1980 Snohomish County Executive special election|
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The 1980 Snohomish County Executive special election took place on March 11, 1980, following a primary election on February 5, 1980, to elect the first county executive of Snohomish County, Washington. On November 6, 1979, voters approved a home rule charter that created an elected County Executive and a five-member County Council,[1] abolishing the three-member County Commission as of May 1, 1980.[2]
Four candidates ran in the election: former newspaper editor Willis Tucker, a Democrat; Republican State Representative Gary A. Nelson, perennial candidate John Patric, a Republican; and housewife Louise Saluteen, an independent. In the primary election, Tucker placed first with 47 percent, and Nelson won the Republican nomination over Patric in a landslide, winning 41 percent of the vote to Patric's 4 percent, while Saluteen won 8 percent of the vote.[3]
Tucker ultimately won the general election by a narrow margin, receiving 49 percent of the vote to Nelson's 44 percent and Saluteen's 7 percent, though Republicans won a majority on the County Council.[4]
Primary election
Candidates
Results
General election
Results
References
- ^ Pyle, Jack (November 7, 1979). "Thurston County charter defeated". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. p. A-12. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Benbow, Mike (March 10, 1980). "County's No. 1 job is up to the voters Tuesday for 1st time". The Everett Herald. p. 1A. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Benbow, Mike (February 6, 1980). "3 remain in county executive race". The Everett Herald. p. 1A. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Benbow, Mike (March 12, 1980). "County winners: Tucker, GOP pair". The Everett Herald. p. 1A. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tucker will run for exec". The Everett Herald. December 3, 1979. p. 6A. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Benbow, Mike (December 6, 1979). "State representative seeks county executive post". The Everett Herald. p. 10F. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Benbow, Mike (March 6, 1980). "Louise Saluteen". The Everett Herald. p. 3A. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Benbow, Mike (December 22, 1979). "The candidates speak". The Everett Herald. p. 10D. Retrieved July 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "OFFICIAL SPECIAL PRIMARY VOTE TOTALS". Snohomish County Auditor. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "OFFICIAL SPECIAL GENERAL RESULTS". Snohomish County Auditor. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
