Thursday, October 1, 2026
Challenger Jerry Toompas came away with a narrow win in the hotly contested race for the Port of Olympia Commission, District No. 2 seat in the Nov. 4 General Election in Thurston County.
Toompas received 39,124 votes or 49.88 percent, according to unofficial results from the Thurston County Auditor’s Office Election Division. Incumbent Bob Iyall received 38,971 votes or 49.68 percent. There were 348 write-in votes or 0.44 percent.
The updated election results were last tabulated at 1:10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13. No other votes were listed as left to be counted.
Toompas, who is a special education teacher, overcame a 32 vote deficit from earlier in the week to take the lead in the race after updated results were released on Wednesday, Nov. 12. At that point, Toompas led Iyall by 130 votes.
The margin between Toompas and Iyall is close enough to trigger a manual recount, which would take place at a meeting of the Thurston County Canvassing Board later this month. The Canvassing Board is expected to certify election results on Nov. 25.
The most recent updated results also showed that Proposition 1, the so-called Workers’ Bill of Rights, was rejected by voters in Olympia. Proposition 1 received 8,864 “yes” votes or 47.6 percent, compared with 9,757 “no” votes or 52.4 percent.
The union-backed initiative aimed to establish labor standards for work scheduling, a minimum wage and other regulations.
A total of 84,612 ballots were counted from 294 precincts in the Nov. 4 General Election. That marked a turnout of 39.66 percent, based on the voter registration total of 213,369 in Thurston County.
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Snevets
Jerry Toompas for the win!!!
Thursday, November 13, 2025 Report this
LaceyQueen
NIMBY sweep in the port races.
Friday, November 14, 2025 Report this
GinnyBanana
I'm personally very disappointed that Iyall did not win. He has the expertise, education, and abilities necessary for the office. A special education teacher has not got the background in commerce and business necessary for this important position. This is my own opinion.
Friday, November 14, 2025 Report this
Oly1956
He might be a teacher, but he has an Masters and a bachelor's in business administration with 10 years of managing before he decided to teach.
Friday, November 14, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
Oh GinnayBanana, thats just plain horsehockey. Iyall, was let go as a leader by his tribal elders not long ago and has not kept campaign promises and as we suspected is more a Developer than a Concerned Enviromentalist as advertised back in his campaign. Toompas has loads of leadership and a proven record of caring for people. NOT just PROFITS ..which for decades the Port with its questionable Leadership, wayward Commission, Lawsuits, ECT. HAS NOT returned a dime to the people! He .... the dug in Incumbent loses to a First timer. VERY TELLING INDEED.
Friday, November 14, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
@LaceyQueen
And Now for some REAL CHANGE and LONGGGG overdue CHANGES.. HA
Friday, November 14, 2025 Report this