News

Gig Harbor wasn’t exempt from the blue wave

A blue wave washed up on the shores of Gig Harbor.

Democrats nationally seized control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and appear on the verge of flipping five governors’ offices around the nation.

The pattern held on the peninsula, where Democrats retained the Pierce County Council District 7 seat and appear to have swept three seats in the Legislature. Voters generally, though not exclusively, picked the more left-leaning side on ballot measures and tax requests.

The results don’t only reflect a national trend. They may also illustrate a changing politics in the Gig Harbor area, where in the recent past Republicans held all three legislative posts and traditionally dominated county council races.

Here are updated vote totals from the Nov. 3. election.

Pierce County Council District 7

Democrat Brenda Lykins defeated Republican Mike Solan for the Pierce County Council District 7 seat.

Lykins, a former member of the Gig Harbor City Council and Pierce County Charter Review Commission, earned 63.6% of the vote.

Solan, a former president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild who still serves as an officer in that city, received the support of just 36.32%.

It’s the fourth consecutive win for Democrats in District 7, once a Republican bastion. The Democratic winners in the last four council elections include Derek Young in 2014, when he defeated Republican incumbent Stan Flemming by 93 votes out of 41,523 cast; Young again in 2018; Robyn Denson in 2022; and Lykins this year.

The results in District 7 and elsewhere in Pierce County won’t change the partisan makeup of the council. Democrats will continue to control four of seven seats.

26th Legislative District

As recently as 2016, Republicans held all three seats in the 26th Legislative District. When the new Legislature takes office in January, Democrats will hold all three.

The 26th District was one of just three “purple” districts in Washington state, represented by members of both major political parties. But with Democrats holding substantial leads in all three races, the 26th appears set to lose that status.

The district swung completely red for two relatively recent election cycles, in 2014 and 2016. Jan Angel of Port Orchard represented the district in the Senate, with Jesse Young and Michelle Caldier in the House. 

Wednesday’s ballot count update did nothing to change the momentum of election night. Deb Krishnadasan leads the Senate race against Gary Parker with 57.7%. Adison Richards (56.31%) and Renee Hernandez Greenfield (54.63%) are comfortably ahead in their House races against David Olson and Katy Cornell, respectively. 

Pierce Transit

Pierce Transit Proposition 1, which would increase the sales tax inside the transit district from 0.6% to 0.9%, is passing with 57% of the vote.

Locally, Pierce Transit has promised to increase service on Gig Harbor’s Route 100 to every 30 minutes if the tax increase passes. Currently, the bus runs every hour.

The transit agency also promised to extend service hours on Route 100, which loops between Tacoma Community College to the Purdy Park and Ride. Buses will run until 9 p.m. on Saturdays. 

Pierce Transit vowed to buy new vehicles for the summer Gig Harbor Trolley service, provide a holiday shuttle and revive the Waterfront Connecter service. Rides would be free for those ages 65 and older.

The measure does not extend Pierce Transit’s service area, meaning rural Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula will remain without routed bus service. 

Initiatives

Pierce County voters aligned with the statewide electorate on two of the three high-profile state ballot initiatives.

The most-talked-about of the ballot measures was I-645, which asked voters to repeal the income tax on high-earners approved by the 2026 Legislature.

In Pierce County, 54.5% of voters rejected Initiative 645, a slightly lower proportion than the 58.09% statewide.

Pierce County (60.62% in favor) and Washington state (56.80% in favor) voters also agreed on Initiative 638. The measure would bar transgender girls from participating in girls school sports.

Pierce County voters supported Initiative 1, which deals with the rights of parents and guardians of public school children, with 51.63% backing it. Statewide, the initiative is failing, with 52.69% voting no.

Blue wave exception

Charter Amendment 53 could be viewed as an exception to the blue wave. The proposed amendment to the Pierce County Charter would make the office of Pierce County Sheriff an appointed, instead of elected, position.

The amendment was widely viewed as a response to controversial Republican Sheriff Keith Swank. If voters approved it, Swank’s term would end on Jan. 1, with Democratic County Executive Ryan Mello appointing his replacement.

But voters resoundingly rejected the amendment. More than 2/3rds of voters (66.7%) voted to keep the office of sheriff an elected position.