Thursday, October 1, 2026
Amid a brewing fall battle for higher office, Lacey City Councilman Nicolas Martinez-Dunning resigned from his Position 3 seat after more than two years in office.
The Lacey City Council unanimously accepted his resignation, effective at the adjournment of a meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18. His resignation comes before the end of the term to which he was elected.
Martinez-Dunning is seeking the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners District 5 seat. He advanced from the Aug. 4 Primary Election and will face incumbent Commissioner Emily Clouse in the Nov. 3 General Election, according to results certified on Aug. 18.
Mayor Andy Ryder said Martinez-Dunning had confided in him that he had a lot on his plate and was uncertain whether he could continue devoting the time the position required.
Ryder described the decision to step aside as admirable and selfless, noting it allows another person to bring their time and energy to the council.
Before Martinez-Dunning left office, council members spoke about his work and their experiences serving with him.
Ryder highlighted Martinez-Dunning’s service on regional boards and commissions, saying he represented the council’s majority view even when his personal opinion differed.
“Besides whatever your personal opinion may be on an issue, you’ve always deferred to where the majority of this council is,” Ryder said. “And that is the right thing to do as a council member.”
Deputy Mayor Malcolm Miller highlighted Martinez-Dunning’s attention to city finances early in his tenure. He spent time with staff reviewing the budget and learning more about police, public works and other areas of city government.
Miller also pointed to Martinez-Dunning’s community cleanup initiative and his willingness to ask whether existing practices could be improved.
“I love the fact that you speak your mind, and say, ‘Wait, why is it that way? Right? Because I think it could be better,’” Miller said. “And so I hope you don’t stop doing that in the near future.”
Council member Lenny Greenstein said his relationship with Martinez-Dunning changed during their time in local government. The two had a difficult start after campaigning against each other, he said, but later became close friends.
Greenstein credited Martinez-Dunning for forming his own opinions, preparing thoroughly for council business and asking difficult questions.
“You come at every issue with your own thoughts, your own opinions,” Greenstein said. “You come in prepared for everything, and ask a lot of tough questions, make people accountable.”
Council member Carolyn Cox echoed those comments, saying Martinez-Dunning did his homework, asked difficult questions and stayed true to himself.
Council member Maren Turner acknowledged policy disagreements with Martinez-Dunning, particularly on housing, but said he always made time to discuss the issues with her and offered guidance during her time on the council.
Council member Ryan Siu likewise thanked Martinez-Dunning for his support as a newer council member, saying he shared his perspective on Lacey and offered advice on preparing council reports.
City Manager Rick Walk highlighted another part of Martinez-Dunning’s council work, his advocacy for people living in Lacey’s unincorporated urban growth area.
Walk said the Lacey community extends past the municipal boundary and credited Martinez-Dunning for advocating for people in those areas. He also thanked Martinez-Dunning’s wife, Dalia, for supporting his public service.
Martinez-Dunning thanked council members and city employees before leaving office, mentioning staff from finance, public works, police and parks for their work with him during his time on the council.
“This isn’t the end. This is just the beginning,” Martinez-Dunning said. “I am leaving this position to hopefully even have a bigger impact on the City of Lacey.”
He said Lacey had become home for him and his family, and that he plans to continue contributing to the community.
Martinez-Dunning was sworn in on Jan. 2, 2024, after his election to Position 3 in November 2023. He owns West Coast Fitness Lacey and previously served as a U.S. Marine infantryman, deploying to Iraq in 2007 with Task Force National Capital Region.
He later moved to Washington and joined the Washington National Guard, deploying to Afghanistan. Martinez-Dunning holds a bachelor’s degree in politics, philosophy and economics from the University of Washington, with a minor in environmental studies.
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MartyKenney
This is a really nice article for Mr. dunning. I wonder if the JOlT is going to do the same for his opponent, Emily Clouse, the incumbent for that position at the county.
