Lakewood to get a new mayor, deputy mayor in 2026. See primary election results
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Talbo and Herr advanced in Position 1 race as Mary Moss steps down after 14 years.
- Lamari and Lindholm move forward in Position 3 race to succeed Mayor Jason Whalen.
- Lakewood council will select new mayor and deputy mayor in January 2026.
The race for two open seats on Lakewood’s City Council was narrowed Tuesday night as some new faces pulled ahead in the August primary election, according to early polling numbers.
Ellen Talbo and Mark Herr garnered the most votes for Position 1 (which is held by Deputy Mayor Mary Moss, who announced she would not be running for re-election after serving on the council since 2010). Talbo received 40.07% of the vote and Herr received 32.53% as of 8 p.m. Tuesday. Alice Fong and Chas Ames were trailing in their quest to continue to the general election.
Jennifer Lamari and Philip Lindholm, the only two candidates running for Position 3, will continue on to the general election on Nov. 3. Taylor Whitt was listed in the Pierce County Local Voter’s Pamphlet as running for Position 3, but he told The News Tribune last month he withdrew from the race. This position is held by Mayor Jason Whalen, who also has served on the council since 2010 and is not running for re-election.
In January the council will choose its new mayor and deputy mayor. Lakewood’s City Council is made up of non-partisan members elected to four-year terms.
Learn more about how to register to vote, who your candidates will be and where your nearest ballot box is online at the Pierce County Elections website.
Who are the candidates advancing?
As previously reported by The News Tribune, Talbo serves as the vice chair of the city’s Planning Commission. Talbo has no elected experience but is an urban planning and public works professional with 19 years experience in transportation infrastructure, according to her Voter’s Pamphlet biography. Talbo works in the city of Renton’s Public Works Department and was a county transportation planner in California from 2017-2022.
Herr is a U.S. Army Combat veteran, small business owner and former Lakewood Chamber of Commerce ambassador. He’s served on the Lakewood Planning Commission, the Lakewood Independent Salary Commission and the Rotary Club of Lakewood, among others.
Lamari runs a solo law practice in Lakewood with more than 10 years of litigation experience, including as a criminal deputy prosecutor, city deputy prosecutor, assistant city attorney and deputy coroner.
Lindholm is the CEO of a small business and on the Lakewood Planning Commission, as previously reported by The News Tribune. He was an Air Force captain, a lecturer at the University of Washington and development researcher for the British Broadcasting Corporation, among other professional, educational and community service experiences.
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 8:34 PM.
