Tacoma residents are choosing between City Council members John Hines and Anders Ibsen to serve as the city’s next mayor, with initial returns Tuesday evening showing Ibsen holding a substantial advantage.
The first ballot count revealed Ibsen capturing 53.6% of the vote with 13,773 ballots, whilst Hines secured 45.7% with 11,763 votes, according to the Secretary of State’s tabulation.
Victoria Woodards has served as Tacoma’s mayor since 2018. Having reached the maximum number of terms permitted under city regulations, she is stepping aside to make way for new leadership.
Ibsen established a commanding position during August’s primary election, more than doubling Hines’ vote total. Ibsen received 38.5% of primary votes with 13,442 ballots, whilst Hines earned 19.2% with 6,709 votes, narrowly surpassing Whitney Stevens by 1,262 votes to advance to the general election.
Washington employs a top-two primary system for local contests, meaning the two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary proceed to November’s general election regardless of party affiliation.
Ibsen, aged 39, brings eight years of Tacoma City Council experience from his 2012 to 2019 tenure, whilst also working as a broker at a Tacoma real estate firm. He previously competed against Hines for a council seat in 2015, winning that race a decade ago.
Hines joined the council five years following Ibsen’s departure and won re-election in 2024. He simultaneously works as an instructional specialist within Tacoma Public Schools, bringing educational administration experience to his governance role.
Throughout the campaign, Ibsen argued that Tacoma requires “a new direction,” highlighting concerns about rising crime rates and homelessness challenges. His proposals include utilising city-owned land for housing development and revising building codes to accelerate construction timelines.
Hines countered that Tacoma needs consistent, steady leadership rather than dramatic shifts. His platform favours expediting permitting processes for builders whilst strengthening collaboration between city staff and developers to streamline project approvals.
Both candidates identified the city’s budget management, public safety enhancements, housing availability expansion, and improving workers’ conditions as paramount priorities requiring immediate attention.
Hines campaigned emphasising that public safety measures and practical solutions should receive top priority in the next administration’s agenda.
Last month, the Tacoma City Council approved Hines’ measure expanding the city’s camping prohibition. The original camping ban passed in 2022 after Hines drafted the ordinance responding to sharp increases in public health and safety concerns raised by community members regarding areas surrounding Tacoma shelters.
Three years after implementing the initial restrictions, Hines spearheaded efforts to broaden the city’s no-camping ordinance to cover additional areas where unsanctioned encampments had emerged.
City officials project a $15 million deficit in the 2027-2028 biennial budget, creating fiscal pressures that will confront whoever assumes the mayor’s office.
The budget shortfall presents immediate challenges for the incoming mayor, requiring either identifying new revenue sources, implementing service reductions, or likely some combination of both approaches. Neither candidate has detailed specific cuts or tax increases, though both acknowledged the financial constraints facing city operations.
Housing affordability emerged as a central theme distinguishing the candidates’ approaches. Ibsen emphasised supply-side solutions, arguing that regulatory barriers slow construction and artificially constrain housing availability. He proposed reviewing zoning restrictions and exploring partnerships with developers willing to build on city property.
Hines focused more heavily on balancing development speed with community input processes, arguing that rushing projects without adequate planning creates long-term problems. He advocated for maintaining environmental reviews and neighbourhood engagement whilst still accelerating timelines where possible.
Public safety strategies also revealed philosophical differences. Ibsen stressed the need for additional police resources and stronger enforcement of existing laws, particularly regarding property crime and disorder in commercial districts. Hines, whilst supporting law enforcement, placed greater emphasis on prevention programmes and addressing root causes of crime through social services and economic opportunity.
The real estate and development community largely backed Ibsen, appreciating his industry knowledge and deregulatory instincts. Labour organisations and education advocates tended toward Hines, valuing his public schools background and his support for worker protections.
The candidates’ contrasting council tenures informed their campaigns. Ibsen positioned himself as someone who understood city operations from prior experience but brought fresh perspective after several years away from council chambers. Hines emphasised his current knowledge of ongoing projects and relationships with existing staff.
Tacoma’s economic development trajectory will significantly influence the next mayor’s success. The city has pursued strategies to attract businesses whilst managing growth pressures that threaten affordability for longtime residents. Balancing economic expansion against displacement concerns requires careful navigation of competing interests.
Pierce County Elections will continue processing ballots throughout the week as mail-in votes postmarked by election day arrive and undergo verification. Given Ibsen’s margin, the race appears unlikely to tighten substantially, though additional counts could shift the final percentage.
Final certification of all Pierce County races will occur in late November following completion of ballot processing and any necessary audits. The winner will assume office in January, inheriting both opportunities and challenges as Tacoma continues evolving from its industrial heritage toward a more diversified economic base.
