How many new faces will join Pierce County Council? Here are early election results

Two Pierce County Council incumbents and the Democrat tapped by outgoing Chair Derek Young to succeed him jumped out to sizable leads in the first batch of general election results released Tuesday evening.

In the race for Young’s open District 7 seat, Democrat Robyn Denson, a Gig Harbor City Council member, followed up on a strong August primary performance with nearly 59% of the more than 50,000 votes tallied in the race so far. Republican Paula Lonergan, Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission chair and wife of county Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan, captured 41%, similar to the share that she and the two other GOP candidates tallied in the final August results.

The margin between the two District 7 candidates is about 8,900 votes, with an estimate of nearly 10,700 ballots outstanding, according to the Pierce County Auditor’s Office. The seat represents Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, Fox Island, McNeil Island, Ruston, West Tacoma and North Tacoma.

“I am thrilled and honored to have gotten so many votes across the district,” Denson told The News Tribune over the phone Tuesday night. “I think what resonated during the second half of the campaign is just how diverse the issues are across the district and almost how important it is to get down the micro level in neighborhoods and communities.”

Denson, who went door to door across the district as a part of a grassroots campaign strategy, has told The News Tribune her priorities would be planning for growth, protecting the environment and addressing crime, homelessness and mental health issues.

Denson said she’s started to grow tired of only talking about the things she’s excited to do on Council.

“I’m just ready to get to work,” she said.

The Auditor’s Office said it expected a general election turnout of about 65% last week. So far, that number is about 41.5%.

The closest race Tuesday evening was for the District 5 seat representing areas from Browns Point south to Spanaway.

Incumbent Marty Campbell, 51, a Democrat, led Republican Nancy Dailey Slotnick, 58, an Army veteran and small business owner, by 11.5% of the votes tallied so far. Campbell, who is running for his second term, captured nearly 14,100 votes, or close to 56%, compared to Slotnick’s 44%.

Campbell told The News Tribune he was “very pleased with the early results.” He added, “Tonight affirms the Democratic majority on the Pierce County Council.”

That majority will determine how the county addresses Campbell’s priorities of homelessness, inflation and affordable housing, he said.

Campbell, an Eastside resident who previously served two terms on the City Council, said he thought his experienced and thoughtful leadership during his first term resonated with his constituents.

The race in District 1, which covers Bonney Lake and large parts of East Pierce County heading toward Crystal Mountain, saw the most lopsided results of the three Council contests.

Incumbent Dave Morell, 63, one of three Republicans on the seven-seat County Council, led America First Republican Timothy Tooker by a margin of more than 47% in early results. About 72.5% of ballots counted so far, or close to 23,100 votes, went for Morell, who also is seeking a second term, while just shy of 25.5% went to Tooker.

“I appreciate the confidence of the voters in the First District,” Morell said during a phone interview.

Morell said it was concerning that another Republican filed to run against him but said he respects Tooker and the perspective he brought to the race.

“I always say if you can outwork me or show how you would be more effective in the district, and you can convince the voters, then more power to you,” Morell said. He added later, “We have to be focusing on what’s important for Pierce County, and not all views that Mr. Tooker represented are issues that you can get elected on in Pierce County.”

Morell has said his priorities include public safety, transportation and housing affordability. He lives in South Hill and represented the 25th Legislative District for the state House in the early 2000s.

The county planned to post its next vote tally on Wednesday at about 4:15 p.m.