The 2016 Pierce County Executive election took place on November 8, 2016, to elect the county executive of Pierce County, Washington. Incumbent Democratic County Executive Pat McCarthy was term-limited and could not run for re-election,[1] instead successfully running for State Auditor.[2]
Four candidates ran to succeed McCarthy: County Councilman Rick Talbert, a Democrat, and State Senator Bruce Dammeier, former State Senator Larry Faulk, and County Council Chairman Dan Roach, all Republicans. Roach, the son of State Senate President Pam Roach, ran for County Executive as his mother simultaneously ran for County Council.[3]
In the primary election, Talbert placed first by a wide margin, winning 46 percent of the vote. He advanced to the general election with Dammeier, who won 30 percent of the vote to Roach's 16 percent and Faulk's 7 percent.[4] On election night, Dammeier held a narrow edge over Talbert,[5] but the race was not called until several days later, when it was confirmed that Dammeier had defeated Talbert with 52 percent of the vote.[6]
