Swank, Jackson lead in Pierce County Sheriff primary, early election results show

Pierce County Sheriff candidates Keith Swank and Patti Jackson are leading in Tuesday’s primary, according to early election results, with Cyndie Fajardo trailing close behind.

It is a highly contested race with six candidates looking to replace Sheriff Ed Troyer, who was elected in 2020 and decided not to run again after his first term. The top two will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.

More ballots still need to be tallied, but Swank has so far captured 25.8 percent of the votes. Jackson has captured 23.43 percent and Fajardo has won 22.62 percent of votes.

Swank, 56, is a former Seattle Police Department officer who worked there for 33 years. He has touted his position as a SWAT commander who oversaw clearing the CHOP zone in Seattle set up by demonstrators during protests in the summer of 2020. He retired from the department in June last year.

He’s also said he trained officers around the country as an expert in de-escalation and crisis intervention for the Department of Justice.

Swank was in downtown Puyallup on Tuesday evening at Pioneer Park Pavilion waiting for results to come in with some members of his campaign team. In a phone call with The News Tribune, he said he was excited by the early tally.

“I believe that the people of Pierce County have been wanting there to be some changes in the sheriff’s department, and I’m ready to bring those to it,” Swank said.

Swank’s fundraising efforts for his campaign have been second only to Jackson, having raised $54,549.67, according to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission. He has spent more than any other candidate with expenditures of $56,384.46.

Jackson, 59, has worked for the Sheriff’s Department since 1989 and serves as chief of patrol, a position she’s held since January. She previously oversaw the Pierce County Jail as chief of corrections. Jackson was appointed to that role eight years ago by former Sheriff Paul Pastor.

She was at a watch party in Tacoma’s West End neighborhood Tuesday evening with family and close friends. Jackson told The News Tribune the early results were “very, very close” but she was feeling strong that she had the support of the community.

“I am very humbled by their confidence and their support of me,” Jackson said.

Both Troyer and Pastor backed Jackson for sheriff, and she secured endorsements from a number of other law enforcement leaders, including the sheriffs of Snohomish, Lewis, Pacific, Mason and Adams counties.

She also has been supported by local city and county elected officials, with Democrats and Republicans among them. Kelly Chambers, a Puyallup Republican representing the 25th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives, and Ryan Mello, a Democrat and Pierce County Council chair, have endorsed Jackson. Chambers and Mello are both vying for the position of County Executive.

Looking ahead to the general election, Jackson said she wanted to tell Pierce County voters that she wants to make certain the Sheriff’s Department is accountable and transparent.

“Also, you know, a department that is very tough on crime yet also understanding of fitting in with the community’s needs,” she said.

Jackson’s campaign has brought in more money than any other candidate, having raised $74,327.00, according to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.

Fajardo is making her second run for sheriff after falling to Troyer in 2020. She is a lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Department who has worked in law enforcement for more than 30 years.

She has been endorsed by unions representing Pierce County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters in Gig Harbor and west Pierce County. Fajardo also won support from a retired Pierce County Sheriff’s Department major and Mari Leavitt, a University Place Democrat representing the 28th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives.

Fajardo’s campaign has raised $33,416.56, according to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, the third-most out of the candidates.