Thank you,
Pierce County.

A note from Damon

On the result.

We put a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money into this campaign. Despite all that hard work, we came up very short. My opponent received nearly twice as many votes as I did in the first round of results. That’s not a close race, and there is no reason to pretend otherwise.

This was an unusual campaign season for the Auditor’s Office. Unlike the other countywide races, including Prosecutor, we had no newspaper candidate interviews or endorsements, and no Chamber of Commerce forums featuring our race. It was frustrating that an office responsible for elections, recording, licensing, and other important public services received so little attention.

But ultimately, the responsibility for making our case to the voters was ours, and the voters have made their choice. I respect that.

Two numbers worth noticing

As an elections guy, I can’t help but look at the numbers, and a couple of things stood out in the first round of results.

There were more than 1,000 write-in votes in the Auditor’s race. Some might be joke votes, and others might represent a coordinated write-in effort that I am unaware of. Since nobody filed as a declared write-in candidate, we won’t get a breakdown of who those votes were for.

Even more interesting is the undervote. Nearly 10% of the people who returned a ballot didn’t make a selection in the Auditor’s race at all. That’s a significant number of voters who either didn’t have enough information to make a choice or simply chose to skip the race. We can’t know their individual reasons, but I think it’s worth paying attention to.

More results will come in over the next several days, but there is no realistic mathematical path that changes the outcome of this election.

To the people who work in that office

I was particularly honored by the support I received from people who work in the Auditor’s Office. These are public servants who care deeply about their work and the people they serve. I hope the incumbent recognizes that their support for a different direction deserves reflection, not resentment.

Those employees have every right to participate in the political process within the rules that apply to their positions. If I become aware of credible indications that anyone is being retaliated against for supporting my campaign, I will do what I can to bring those concerns into the light.

Congratulations to my opponent on her victory. I sincerely hope she has a successful term, because the people of Pierce County deserve an Auditor’s Office that works well for everyone.

And to everyone who stood with me, thank you. We didn’t get the result we wanted, but I am grateful for the effort, the friendships, and the opportunity to make our case to the people of Pierce County.

Damon Townsend