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).
Taxes & budget
Nicolas Martinez-DunningPrefers Moderate Democrat Party
No documented position found.
Emily ClousePrefers Democratic Party
- Voted against a county budget process that bypassed community input
Housing
Nicolas Martinez-DunningPrefers Moderate Democrat Party
No documented position found.
Emily ClousePrefers Democratic Party
- Led approval of $25 million for affordable housing
- Pledges to prioritize affordability at all income levels
Environment & parks
Nicolas Martinez-DunningPrefers Moderate Democrat Party
No documented position found.
Emily ClousePrefers Democratic Party
- Supports heat pump discounts and Deschutes Estuary restoration
Government & transparency
Nicolas Martinez-DunningPrefers Moderate Democrat Party
- 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
Emily ClousePrefers Democratic Party
No documented position found.
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.