Ahead of the August primary election, The Chronicle sat down with the five candidates vying for a seat on the Lewis County Board of Commissioners.
Three candidates — incumbent Sean Swope and challengers Damian Bean and Peter Lahmann — filed to represent District 1, which represents Centralia and much of the northern portion of the county. Two candidates — incumbent Lindsey Pollock and Christina Riley — have filed to represent District 2, which encompasses much of western Lewis County.
A top-two primary will be held on Aug. 6 to decide which two candidates advance to the general election in each race with three or more candidates.
The Lewis County Auditor’s Office has mailed 54,982 ballots to registered voters. Registered voters should receive their ballot by July 26.
If a voter doesn’t receive their, the auditor’s office recommends visiting votewa.gov and selecting “my ballot,” calling 360-740-1278 or visiting 351 NW North St., Chehalis. If a registered voter has moved, they can update their registration with either of the options.
Lewis County offers ballot boxes in all nine of its incorporated cities — Chehalis, Centralia, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Pe Ell, Toledo, Vader and Winlock — as well as in the unincorporated areas of Mineral, Onalaska and Packwood.
Ballot boxes are open 24 hours a day beginning 20 days prior to each election. They close promptly at 8 p.m. on election day.
Sean Swope — District 1
Four years after he first ran for a seat on the Board of County Commissioners, Republican Sean Swope finds himself in a reversed position: the incumbent trying to fend off challengers.
After knocking off Commissioner Edna Fund in 2020, Swope drew two challengers during May filing week, with Republican Port Commissioner Peter Lahmann and Democratic warehouse worker Damian Bean entering the race.
“One thing I want people that are growing up, I want them to love our area,” Swope said of his motivation to run. “I love this area, and I want my kids to fall in love, and I want to be able to give them opportunities to graduate from high school, go to college, and come back here, and plant their family here in Lewis County.”
With three candidates on the ballot, only two will advance to the general election on Nov. 5.
During an interview with The Chronicle, Swope highlighted several of his accomplishments in his first term, including a project to develop a 3-mile stretch of Reynolds Avenue from state Route 507 to the intersection of Galvin Road and Harrison Avenue and enacting measures he said would increase public safety.
“Moving forward, public safety is at the forefront of my mind,” Swope said. “Just ensuring that we all have public safety and providing the resources that we need to help those who are in need.”
Part of the work, he said, would be looking at different county policies “with some of the different Supreme Court decisions that have come down.”
According to Swope, finding “anchor tenants” for the county is a process he said includes work with local jurisdictions and the port.
“We need our economy to grow, and to provide high-wage jobs,” Swope said. “If you’re trading an $80,000 a year job for a $40,000 a year job, then your economy’s going in the wrong direction.
While on the board, Swope has frequently brought forward cultural issues, including protesting the inclusion of pronouns in email signatures, proposing a preemptive ban on mask mandates more than a year after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, and proposing a rating system for Timberland Library commissioners have no authority to enforce.
Moving forward, Swope said it would be important for commissioners to ensure their constituents' rights are protected.
“When things like COVID come up, I’m going to be a voice of reason in those moments that stands up for our rights and ensures that our businesses are protected, that our families are protected and that our children are protected,” Swope said. “I’ll continue to be an advocate for our children and our rights.”
Peter Lahmann — District 1
As he challenges Swope for a seat on the Board of County Commissioners, Peter Lahmann said he’s considered running “for years.”
“We’ve got a lot of issues,” Lahmann said in an interview Tuesday. “I want to be open to listen.”
A Republican, Lahmann will face off against fellow Republican Swope and Democrat Bean in the August primary, with the top two finishers advancing to the general election in November.
Currently, Lahmann serves as a Port of Centralia commissioner and serves on the Lewis County Historical Society and Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council boards.
If elected, Lahmann said he would focus on law enforcement and taxation.
Addressing the county’s rise in poverty would also be a priority, though he said “I don’t know what the answer is.”
Homelessness, Lahmann said, impacts the whole community. According to Lahmann, his business, located on North Tower Avenue in Centralia, has lost business from customers concerned about homeless residents in the surrounding area.
As a county commissioner, Lahmann said he would also partner with the Ports of Centralia and Chehalis to promote new business in the county, though he said the new development would have to be “cognizant” of their surroundings.
“I want to be respectful of the neighbors and make sure what we do is respectful of the community as a whole,” Lahmann said.
First elected as a Port of Centralia commissioner in 2017, Lahmann has touted his experience in serving Lewis County residents. Lahmann was reelected to a second six-year term as a port commissioner last year.
To prepare for the potential role, Lahmann said he has been a frequent attendee of county commissioner meetings “for years.”
Damian Bean — District 1
Once active in Republican politics, Damian Bean finds himself in a unique position: the lone Democrat in the race.
“I would argue that my values never truly changed, it was just my understanding, just a general framework wise, of understanding the issues at play and how I saw things,” Bean said. “And it was a transition that happened gradually and then very suddenly.”
