Carole Sue Braaten, a Republican from Fife, is running for Washington House of Representatives District 27, Position 1. She faces Democratic candidate Laurie Jinkins in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Braaten said she was born, raised and went to school in Tacoma. She described herself as one of the "Original Title IX girls" who fought for girls to have their own sports teams, according to her VOTE411 voter guide response. She said she swam and ran track.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Washington House of Representatives, District 27, Position 1
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
- Mailing address: 2410 Berry Ln E, Fife, WA 98424
- Education: Agricultural science, Washington State University; Tacoma Community College
Braaten said she has worked in grounds and park maintenance, as a utility forest technician, in code compliance and in caregiving. She said she sometimes worked two jobs or went through the state unemployment system during work slowdowns or layoffs. She said her grandparents and great-grandparents came to the United States as legal immigrants.
Experience and public service
According to BallotReady, Braaten was a candidate for Fife City Council Position 1 in 2025. She also ran for Pierce County Council Charter Review District 5, Position 3 that same year. Braaten said she has served as a union representative.
On the issues
State budget: Braaten said she supports balancing the state budget yearly as required by the state Constitution, or even quarterly. She called for stopping overspending, eliminating waste, fraud and mismanagement, and cutting major high-end projects. She also said she supports pay cuts for the governor, legislators and public employees.
Public safety: Braaten said she supports stronger "tough on crime" laws, longer prison sentences and ending catch-and-release policies. She said she backs supporting law enforcement, stopping cartel and gang trafficking, ending sanctuary state and city policies, and restoring FLOCK cameras.
Energy and public safety: Braaten identified the PSE Liquefied Natural Gas facility in the district as the greatest challenge facing the area. She cited what she called a 12.6-mile explosion range and called for its decommissioning before a major earthquake, flood or tsunami could cause a catastrophic event.
Elections and voting: Braaten said she supports requiring voter identification via REAL ID to prove citizenship, whether born in the United States or naturalized. She said she opposes automatic voter registration through driver's license agencies.
Redistricting: Braaten said she supports sending at least two U.S. mail notices to citizens about redistricting and making public input locations more accessible. She said common geographic areas such as Fife, Milton and Edgewood should stay together in district maps.
City of Destiny Daily candidate questionnaire was sent to Joe Smith's campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 8, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.
