Primary recap: who advanced to November in Orting-area races
Pierce County Auditor — Final Results, Aug. 4, 2026 Primary · September 21, 2026
Photo: OceanLoop · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
In Washington's “top-two” primary, the two candidates with the most votes advance to November, no matter their party. These are Pierce County's final results from the August 4 primary, certified August 18. For the 31st District, they cover only the part of the district in Pierce County. The district also reaches into King County.
- State Senate, 31st District: Phil Fortunato 54.6%, Tamara Stramel 45.4%
- State Rep. Pos. 1: Drew Stokesbary 58.2%, Stephen Szczurko-Walton 41.8%
- State Rep. Pos. 2: Joshua Penner 56.5%, John Bielka 43.4%
- County Council District 1: Jerome O'Leary 53.5%, Kelsey Barrans 21.0%, Terrance Mayers 15.9%, Kenneth King 9.5%. O'Leary and Barrans advance.
With only two candidates in each legislative race, both automatically advance to November. That makes the primary a preview of the general election, not a cut. About 30% of registered voters in the 31st District's Pierce County portion returned a ballot.
Official source: Pierce County Auditor — Final Results, Aug. 4, 2026 Primary →
