Snaza Leads Murphy in Lewis County Sheriff’s Race 

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Incumbent Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza was leading the race against challenger Tracy Murphy 52.71%, or 12,625 votes, to 46.17%, or 11,058 votes, as of preliminary election results released at 8:05 p.m. on Tuesday. 

“We're just excited to see the results and we look forward to moving on for another four years,” Snaza told a Chronicle reporter on election night. 

Murphy surpassed the votes he gained in the Aug. 2 primary, where he trailed behind Snaza  37.76%, or 8,654 votes, to Snaza’s 61.3%, or 14,050 votes. 

With over 5,000 ballots left to count, Murphy said he and his campaign remain optimistic.

“I think with 46% of the voters, yeah, I think we're looking pretty good,” he said Tuesday night. “I'm feeling good about it. I'm surrounded by friends and family, so it can't be any better than that.” 

Of the local races, the one for Lewis County sheriff between Snaza and Murphy has been the most contentious.

Both candidates are Republicans with long tenures in law enforcement. Snaza has worked for the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office since 1995 and has been sheriff since 2015. Murphy has worked for the Centralia Police Department for 28 years, currently holding the rank of detective sergeant.



Murphy said his decision to run against Snaza stemmed from a statement Snaza made before the Lewis County Board of Commissioners in November 2021 encouraging anyone who thought they could do a better job than him to run for sheriff in the next election. Murphy said he prayed over the decision for a long time before deciding to formally launch his campaign on March 5. 

Snaza was first elected sheriff in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018. He said the need to address challenges in the community and his love for working directly with his community were some of the reasons he decided to seek a third term as Lewis County sheriff. 

There are an estimated 5,554 ballots remaining to be counted in the county. The next update is set for Wednesday. 

County certification of the Washington state general election will take place at 9 a.m. on Nov. 29.

View unofficial results for the current Lewis County election online at https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the state Elections Department at 740-1278, 740-1164 or toll free within Lewis County at 1-800-562-6130, ext. 1278 or 1164.