The 1980 Snohomish County Executive special election took place on March 11, 1980, following a primary election on February 5, 1980, to elect the first county executive of Snohomish County, Washington. On November 6, 1979, voters approved a home rule charter that created an elected County Executive and a five-member County Council, abolishing the three-member County Commission as of May 1, 1980.
Four candidates ran in the election: former newspaper editor Willis Tucker, a Democrat; Republican State Representative Gary A. Nelson, perennial candidate John Patric, a Republican; and housewife Louise Saluteen, an independent. In the primary election, Tucker placed first with 47 percent, and Nelson won the Republican nomination over Patric in a landslide, winning 41 percent of the vote to Patric's 4 percent, while Saluteen won 8 percent of the vote.
Tucker ultimately won the general election by a narrow margin, receiving 49 percent of the vote to Nelson's 44 percent and Saluteen's 7 percent, though Republicans won a majority on the County Council.
Primary election Candidates Willis Tucker, former editor of the Everett Herald Western Sun edition (Democratic) Gary A. Nelson, State Representative (Republican) Louise Saluteen, housewife (independent) John Patric, perennial candidate (Republican)
Results
General election Results
References