(The Center Square) – Close mayoral races in Pierce and Snohomish counties might be a sign of frustration with the status quo in Everett and a hunger for bold change in Tacoma.
In Everett, Snohomish County’s largest city, Mayor Cassie Franklin holds a narrow 5.4% lead over former City Councilmember Scott Murphy after Tuesday night. Franklin is looking to earn a third term in office after being first elected mayor in 2017. In 2021, Franklin won reelection with 73% of the vote.
Ballots are still being tabulated in a contest that saw Murphy win a four-way race in the August primary with a margin of just 65 votes.
Either candidate will face tough decisions ahead as Everett is likely to face $16.8 million in cuts needed in 2026 to address budget deficits. Those deficits are expected to continue snowballing each year beyond that after voters rejected a property tax increase to fund services in 2024.
Franklin and Murphy differ on public safety and homelessness, as Franklin, a former youth homelessness nonprofit CEO, emphasizes a service-oriented approach. Under Franklin’s time as mayor, she expanded shelter capacity by over 500 units. Murphy instead calls for stricter enforcement of public camping, adding that Franklin’s policies have enabled public drug use. Whoever wins will represent what the majority of voters prioritize: the current social infrastructure, or Murphy’s tougher governing reset.
In Tacoma, former City Councilmember Anders Ibsen leads current City Councilmember John Hines with 53.6% of collected votes through Tuesday night. Whoever ultimately wins will replace Mayor Victoria Woodards. Term limits prevent Woodards from running for mayor again.
Ibsen, who bested Hines for the city’s District 1 in 2015 by about 800 votes, highlighted collaborative solutions for Tacoma’s biggest challenges: homelessness, public safety, and affordability.
In contrast, Hines pitched an action-oriented approach to these issues, especially when impacting the city’s business voters. Recently, the Tacoma City Council approved a bill sponsored by Hines that expands its public camping ban around public parks, schools, libraries and permanent shelters. This bill received criticism from some residents who said it further criminalizes homelessness and makes life more difficult for them.
Election officials will continue releasing updated results through the week. The Center Square will update this story once winners are confirmed.
