Sanders Leads Sheriff’s Primary | Seattle News

Seattle News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 5, 2026 · 1m

Incumbent Sheriff Derek Sanders is cruising to victory in Thurston County’s primary, leading challenger Kevin Burton-Crow by a whopping 69.5% to 30.2%. With both advancing to the November general election, Sanders’ strong showing signals deep community support for his hands-on leadership and bold reforms—including hiring more deputies and building a new headquarters—funded by a voter-approved sales tax. Since taking office in 2023, Sanders has expanded the Sheriff’s Office from 33 patrol deputies and 8 detectives to 55 and 18, despite financial headwinds. Burton-Crow, an Army vet and…