Emily Clouse, a Democrat and the incumbent Thurston County commissioner for District 5, is running for reelection in the Nov. 3, 2026 Washington general election.
Clouse, who is certified for the ballot, faces Nicolas Martinez-Dunning, who is running as a Moderate Democrat, according to BallotReady election data.
Clouse said on her campaign website that she is running to expand affordable housing, act on climate commitments and advance transparent county budgets focused on working families.
Candidate information
Party: Democratic
Education: Bachelor of arts in psychology with a minor in global engagement, University of Washington Tacoma, 2018, according to her Thurston County commissioner page.
Military service: U.S. Army military intelligence analyst, according to BallotReady profile data.
Endorsements (as claimed by endorsing organizations): AFL-CIO; Washington Conservation Action; Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council; Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund; National Women's Political Caucus of Washington; and LPAC.
Experience and public service
Clouse has served as Thurston County commissioner for District 5 since 2023, according to BallotReady profile data.
She also serves as vice chair of the Regional Housing Council and as a member of the Thurston County Board of Health, according to her county commissioner page.
Before taking office, Clouse worked as a supervisor on the Court Order Processing and Referral Team at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. She also managed family small businesses in Thurston County, according to her county page.
In 2021, Clouse co-founded the Collaborative Association for Reintegration and Education, known as CARE, and serves as its executive director, according to BallotReady profile data and her BallotReady questionnaire response. The organization serves formerly incarcerated youth. In her questionnaire response, Clouse described herself as a combat veteran, a nonprofit leader and a proud union member. Her union membership is through her work with DSHS. She said her perspective on the justice system is informed by her military intelligence background and her work with CARE.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Clouse's responses submitted through BallotReady and her campaign website.
Housing: Clouse said she will expand affordable and supportive housing, strengthen regional partnerships and keep working to ensure everyone in Thurston County has a safe, stable place to call home.
Environment and energy: Clouse said she will put the Comprehensive Plan's climate commitments into action by protecting forests and farmland and expanding access to clean and affordable energy countywide.
Taxes and budget: Clouse said she brings a "steady, values-driven approach to governing" grounded in transparency, fiscal responsibility and a commitment to working families. She said she will advance clear budget processes so residents understand where tax dollars go, with priority-based spending focused on services that improve people's lives.
Criminal justice: In her BallotReady questionnaire response, Clouse said it is time to move beyond punishment and toward a system that prioritizes restorative justice and reintegration.
Thurston County voters in District 5 will see this race on their Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.
The Capitol Record candidate questionnaire was sent to Emily Clouse's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 12, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from her public campaign website and public records.
