Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank appears headed to keep his job after early election results showed voters rejecting a charter amendment to remove him by a two-to-one margin.

Early returns from the Nov. 3 election showed 66.7% of ballots counted rejected Charter Amendment 53, first reported by the Tacoma News Tribune. Only 33.3% voted in favor. More ballots still need to be tallied, but support for the measure appeared weak.

What the amendment would have done

Charter Amendment 53 asked voters whether to end Swank's term early on Jan. 1 and switch the sheriff to an appointed position. If it had passed, County Executive Ryan Mello would have appointed Swank's successor, subject to confirmation by the Pierce County Council.

Swank won a four-year term in 2024. He called the amendment "purely political" and an effort to override the voters who elected him, the News Tribune reported. He spoke frequently at meetings of the Pierce County Charter Review Commission to oppose it.

The 21-member Charter Review Commission, an elected body that reviews the county's governing charter every decade, voted in June to send the amendment to voters. The provision ending Swank's term early was a late addition.

The money and the campaign

Signs around the county urged voters to "reject 53" and keep their right to vote for sheriff.

The political action committee Vote No On Amendment 53 raised $27,965, largely from individuals, according to the News Tribune.

The campaign supporting the amendment, the Protect Pierce PAC, raised $2,690.

Charter Review Commissioner Jake Hunter, who drafted the original version of the amendment, said the effort was not solely about Swank. He called the sheriff a potential "existential threat" to the county, the News Tribune reported.

Supporters of switching to an appointed sheriff argued it would allow the county to hold the position accountable between elections and conduct a nationwide search for qualified candidates.

Ombuds measure also trailing

A companion measure, Charter Amendment 54, was also losing in early returns. That proposal would create a Public Safety Ombuds office with subpoena power to investigate complaints against the Sheriff's Office.

As of Tuesday, Nov. 3, 52.34% of voters rejected it and 47.66% approved.

The ombuds office would have carried an estimated annual budget of $630,000 to $830,000, according to a fiscal impact analysis reported by the News Tribune.

What happens next

The News Tribune reported that Swank did not respond to a phone call on election night, and a Sheriff's Office spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Pierce County is scheduled to hold its canvassing and certification meeting on Nov. 24, according to the Pierce County Elections page.