Pierce County, Washington

Pierce County Council, District 1

2 candidates are tracked for Pierce County Council, District 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jerome O'Leary and Kelsey Barrans. Candidate information follows official Pierce County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

August 4 top-two primary: Jerome O'Leary 53.6 percent, Kelsey Barrans 21.1 percent; also ran: Terrance Mayers (15.9 percent), Kenneth King (9.5 percent), per the county's official results. Open seat: sitting District 1 councilmember Dave Morell is not on the certified filing list, per the county's official council roster. Washington's August 4, 2026 top-two primary sent the two leading candidates to the November 3 ballot regardless of party; the field shown is the Secretary of State's VoteWA general-election list. Council districts appear only on the ballots of voters who live in them, so confirm your district with Pierce County Elections.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

Washington › Pierce County › Pierce County Council, District 1

Jerome O'Leary

Republican

Top priorities

Transparent decision making in county government
Responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars
Government efficiency over partisan agendas

Per the campaign site.

Biography

A senior vice president at the commercial real estate firm Kidder Mathews with more than 30 years in acquisition, leasing and sales across Washington and Idaho, per his campaign site. He started out in commercial construction as an estimator and project manager, and at 19 he founded Canopy Land, a Pierce County camper and canopy retailer he later sold to a manufacturer, per the same site. He is endorsed by the Tacoma Pierce County Association of Realtors, per that group's 2026 endorsement list.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Kelsey Barrans

Democratic

Top priorities

Steering infrastructure funding toward projects in unincorporated Pierce County
Transit and road capacity for rural towns such as Orting, Buckley and Graham that have no transit service
Housing strategies each community picks for itself, from added density to incentives to rental subsidies

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Director of transformational wellness at Green River College, where she leads a team providing basic needs access and support services to students, per her questionnaire to the 31st District Democrats. She was elected from Pierce County Council District 1 to the county Charter Review Commission and chairs that commission, per the same questionnaire, and campaigns under the slogan finding common ground for the common good.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotPierce County Council, District 5

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Pierce County Council, District 1 in 2026?

When is the Pierce County Council, District 1 election in Washington?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Washington are on the Washington election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Pierce County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Pierce County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Washington election office, or see the full Pierce County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Pierce County ballot

30 tracked races in Pierce County, Washington. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Pierce County Council, District 7 Pierce County District Court, Judge Position No. 7 Pierce County Auditor See all 30 Pierce County races

Candidate profiles

Jerome O'Leary, full profile Kelsey Barrans, full profile Official Washington election office