Commissioner, District No. 3
August 4, 2026 · Thurston 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 · 29 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 299,067 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,287,171 ÷ 299,067) ÷ ln(2,287,171 ÷ 2,353) = 29.57, comparing counties in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Low representation + an uncontested race → Very low vote impact.
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
Tye Menser
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Tye Menser is the District 3 Thurston County Commissioner and chairs the Board of County Commissioners through 2026. He is serving his second term, previously practiced law for 21 years, and served on the Thurston County Water Conservancy Board from 2010 to 2013.
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov
Source: voter.votewa.gov