Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson announces reelection campaign
Published 12:38 pm Tuesday, April 28, 2026
EVERETT —Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson announced Monday she will seek reelection in the 2027 general election.
Johnson was elected as county sheriff in 2023, beating incumbent Adam Fortney 51.5% to 48.4% in a tight, contentious and expensive race. Fortney announced his plan to run for sheriff again on social media March 16.
“I’m going to run my own campaign on promises to the community, work I’ll do in the community,” Johnson said in an interview on Tuesday on running against Fortney. “I’m not really going to run against him. I’m just going to run for the position of sheriff.”
On a webpage for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, public safety, employee investment, community trust and organizational strength are listed as strategic initiatives for the sheriff’s office.
In February, Johnson reported homicides and auto thefts had reached a recent low.
“We are just past the halfway point of my first term,” Johnson said in the release. “I am proud to have stayed true to my commitments, including focusing on investments in our staff, connecting with community and regional stakeholders, advancing public safety strategies, improving transparency in professional standards, and collaborating to build more partnerships.”
The Sheriff’s Office and Corrections are also working to address projected overspending of $15 million on the county’s 2025-26 biennial budget.
Johnson is endorsed by state Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek.
“The next few years will be difficult for our communities based upon economic uncertainty, reduced interest in people wanting to go into public safety, and the critical need to maintain public trust,” he said in the release. “I can’t think of anyone more well suited to carry us through this than Sheriff Johnson.”
Johnson is a Lake Stevens resident.
A campaign kickoff event will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday at Everett Station, 3201 Smith Ave. Afterward, Johnson will hold smaller community events up to the November 2026 general election before ramping up with larger events, she said Tuesday.
Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay
