Here's Who Filed for Snohomish County's August 4 Primary: Contested Races, Key Matchups, and What Everett Voters Need to Know

Q: When is the 2026 primary election in Snohomish County?
A: August 4, 2026. Ballots will be mailed July 15. The voter registration and update deadline is July 27.

Washington’s 2026 candidate filing window closed at 5 PM Friday, May 8, and the races for the August 4 primary ballot are now set.

Filing week ran May 4–8 at the Snohomish County Elections Office, 3000 Rockefeller Ave. in Everett, with online filing also available through the Washington Secretary of State’s portal. By Friday’s close, every race on the August primary ballot had its final candidate list.

The Everett City Council’s EMS levy lid lift — which voters approved sending to the August 4 ballot in April — also appears on this ballot as a proposition, separate from the candidate races. That’s covered in its own article; this one focuses on who filed to run for office.

How the Primary Works

Washington uses a top-two primary. All candidates for a given race appear on a single ballot regardless of party. The top two vote-getters — even if both are from the same party — advance to the November 3 general election.

If only one or two candidates filed for a position, they automatically advance to the general election and won’t appear on the August primary ballot.

Snohomish County will mail ballots July 15. The last day to register to vote or update voter registration is July 27. Completed ballots must be returned by 8 PM on August 4.

Congressional Races

Congressional District 2 covers a large portion of Snohomish County including Everett. Incumbent Rick Larsen (D), who has represented the district since 2001, faces four challengers: Edwin H. Feller (R), Devin Hermanson (D), Raymond Pelletti (R), and Tomas Scheel (D). With two Democratic challengers plus two Republican candidates in a district Larsen has held for over two decades, this is the county’s most competitive congressional primary.

Congressional District 1 — covering parts of the county’s southern and eastern edges — sees incumbent Suzan DelBene (D) facing five challengers: James Etzkorn (I), Hunter Gordon (D), Catherine Hildebrand (D), Benjamin Kincaid (D), Bryce Nickel (D), and Mary Silva (R).

Congressional District 8, which includes parts of Snohomish County’s eastern edge, has incumbent Kim Schrier (D) facing Keith Arnold (D), Trinh Ha (R), Bob Hagglund (R), Spencer Meline (R), and Andres Valleza (R).

State Legislative Races: The Districts That Cover Everett

District 38 covers Everett and surrounding communities. State Sen. June Robinson (D) faces challenger Brad Bender (R). In the House, Rep. Julio Cortes (D) faces Annie Fitzgerald (D) and Thomas (Jeff) Kelly (Cascade) in Position 1. Rep. Mary Fosse (D) filed alone for Position 2 and advances automatically to the general.

District 44 covers Mill Creek and adjacent areas of Snohomish County. State Sen. John Lovick (D) faces Sherri Larkin (R). In the House, Rep. Brandy Donaghy (D) faces Chris Elder (R) in Position 1, and Rep. April Berg (D) faces Tonya Stadlman (R) in Position 2.

District 21 covers Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, and Mukilteo — communities south of Everett in Snohomish County. State Sen. Marko Liias (D) faces Riaz Khan (R). Rep. Strom Peterson (D) is the sole Position 1 filer and advances automatically. Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self (D) faces Bruce Guthrie (Libertarian) in Position 2.

District 32 covers northwest Snohomish County. The senate seat held by Jesse Salomon (D) features a three-way race: Salomon (D), Cindy Ryu (D), and Ira McBee (R). Position 1 is particularly crowded with six candidates: Chris Bloomquist (D), Will Chen (D), Jenna Nand (D), Danica Noble (D), Lisa Rezac (R), and Keith Scully (D). Rep. Lauren Davis (D) faces Imraan Siddiqi (D) in Position 2.

Snohomish County Offices

PUD Commissioner District 1: Three candidates filed — Bruce King, Janet St. Clair, and incumbent Sid Logan. The Snohomish County PUD sets electricity rates and runs the utility infrastructure for most of the county outside Everett’s city utility service area. Three candidates means this race goes to the primary ballot.

Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney: Incumbent Jason Cummings (D) filed unopposed and advances directly to the general election.

Courts

Most district court judicial positions in Snohomish County appear to have single filers, meaning judges automatically advance to the general election without a primary race. This includes both Everett District Court positions: Judge Anthony E. Howard (Position 1) and Judge Jennifer Millett (Position 2).

Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 2 incumbent Linda Coburn also filed.

What’s Not on This Ballot

Everett City Council seats are not up in 2026. Seats 6 and 7 are next on the 2027 cycle.

The Everett Charter Review Committee and the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission are both targeting November 2026 for their ballot measures — those are still being developed and are separate from the primary.

What To Do Next

Check your registration now: Visit vote.wa.gov to confirm your registration is current and your address is correct. You have until July 27 to update.

Find your district: The Snohomish County Elections website at snohomishcountywa.gov/224 has an interactive map. Enter your address to find which congressional, legislative, and judicial races appear on your ballot.

See the full candidate list: The Washington Secretary of State’s candidate portal at voter.votewa.gov lists all candidates statewide with party and filing status.

Mark your calendar: Ballots arrive July 15. Don’t wait until August 4 to return yours by mail — give it a few days of transit time, or use a drop box.

Track the EMS levy separately: The Everett EMS levy lid lift is also on the August 4 ballot as a standalone proposition. It’s separate from candidate races.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I get my ballot?

Snohomish County mails ballots July 15. If you haven’t received yours by July 22, contact the Snohomish County Elections Office at 425-388-3444 or visit snohomishcountywa.gov/224.

What if I moved since the last election?

Update your registration at vote.wa.gov before July 27. You must register to your current address to receive the correct ballot.

Do I have to vote on every race?

No. You can leave individual races blank without affecting the rest of your ballot.

How does the top-two primary work?

All candidates for a race appear on a single primary ballot. You pick one. The top two advance to the November 3 general — regardless of party. This means two candidates from the same party can face each other in November.