John Wilson (Washington)

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John Wilson

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King County Assessor

Tenure

Present officeholder

Term ends

2028

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 7, 2023

Contact

Campaign website

John Wilson is the King County Assessor in Washington. Wilson's current term ends on January 1, 2028.

Wilson ran for election for King County Executive in Washington. Wilson lost in the primary on August 5, 2025.

Elections

2025

See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2025)

General election

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for King County Executive

Claudia Balducci and Girmay Zahilay are running in the general election for King County Executive on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Claudia Balducci (Nonpartisan)
		Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for King County Executive

The following candidates ran in the primary for King County Executive on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan)	44.2	201,792
✔	Submit photo	Claudia Balducci (Nonpartisan)	29.8	136,331
		Derek Chartrand (Nonpartisan)	11.5	52,563
	Submit photo	John Wilson (Nonpartisan)	8.1	37,062
	Submit photo	Rebecca Williamson (Nonpartisan)	2.1	9,440
		Amiya Ingram (Nonpartisan)	1.8	8,335
		Bill Hirt (Nonpartisan)	1.6	7,199
		Don Rivers (Nonpartisan)	0.9	4,198

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	There were no incumbents in this race.	Total votes: 456,920
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2023

See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2023)

General election

General election for King County Assessor

Incumbent John Wilson won election in the general election for King County Assessor on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	John Wilson (Nonpartisan)	98.6	361,448
		Other/Write-in votes	1.4	5,084

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 366,532
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent John Wilson advanced from the primary for King County Assessor.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Wilson in this election.

2019

See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2019)

General election

General election for King County Assessor

Incumbent John Wilson won election in the general election for King County Assessor on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	John Wilson (Nonpartisan)	98.4	409,450
		Other/Write-in votes	1.6	6,567

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 416,017
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2025

John Wilson did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

Other survey responses

Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Wilson completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.

• VoteWA Profile

2023

John Wilson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2019

John Wilson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wilson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

1. Expand enrollment in the Senior Property Tax Exemption Program

2. Pursue property tax relief for homeowners and renters

3. Modernize our overall property tax system

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about housing. King County should be a community where everyone has someplace they can call home.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Former Gov. Dan Evans, the later Representative Al Swift and civic leader Jim Ellis. They each were willing to tackle big, complex and meaningful issues. Evans pushed three times for comprehensive tax reform (something we still need today). Swift got passed one of the most progressive, renewable focused federal energy policy bills — in 1980 no less. And Ellis had the vision and determination to save Lake Washington from reckless pollution and ruin.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

“It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” Hubert H. Humphrey

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official should be honest, humble, and focused on the greater good.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

A good officeholder should be a listener, a bridge builder, and a visionary who can lead her or his community to a better place.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility to to make sure property values are set fairly, equitably, and as accurate as possible.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That King County was a place where property values were set fairly and everyone had some place to call home.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The assassination of JFK. I was 10.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I wrote a edited a newsletter for a local union. I did it for four years while I was in college.

What happened on your most awkward date?

I tried to kiss my date standing up when she was more than a foot shorter than me.

What is your favorite holiday? Why?

Thanksgiving. I love to cook, and I love the concept of the holiday of being thankful and giving back.

What is your favorite book? Why?

These days, “Fear” by Bob Woodward. It is a powerful example of solid journalism and snapshot of the times we live in.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

James Bond. For all the obvious reasons.

What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?

My kitchen because it is far removed from my daily work but gives me a creative outlet.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Hello by Lionel Richie

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

My weight.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The Department of Assessments has property data on every piece of land in the county. This can be incredibly useful for both government and the private sectors.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

An understanding on economics, how property values are set, and modern management skills to efficiently and effectively run the agency.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

It is the financial underpinning of local government. Without property taxes, there would be virtually no local government.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes. Having previous government experience means you usually better understand what’s in the realm of the possible vs. the romantic ideal.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Noteworthy events

Stalking and protection order arrest (2025)

On July 2, 2025, Wilson was arrested for allegedly stalking and violating a domestic violence protection order. Wilson’s ex-fiancée obtained a restraining order against him and said he violated it by communicating with her by email and phone, posting about her on social media, and repeatedly driving past her house.

Wilson’s attorney said in court that Wilson’s actions had not escalated, saying, "Ms. Keller has stated John Wilson never assaulted her. There has never been any threats of physical assault. There are allegations that he violated an order of protection. That’s it."

The King County Council passed a vote of no confidence against Wilson on June 10, 2025, and called for his resignation after the protection order was initially filed. Wilson declined to resign, saying, "We all have a right to vote for who we want, and the voters will speak in August."

See also

2025 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

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Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

King County Executive

Website

Footnotes

Political offices
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