Commissioner, District No. 5
Thurston County, Washington
My vote power
Above average
Election date
August 4, 2026 · Primary election
This seat represents District No. 5, not the whole district above. We can’t match an address to an area this small, so this race may not be on your ballot.
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Above average · 65 out of 100
This district is a good deal smaller than its state, so each vote here carries more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 299,067 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(7,816,116 ÷ 299,067) ÷ ln(50,000) = 65.08, measured against a statewide vote in WA (grades: 66+ high, 55+ above average, 33+ average, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.
Above average representation → My vote power: Above average.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information.
About this office
- Setting your property tax rate
- Funding county roads, parks, and public health services
- Setting land use and building rules outside city limits
Affects: Healthcare Affordability, Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency,
Candidates
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Emily Clouse is the District 5 Thurston County Commissioner, serving her first term through 2026. A U.S. Army veteran, she founded CARE, a nonprofit supporting justice-impacted youth and families, and previously worked for Washington DSHS.
Records: Environment and Public Health 1 for, Government Spending Reduction 1 against, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for,
Democratic · declared
Michelle Gipson is a North Thurston Public Schools Board Director seeking Thurston County Commission District 5. Her campaign emphasizes collaborative public service and work on housing, healthcare access, public safety, and environmental protection.
Moderate Democrat · declared
Nicolas Martinez-Dunning is a Lacey City Councilmember seeking Thurston County Commission District 5. He is a disabled combat veteran and small-business owner who describes his campaign as moderate and focused on community unity.
Records: Government Spending Reduction 8 against, Public Infrastructure 3 for, Environment and Public Health 2 for,
Sources: voter.votewa.gov2