Thurston County prosecutor will retire 38 years after he started as an intern
Long-time Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim will not seek reelection this year.
Tunheim publicly shared his decision to retire on his campaign Facebook page Monday. Christy Peters, his current chief of staff, kicked off her campaign with a Wednesday news release. She’ll run as a Democrat for the seat.
“This was not an easy decision. I truly love this work and this office,” Tunheim said in his post. “Nonetheless, I believe it is the right time to begin a new chapter in my career.”
Voters first elected Tunheim as Prosecuting Attorney in 2010, and he is currently serving out the remainder of his fourth term. He joined the office as a legal intern about 38 years ago when much of the work had yet to be digitized. Since then, Tunheim said he has helped create a child advocacy center, a family justice center and several therapeutic courts as well as pretrial treatment and diversion programs.
“For me, being a prosecutor has never been just a job,” Tunheim said. “It has been a calling. I have found deep meaning and purpose in seeking justice on behalf of this community.”
Tunheim said he intends to launch a new leadership training and consulting practice in the coming months called “Hope Inspired Leadership.”
“My mission is to help leaders leverage the power of hope to build team cultures where people believe, belong, thrive and achieve success,” Tunheim said.
Tunheim thanked his “extraordinary team” and law enforcement in his retirement announcement before addressing the public.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the people of Thurston County for the opportunity to serve as your Prosecuting Attorney for these sixteen years,” Tunheim said. “Serving this community in this way has been, and always will be, one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
In the Wednesday news release, Tunheim threw his support behind Peters.
“I’m proud to endorse Christy to be the next Prosecuting Attorney for Thurston County. As my Chief of Staff, she has helped me lead our work to improve our justice system. She knows this office, its people, and our community, and she’s ready to lead on day one. She’s the right person to continue seeking justice, supporting victims, and protecting our community.”
Peters started working in the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in 1997 and was promoted to chief of staff in 2011. She said she has spent her career “protecting” Thurston County residents.
“As Thurston County Prosecutor, I will prioritize prosecuting violent crime and crimes against children while strengthening victim advocacy and supporting law enforcement,” Peters said. “I’m also focused on accessible transparency and supporting the growth of the Thurston County prosecutor’s office by identifying and training the next generation of prosecuting attorneys.”
Peters says she has also been endorsed by Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne and Tumwater Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff. More information about her can be found on her campaign website.
As of Friday, Peters appears to be the sole candidate in the race. However, filing week is May 4 to 8, which means candidates won’t officially file to run for office for about two months, according to the Office of the Secretary of State.
