The News Tribune Endorsements: Our pick for Pierce County Auditor
Of all the choices Pierce County voters will encounter on this year’s general election ballot, one of the most important has received some of the least fanfare: the nonpartisan race for Pierce County Auditor.
For the first time in more than a decade, we know one thing for certain: Julie Anderson will not return. The aspiring Secretary of State is term-limited, opening the door for a new head of Pierce County elections, licensing and public records.
In August, voters narrowed the field to two prospective replacements for Anderson: Deryl McCarty, a Puyallup resident and U.S. Air Force veteran who previously served as chairman of the Pierce County Republican Party for 12 years, and Linda Farmer, a Lakewood City Council member and the chief communications officer for the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services.
In the opinion of The News Tribune Editorial Board, the choice is clear. Farmer earns our endorsement and deserves the support of Pierce County voters looking to maintain Pierce County’s history of fair, transparent and accessible elections.
While neither candidate can match the experience Anderson has accumulated over three terms in office, it’s important to remember that when the outgoing auditor was elected in 2009, she was new to the position, too — and she’s proven to be exemplary in the role. This year, Farmer brings many of the same traits to the race, and we’re optimistic she can excel in similar fashion if given the opportunity.
Farmer, 54, was elected to the Lakewood City Council in 2020. During an endorsement interview with The News Tribune Editorial Board this summer, she said that her priorities, if elected, would include building on the integrity and trust the Pierce County Auditor’s office has built in the community while also finding new ways to increase voter participation and turnout.
Farmer has been endorsed by a host of local organizations and officials in her bid for the nonpartisan office, including the Pierce County Democrats, the Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS and the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington. The vast majority of Farmer’s individual support comes from local Democrats, but she’s quick to note her history serving on the nonpartisan Lakewood City Council and promised that she would bring the same independent streak to the office that Anderson has made her hallmark.
In a world where the integrity of elections has been under attack thanks to self-serving lies perpetuated on the local and national stage, that’s important. Farmer is the only candidate in the race that instills confidence that Pierce County elections will maintain above the partisan fray in the years to come.
McCarty, 76, certainly brings admirable qualities to the race. In addition to his decades of military service, he’s previously served as a deputy auditor in Pierce County as well as a county planning commissioner, and he’s serious about important issues like cyber security.
However, McCarty can also fly too close to the election-results-denying sun for our liking. During a recent appearance on the Channel 253 Citizen Tacoma podcast, he essentially dodged direct questions about whether or not Joe Biden was the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election. Choosing not to comment on the results of elections held outside of Pierce County that he hasn’t specifically reviewed is certainly his right, but the evidence is abundantly clear — and McCarty’s reluctance to publicly acknowledge Donald Trump lost fair and square raises unavoidable red flags.
It’s one of the many reasons we believe Farmer is best suited for one of the most important positions in local government.
“I’m running to continue the auditor’s office’s exceptional standards of election integrity, and to deliver government services efficiently,” Farmer told The News Tribune Editorial Board. “Ensuring fair, accurate and trustworthy elections today is more important than ever.”
News Tribune election endorsements reflect the views of our Editorial Board and are written by opinion editor Matt Driscoll. Other board members are: Stephanie Pedersen, News Tribune president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; and Pamela Transue, a community representative who serves during election season. The Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom and does not influence the work of news reporting and editing staffs. We do not endorse any candidates who do not interview with us. We do not endorse in uncontested races. For questions, email matt.driscoll@thenewstribune.com.