It feels a bit like a power move by the political elite to run such an excellent candidate such as Dunning, against an incumbent that the political elite don’t like too much.
Just sayin, that’s what comes to my mind. I think Emily Clouse is an excellent voice for Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater. She sees life from my perspective, not from the political elite perspective.
Friday, August 21 Report this
TheVirtualOne
Clouse’s record speaks for itself. Harassment lawsuit, investigations, $300,000 payout to her ex-lover and former employee. Clouse is a clown show and doesn’t deserve to be re-elected to office. It’s an insult to voters that she is even running again.
Friday, August 21 Report this
Boatyarddog
MartyKenney Great Comment Marty and your point is well made. Seems He's putting the "cart before the Horse" to me. Looking at Dunnings Bio, he lacks the Empathy to continue the work that this community needs concerning our less fortunate members on the streets and the out of control rampant developments of inadequate housing for those without enough funds to rent or stay in their homes. He's a good soldier. OUR community needs kind and compassionate leadership, along with management skills. THIS is Emily Clouse. Voting for Clouse!
Friday, August 21 Report this
Boatyarddog
TheVirtualOne. Is That SCAM On her ALL you have? That's the only dig I hear you talk about. And it's JUST Pathetic Retoric.
Friday, August 21 Report this
TheVirtualOne
BYD - It’s all that’s needed to demonstrate her incredible incompetence and absence of integrity. But, there is more if you want to hear it. Three of her work colleagues voted to suspend her. She also gifts that were not hers to keep. Bottom line is we need someone in office who is serious about doing the job and not wasting taxpayers money, time, and scarce county resources.
Friday, August 21 Report this
TheVirtualOne
*** accepted gifts ***
Friday, August 21 Report this
SC4011
Clouse made a mistake and I doubt it will happen again. Having Martinez-Dunning live in a business setting not zoned for that seems a bit sketchy and a potential tax dodge. Both have served as soldiers.
Saturday, August 22 Report this
Boatyarddog
Accept Gifts? Prove your words! Scams seldom target the knowing victims. That particular Scammer had done that scam before. ALSO know that Clouse While having made a mistake Took her "punishment" as A Suspension would be appropriate, NOT for A Second did she not accept the responsibility for that mistake. She also was able to cut the credibility of the scammer and reduced the penalty by MORE than Half. So, the Judge in essence agreed the circumstances were more the fault of the other party NOT E. CLOUSE! YOUR comments have LITTLE MERIT and are Biased. CLOUSE knows and has done and incredible job during her term. She will WIN this race based on her previous experience and tenacity. 25% of the voters voted for a woman for this position because that what it takes for a compassionate response. Those votes will go to Clouse in the General. ALSO WE DO NOT WANT OR NEED ANOTHER CANDIDATE Looking to use the County Commissioners position to align their career toward a higher paying Political Position, as Dunning has been prepping for. VOTING FOR. E. CLOUSE
Saturday, August 22 Report this
Bconroy
Why is it only in the JOLT that I see Nic Dunning's name as "Martinez-Dunning"? His campaign signs say Nic Dunning. Is that so he gets the Hispanic/Latinx vote? Again, why just in the JOLT?
Saturday, August 22 Report this
wellnow77
Emily Clouse has my vote. She is committed to ALL the people of Thurston County.
Saturday, August 22 Report this
HappyOlympian
Vote Emily out!
Saturday, August 22 Report this
Boatyarddog
HappyOlympian. why? The same BS That other Homeless haters Use ? A really Lame excuse... she's a Winner and Has great intentions for TCs homeless issues.
Sunday, August 23 Report this
TheGreatAnon
Dunning seems like a nice guy but I have yet to read word one on what he wants to do as a Commish.
