(The Center Square) – Following the first night of ballot counts, Dave Somers is set to retain his position as the Snohomish County Executive.
As of Tuesday night, Somers is leading Bob Hagglund, who chairs the county’s Republican party, with 61% of 109,000 votes collected.
Somers – who aligns with the Democratic party – has served as the county executive since 2016. On his campaign website, the incumbent executive said he is dedicated to enhancing public service delivery and ensuring that vulnerable Snohomish County residents are protected.
Somers also advocated for agriculture and sustainable development.
“I am thrilled that Snohomish County has chosen to re-elect me as county executive for a third and final term,” Somers said in a social media post. “This victory is a validation of my efforts to build safe, supportive communities in Snohomish County, and I am looking forward to continuing this work.”
Somers has touted his previous actions against tax increases since he became the county executive. This includes not proposing general fund tax increases in most of his years at the positions.
Hagglund made public safety his top priority as a candidate for the county executive position, while also calling for a change in government that focuses on serving Snohomish County residents, rather than catering to donors and political influencers.
Somers has made some efforts to improve public safety in the county. His actions include being the first county executive in Washington state to activate its emergency management system to address the opioid epidemic that is present throughout the state, as well as spearheading the implementation of body worn cameras for county sheriff deputies.
Somers said he is now leading the region in deploying the county’s opioid settlement dollars in partnership with other local leaders and experts.
