The Ballot Brief › Washington › Derek Sanders
Derek Sanders
Independent · Washington · 2026 · IncumbentSanders has served as Thurston County Sheriff since 2022, per the county's official voters' pamphlet. He previously spent 12 years in law enforcement, including as a Lacey Police Department community service officer and a Thurston County deputy sheriff, per the same source. Derek Sanders appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Thurston County Sheriff, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
Priorities
- Continue a community-centered approach to public safety and de-escalation training, per the county's voters' pamphlet
- Build regional law enforcement partnerships across the county, per the county's voters' pamphlet
- Keep the sheriff's office visible and active in the community, per the county's voters' pamphlet
On the ballot
Thurston County Sheriff · Washington · 2026
Profile facts follow official election office filings and the sources cited in each biography. Official sources are the final word on who appears on your ballot.