County

Thurston County Commissioner

District 5

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The board of county commissioners adopts Thurston County's budget, sets county tax rates and land-use policy, and oversees county departments.

Thurston County has a five-member board: commissioners are nominated by district in the primary and elected by the voters of the entire county (RCW 36.32.0556).

Candidates Compare by issue

Nicolas Martinez-Dunning

Prefers Moderate Democrat Party

Small business owner; Lacey City Councilmember

The gist

Opposes taking special-interest and PAC campaign money
Supports cross-party solutions on safety and affordability
Pledges to build trust among county staff, officials and public

More about Nicolas

View sources (1)

Opposes taking special-interest and PAC campaign money
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“We have rejected all funding from special interest groups and political action committees”
Supports cross-party solutions on safety and affordability
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“unite around practical solutions that improve safety, affordability, opportunity, and transparency for everyone in Thurston County.”
Pledges to build trust among county staff, officials and public
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“I will bring the same leadership to the county that builds trust between the county staff, elected officials, and the public.”

Emily Clouse

Prefers Democratic Party

Thurston County Commissioner, District 5

The gist

Voted against a county budget process that bypassed community input
Led approval of $25 million for affordable housing
Supports heat pump discounts and Deschutes Estuary restoration
Pledges to prioritize affordability at all income levels

More about Emily

View sources (1)

Voted against a county budget process that bypassed community input
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“I voted against a county budget process that bypassed community input while cutting staff and domestic violence navigation services.”
Led approval of $25 million for affordable housing
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“As Chair of the Regional Housing Council, I oversaw approval of $25 million for affordable housing, including 186 new supportive units”
Supports heat pump discounts and Deschutes Estuary restoration
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“including discounted heat pump upgrades and $7.6 million for the Deschutes Estuary restoration.”
Pledges to prioritize affordability at all income levels
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“I will continue prioritizing affordability at all income levels.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 4 issues covered in this race.