Snohomish County roundup: Mayoral incumbents look to be defeated

In Snohomish County, two incumbent mayors appear to be headed to defeat while the Sheriff’s race is too close to call. (For the latest raw vote totals, click on races below.)

Snohomish County Sheriff: Susanna Johnson-51.7% vs. Adam Fortnoy-48.2%

An election night surprise in Snohomish County, with incumbent Sheriff Adam Fortney trailing behind challenger Susanna Johnson in early tallies.

Full story: Johnson outgunning incumbent Fortney for Snohomish County Sheriff

Edmonds Mayor: Mike Rosen-57.1% vs. Mike Nelson-42.7%

Mike Rosen has a decisive lead in the race for Edmonds Mayor. Nelson narrowly beat Rosen by 47 votes in a four-way primary.

Nelson was first elected mayor in 2019, following four years on the City Council. Rosen, the former managing principal at communication firm PRR, criticized Nelson for “not respecting” the input of his constituents.

Arlington Mayor: Don Vanney-63.4% vs. Barb Tolbert-36.2%

Challenger Don Vanney has a big lead over incumbent Mayor Barb Tolbert.

Tolbert’s campaign hinged on improving roads and offering more mixed housing.

Vanney pushed for more single-family housing. He wants residents to be able to own property. Vanney prioritized improving infrastructure to support its growing population.

Other key Snohomish County races

Executive: Democrat Dave Somers leads Bob Hagglund 60.6%-39.3%.

Dave Somers is the Snohomish County Executive. He took office on Jan. 1, 2016, and is the fifth Snohomish County Executive. 

Somers previously served on the Snohomish County Council. His competitor Bob Hagglund is a health care data scientist born and raised in Everett. He is chairman of the Snohomish County Republican Party. 

Assessor: Linda Hjelle leads Joe Wanagel 68.8%-31%.

Linda Hjelle, who lives in Granite Falls, is seeking a third term as the assessor. Term limits would make this her last four-year term. She started in the assessor’s office over 30 years ago in an entry-level position and worked her way through the ranks.

Joe Wanagel, who lives in Bothell, was running because he thinks property taxes are too high.

Auditor: Garth Fell leads Cindy Gobel 59.9%-39.8%.

Four years ago, Cindy Gobel lost the race for Snohomish County auditor to her colleague Garth Fell by about 4,200 votes.

Now they’re in a rematch. Fell is a registered independent voter, while Gobel is an outspoken Democrat.

Find all election results at the top of our homepage.