Monday, August 24 Report this
Boatyarddog
TheGreatAnon. A truly IMPORTANT comment! DUNNING has No Comments on What he would do as a Commish. This is because he doesn't know what A County commissioner does. HE'S INTRESTED in using that position as a Leg up to A state Legislative Position and is okay to make more wealth for himself. That is NOT what Thurston County Residents need or can Afford. He would look to push out Homeless and burden others to find answers. HE has NO experience in that position. Clouse has shown her strength, admitted her mistake, and continues to better county Residents lives ( YES, Homeless are Residents of our County too) and continues her commitment to better their and others lives. Lastly, his recent Primary showed what people think about his lack of purpose, it Was a Very narrow lead. Of 600 votes. That going to wash away in November their was 25% of voters that wanted a Woman to lead the way, not a Person used to using FORCE in Their Leadership role.
Monday, August 24 Report this
Yeti1981
There are some fair questions being raised in these comments, but there are also a lot of assumptions being presented as facts.
First, a personal pet peeve from a former Army Soldier: Nic Dunning was a Marine. Marines are Marines, Army personnel are Soldiers, Navy personnel are Sailors, Air Force personnel are Airmen, Space Force personnel are Guardians, and Coast Guard personnel are Coast Guardsmen. The distinction may not matter much to everyone, but it matters to those of us who served.
More importantly, I don't think someone's military service provides any basis for saying they lack empathy or are "used to using force" as a leadership style. That's not a policy criticism or an examination of someone's record. It's an assumption about a veteran's character based on military service.
That gets to what I think is missing from much of this discussion: we should apply the same standard of evidence to both candidates. Fairness doesn't require ignoring Emily Clouse's controversies because you believe she is compassionate or because you support her policies. Those events are part of the record voters are entitled to consider. At the same time, those events don't give Dunning supporters license to exaggerate what happened or make accusations that the facts don't support.
The exact same standard applies to Dunning. It is completely fair to question his experience, his policy positions, why he is seeking higher office after a relatively short time on the City Council, or what specifically he intends to accomplish as a County Commissioner. He should have to answer those questions. But saying he lacks empathy, doesn't understand the job, wants to push homeless people out, is motivated by money, or is simply using the office as a stepping stone requires evidence. Those conclusions don't become facts because someone opposes him.
As for the article itself, I don't see anything particularly unusual about it. This isn't a candidate profile or an endorsement. It's an article about Dunning resigning from the Lacey City Council, so naturally it reports on his time there and what his fellow councilmembers and city officials said as he left. Several of those comments came from people who have disagreed with him politically.
Someone asked why the article doesn't provide the same treatment to Clouse. If she leaves office or there is a comparable news event involving her service, that's a fair question to ask of the JOLT. But journalistic fairness doesn't require every individual story about one candidate to simultaneously be a story about the other candidate.
The comment asking what Dunning actually wants to accomplish as commissioner is probably the fairest criticism in this entire thread. Voters absolutely should ask him. But the fact that an article about his City Council resignation doesn't contain his County Commission platform isn't evidence that he doesn't have one.
Ultimately, fairness isn't treating both candidates as equally good or equally bad. It isn't overlooking Clouse's record to protect her, and it isn't overlooking Dunning's record to protect him. It means holding both candidates to the same standard.
What actually happened? What did each candidate actually do? What policies do they actually support? What have they accomplished? What mistakes have they made? What do they propose to do with the authority of the County Commission? Then voters can decide how much weight to give those facts.
There is plenty to debate in this race without assigning motives, intentions or character traits to either candidate that the evidence doesn't establish. If we're going to scrutinize one candidate's record closely, we should scrutinize the other's just as closely. That's not partisanship. That's the standard we ought to expect in any election.
Thursday, September 3 Report this
Boatyarddog
CLOUSE Has the experience, has worked with other Commission members, has a working understanding of TCC policy, on and on. DUNNING is NOT transparent to the VOTING Public Does not Even Try to set Him self apart of the challenger, NOT EVEN TRYING to explain who or what he will attempt to Achieve as A County Commissioner, that's Covering or At least Shows He Has NO PLANS. Maybe a Concept of a Plan. We've heard THAT Before.
Sunday, September 6 Report this