Gary Warnock, Thurston County Coroner since 2007, is running for reelection in the Nov. 3, 2026, Washington general election. He is certified for the ballot as a Democrat.
No candidate questionnaire responses were available for this race. The information below is drawn from government records, official election data and candidate statements.
Candidate information
- Name: Gary Warnock
- Office sought: Thurston County Coroner
- Party: Democratic
- Election: Washington General Election
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
Experience and public service
Warnock began working at the Thurston County Coroner's Office in 2001 as a deputy coroner, a position he held through 2006, according to election records compiled by BallotReady.
He ran for the coroner's office and has served as Thurston County Coroner from 2007 to the present, according to BallotReady. That tenure makes Warnock one of the longer-serving elected officials in Thurston County government.
The Thurston County Coroner is an elected position responsible for investigating deaths that fall under the office's jurisdiction. The coroner's office serves all residents of Thurston County, including those in Olympia and Tumwater.
On the issues
Office accreditation and state funding
Warnock said his office is pursuing accreditation from the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners. According to a Thurston County government announcement, Warnock said the effort responds to a state law, RCW 36.24.210. That law requires accreditation starting in July 2025 for county coroner's offices to continue receiving full state reimbursements for autopsies.
The July 2025 deadline has passed. Whether the office has achieved accreditation is not reflected in available county records.
The reimbursement question matters for Thurston County's budget. Under the law, offices that do not obtain accreditation risk losing full state reimbursement for the cost of autopsies, which would shift more of that expense to county funds.
Endorsements
Warnock has received an endorsement from the Thurston County Democratic Women, as claimed by the endorsing organization, according to BallotReady.
No other endorsements appeared in the reviewed materials for this profile.
What voters should know
No other candidates in this race were listed in the reviewed packet. The Capitol Record will update this profile as additional candidate information becomes available.
Thurston County voters can find more information about their ballot through the Thurston County Auditor's Office. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.
