Commissioner, District 1
August 4, 2026 · Yakima County, Washington · County · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 31 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 257,152 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,287,171 ÷ 257,152) ÷ ln(2,287,171 ÷ 2,353) = 31.77, comparing counties in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
County Commissioner is responsible for:
- Passing county rules and the county budget
- Setting property tax rates that fund county services
- Overseeing county departments such as roads, parks, and public health
- Deciding land use in areas outside city limits
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Dave Mullen
Republican · declared
Dave Mullen filed for Yakima County Commissioner, District 1, then announced he was withdrawing after the filing deadline. His campaign describes prior service on the Moxee City Council and as interim city administrator for Naches.
Records: Environment and Public Health 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 1 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for, Social Programs and Welfare 1 for
Kristoffer Strutner
Republican · declared
Kristoffer Strutner is a candidate for Yakima County Commissioner, District 1.
Robert Udell
Republican · declared
Robert Udell is Yakima County Sheriff and a candidate for Yakima County Commissioner, District 1.
Roman Buermann
Tea Party · declared
Roman Buermann is a candidate for Yakima County Commissioner, District 1.
Election sources
Source: yakimacounty.us