A first time candidate, Bean said began to question his political leanings during the pandemic, followed by the protests for police reform that spanned much of the summer of 2020.
After working for a Republican legislative district in Virginia in 2022, Bean said he continued his political transition.
Now, Bean finds himself challenging incumbent Sean Swope and Port Commissioner Peter Lahmann to represent District 1. Both Lahmann and Swope have filed to run in the race as Republicans. With three candidates on the ballot, only two will advance to the general election on Nov. 5.
“We really need to focus on people first-politics, especially in local government,” Bean said. “We need to put our community first and foremost.”
The inspiration to challenge Swope grew partly out of a feeling that he was “doing nothing for anybody.”
“It was either going after Gather Church for something, or it was going after the queer community for something, or it was just scoring political points in a way that either does nothing or hurts the community,” Bean said.
If elected, Bean said he would focus on economic development, particularly among small businesses. Bean said he would also see additional “vetting” for larger businesses to ensure workers rights are protected.
“I really want to focus on the things that we can all agree on,” Bean said.
Another key, Bean said, would be increasing the housing supply in his district, particularly affordable housing.
“We don’t have a lot of new developments happening,” Bean said.
If elected, Bean said he would also like greater pushback against extremism in the county, particularly among groups that organize and recruit in the county, including Patriot Front and Evergreen Active Club.
“There’s a lot going on there, and it’s a serious threat, especially to queer folks and people of color in Lewis County,” Bean said. “It’s a public safety issue at the end of the day. And at the moment, I don’t think it’s being treated as such. And at the very least, starting the conversation in a serious manner and with an actual understanding of the breadth and depth of the issue, I think, is important.”
Lindsey Pollock — District 2
Though she no longer has the backing of the Lewis County Republican Party, Commissioner Lindsey Pollock says little has changed since her first election in 2020.
And in an interview with The Chronicle, Pollock vowed to build on her work if voters reelected in November.
“I look out for the interests of the everyday Lewis County citizen,” Pollock said.
Pollock will face off against Winlock Resident and fellow Republican Christina Riley for the position, though the Lewis County Republican Party (LCRP) has formally endorsed Riley and previously “vehemently” denounced Pollock.
According to previous reporting by The Chronicle, the move came after a string of events spurred by a Lewis County Pride event in downtown Centralia on June 10, where a group of self-proclaimed white supremacists harassed event attendees.
In an interview, Pollock said she wasn’t worried by her party’s support of another candidate.
“I’m not concerned because Lewis County voters are able to make up their own minds, and I’m confident in the voters,” Pollock said.
If reelected, Pollock said she would work to bring much of her efforts to “completion,” including infrastructure and water system upgrades she said would be more efficient for building housing.
A small business owner, Pollock said it would also keep a keen eye on the county’s finances, as revenues flatline and expenses increase. After successfully navigating her veterinary clinic through the 2009 recession, Pollock said she’s confident she can help the county manage inflationary pressures and fears over a potential recession.
“It’s going to take a very nuanced approach to keep essential services running and not run into deficits,” Pollock said.
Pollock has pointed to her advocacy for reopening Interstate 5 in January 2022 following severe flooding as an example of her local expertise aiding state officials.
The closure was about 20 miles, from milepost 68 near Napavine and milepost 88 near Grand Mound.
After the road was closed, Pollock pressured the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to consider additional data from other gauges, which showed the river would recede faster than anticipated. The freeway was opened hours after her plea.
Christina Riley — District 2
As she seeks to replace an incumbent on the Lewis County Board of Commissioners, Winlock resident Christina Riley said the November election will be key in deciding the county’s direction into the future.
“I think that Lewis County is in a really pivotal moment for growth and infrastructure and our needs,” she said in an interview Tuesday.
A first-time candidate, Riley will challenge incumbent Pollock for the position. Both Pollock and Riley are Republicans, though the Lewis County Republican Party (LCRP) has formally endorsed Riley and previously “vehemently” denounced Pollock.
In the interview, Riley said if elected, she would focus on bringing family wage jobs and infrastructure to the district, which spans much of the western portion of the county. A small business owner, Riley said the county must be able to recruit new businesses to create more jobs.
Economic development is one of the pillars of Riley’s campaign, which includes work to make sure the county’s finances are in order.
“Our budget is not as healthy as it should be,” Riley said.
If elected, Riley also vowed to address other issues that plague the county, including a rise in homelessness and crime.
“I feel like a lot of those tie into the same issues,” she said.
According to Riley, the county has made strides in addressing the rise in homelessness, including an ordinance last year that restricted camping on public property. But the county should go further, she said, and consider some of the policies passed by local municipalities.
“Collaboration across the entire county could be beneficial,” she said.
The only two candidates registered to face off in the Aug. 6 primary, both Pollock and Riley will advance to the November general election on Nov. 5.
“It’s really important that in Lewis County, residents realize how important their voice is,” Riley said. “Silence is consent for what’s taking place.”
