Six candidates are set to face off to be Tacoma’s next mayor in the upcoming primary on Aug. 5. Residents will have to decide between a wide range of candidates with a variety of experience to lead the Tacoma City Council.
In order of how they will appear on the ballot: Steve Haverly, Jesus “Jesse” Carlos, Whitney Stevens, Anthony (Tony) Ginn, Anders Ibsen and John Hines are competing to be the two top vote getters in the summer primary – who will move on to the general election in the fall.
Current Mayor Victoria Woodards is finishing up her second term. The city of Tacoma is structured as a Council-Manager style of government, which empowers the Tacoma city manager to take care of day to day operations while the mayor largely acts as an additional member of the city council and presides over council meetings.
Local election official Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer described the position of Tacoma mayor as “ceremonial,” but also said the mayor “serves as the face of the city and sets the tone for policy.”
According to city spokesperson Maria Lee, the Tacoma mayor is considered a full-time position and earns a salary of $121,867. The mayor and city council members serve 4-year terms and cannot stay on the council for more than ten consecutive years.
Steve Haverly
Haverly works in construction and, according to his campaign website, has a background in media production. He is running on a platform that includes advocating for the Tacoma Police Department to hire more designated crisis responders and revitalizing the city’s downtown.
Jesus “Jesse” Carlos
Carlos currently works as a financial advisor. The Harvard graduate and former army ranger listed on his campaign website his priorities include pushing for more workforce development programs and improving public safety. He wants to bring his style of “data-driven decision-making and fiscal stewardship” to leading Tacoma, if elected to be its next mayor.
Whitney Stevens
Stevens has experience working in local government – including at the Pierce County Auditor's office. According to her campaign website, she recently founded an initiative called The Viability Project. It’s focused on helping “women and underrepresented candidates” run for office. If elected, her priorities include re-building public trust in local law enforcement and working to increase access to childcare for Tacoma families.
Anthony “Tony” Ginn
Ginn doesn’t have an official website for his campaign, but his LinkedIn profile shows he works in sales and is an adjunct professor at the South Sound Actors Workshop.
Anders Ibsen
Ibsen may be familiar to Tacoma voters because he previously served two terms on the city council. Since leaving his position in city government, he’s worked as a real estate broker. According to his campaign website, his platform includes expanding access to affordable housing in Tacoma and reducing cost of living expenses for residents.
John Hines
Hines currently represents District 1 on the Tacoma City Council and currently works at Tacoma Public Schools. He was first elected to the council in 2019. According to Hines’ campaign website, he is committed to helping to build a skilled workforce and continuing to focus on keeping a balanced city budget.
Editor's note: Linda Farmer is a former member of the KNKX Community Advisory Council.
