Robyn Denson says she won’t run for reelection to Pierce County Council
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- Pierce County Council member Robyn Denson announced she won't seek a second term.
- Denson announced it on her personal Facebook, saying she’ll pursue new opportunities.
- Voters will choose her District 7 successor in the November 2026 election.
Pierce County Council member Robyn Denson won’t be running for reelection at the end of 2026.
The District 7 representative announced her decision March 18 on her personal Facebook page. Denson represents the areas of Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, Fox Island, Ruston and parts of north and west Tacoma.
“After much deliberation, I have decided to not pursue a second term as your Pierce County Councilmember,” Denson wrote in the post. “This work brings me so much joy, and while I could not be more grateful for this incredibly special opportunity, it’s time for me to pursue new opportunities and make way for a new voice with fresh perspective and energy.”
Denson ran as a Democrat and was elected to her first term in 2022, succeeding Derek Young. She previously served for two years on the Gig Harbor City Council and four terms on the Gig Harbor Parks Commission.
Her career experience includes working for over 20 years for nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity and serving as a nonpartisan policy analyst for the state House of Representatives, focusing on housing policy, according to her council bio. She also serves on the boards for Communities in Schools of Peninsula and the Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula Land Conservation Fund and volunteers with a number of local organizations including the Gig Harbor Key Peninsula Housing & Homeless Coalition.
“This was not an easy decision,” she continued in her post. “The work that we do at the County every day is incredibly meaningful. From assisting constituents with issues impacting their well-being and properties, to sponsoring legislation that implements the vision and desires of our communities, to representing the Pierce County Council on various boards and commissions, I have had the opportunity to work on very meaningful and diverse issues with many different people.”
Voters will choose a successor for Denson’s seat in the November election.
In the meantime, she’ll remain active, she wrote: “We have a number of ambitious initiatives in progress and an exciting work plan to implement over the next eight months.”
As of Friday, at least one candidate had announced her intention to run for Denson’s seat. Brenda Lykins, a former Gig Harbor City Council member who was elected last year to serve on the Pierce County Charter Review Commission, announced her campaign online and in a press release.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 10:43 AM.
