On Sept. 9, a redistricting committee put forward two map options, B and C, for each commission to review. The Board of County Commissioners unanimously agreed on option C as their preferred alternative on Sept. 28.
Adding two seats to the county commission will cost the county taxpayers about $754,000 a year in ongoing annual staffing costs, according to the county.
That's on top of the roughly $1.1 million a year the county already pays in salaries and benefits to the three existing commissioners and their assistants, The Olympian previously reported.
Additionally, the county says expanding its commission will cost $392,000 in one-time election costs and $200,000 in ongoing election costs per four-year election cycle.
Meanwhile, the Port expects the two additional commissioners to cost $145,000 a year, The Olympian previously reported. This amount will combine with the $238,000 the Port already spends on its current commission, bringing the total to $383,000.
Other races
In the Auditor race, Democrat Mary Hall claimed about 63.3% (43,028 votes) in early returns Tuesday night. Her challenger Sal Militello, a Republican, earned 36.6% (24,854 votes).
Hall received the results while working at the ballot processing center. She said the results in her race fell in line with what she expected.
"I appreciate that voters have confidence in me to give me another four years to serve," Hall said.
A victory for Hall would grant her another term in the position she has held since 2013. In addition to elections, the Auditor's Office is responsible for recording and maintaining county records, licensing vehicles and vessels and other financial services.
While in office, Hall has worked to make elections more transparent and improve accessibility. Her efforts have earned her various awards over the years, including Auditor of the Year for 2020.
Incumbent Clerk Linda Enlow led with 57.3% (33,339 votes) over Tonya Moore, who claimed 39.4% (22,907 votes) Tuesday night. Both candidates ran as Democrats.
Since first being elected in 2014, Enlow has made improvements to the court's digital technology and implemented a new case management system.
Moore, operations manager for Superior Court, has 25 years of court experience in Thurston and Pierce counties.
During her campaign, she advocated for making the court more accessible for all, including minorities and those who have experienced trauma.
Assessor Steven Drew appeared poised to keep his position in early returns Tuesday night despite recent allegations against him by his former chief deputy. Drew claimed 58.2% (38,984 votes) while Dave Kolar earned 41.6% (27,827 votes).
Drew, a Democrat, has served as County Assessor since 2010. Kolar, an independent, has worked as the vanpool program coordinator at Intercity Transit for a decade.
Treasurer Jeff Gadman led with 65% (42,094 votes) Tuesday night. His challenger, Jeff Curry received 34.6% (22,414 votes).
Gadman, a Democrat, won his election to become Treasurer in 2017 after being appointed to the same position earlier that year. Additionally, he served as a Lacey City Council member from 2011 to 2017.
Curry has worked as a Tumwater school bus driver and has no party preference.
Coroner Gary Warnock and Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim ran for re-election unopposed.
