Richard Muri (Mayor of Steilacoom, Washington, candidate 2025)

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Richard Muri

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Mayor of Steilacoom

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

High school

Ashland High School

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Years of service

1975 - 1998

Personal

Birthplace

Fairbanks, AK

Profession

Military officer

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Richard Muri (also known as Dick) ran for election to the Mayor of Steilacoom in Washington. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Muri completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Richard Muri provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2025:

• Birth date: November 30, 1953
• Birth place: Fairbanks, Alaska
• High school: Ashland High School
• Bachelor's: University of Mass Amherst (1975) BS Environmental Science, 1975
• Graduate: Golden Gate University (1988), 1988
• Military service: United States Air Force, 1975-1998
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Military Officer
• Prior offices held:
  • Mayor of the Town of Steilacoom. (2021-Prsnt)
  • 28th District State Representative. (2013-2019)
  • Pierec County Council Member District # 6 (2003-2012)
  • Steilacoom Historical School District # 1 Board of Directors (1997-2004)
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes
• Campaign slogan: Keep Steilacoom Safe, Quaint and Enjoyable

Elections

General election

General election for Mayor of Steilacoom

Elizabeth Grasher and Richard Muri ran in the general election for Mayor of Steilacoom on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Elizabeth Grasher (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Richard Muri (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= 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.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Muri in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Richard Muri completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Muri's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Richard Walter Muri born Fairbanks, AK

Ashland High School, MA (1971) University of Mass Amherst (1975) BS Environmental Science Golden Gate University (1988) Masters Public Administration 1975- 2nd Lieutenant USAF via ROTC 1976-1993 C-141 Navigator 1983 - Operation Provide Comfort (liberation of Grenada)(received Air Medal for efforts) 1984 - 1989 Headquarters 22nd Air Force Chief Tactical Airlift Liaison Officer 1989 - 1991 Director of Airlift Operations at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Operations Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Provide Comfort 1992 - ​USAF Lt Colonel 1997 - 2004 Steilacoom Historical School District # 1 2003 - 2012 Pierce County Council Councilman 2013 - 2019 WA House of Representatives 2021 - Mayor Town of Steilacoom Past (1995 - 1997) Steilacoom Historical Museum Association ​(SHMA) Director President (2001 - 2002) Kiwanis Club President (2016 - 2017) MOAA Commander (2018 - 2020) MOWW Lt Governor (2018 - 2020) Kiwanis 1996 - Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce John H. Anderson Military Citizen of the Year Award 2006 Fort Lewis Civilian Hall of Fame, 2017 National Wrestling Hall of Fame 2018 National Drive Electric Week City Captain of the Year Award from Plug In America (1st ever recipient) 2018 Kiwanis Club of Steilacoom Citizen of the year 2019 - Steilacoom Citizen of the Year 2019 - S​HMA Lee Merrill Award Recipient

​Oldest of ​6 children in a blue collar working class family. Married 1979 to Mary Muri ​4 children, ​12 grandchildren

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am writing to highlight my 50-year career in public service, dedicated to both my country and my community. As mayor for the past four years, I have built upon the strong foundation laid by former Mayor Ron Lucas. I have prioritized retaining excellent staff, maintaining our critical infrastructure, and ensuring healthy fund balances. I have also fostered a strong collaborative relationship with our town council, which has resulted in balanced budgets and effectively drafted ordinances. This collaborative approach is reflected in the fact that every major issue during my tenure has passed with a unanimous 5-0 vote.
• One of the keys to my success as a town leader​ and mayor has been effective collaboration. Shortly after becoming mayor, I formed two key citizen advisory committees: the Public Safety Advisory Committee and the Parks and Environment Committee. I ​have appointed highly qualified and diverse citizens to these committees, and their recommendations have been instrumental to both the town council and my office.
• As Mayor for the past four years, I have diligently upheld the non-partisan nature of this position. My campaign has been self-funded, operating on a small fraction of the money raised by my opponent. Frugality is a core personal attribute of mine, as is a commitment to collaboration across all viewpoints. I am dedicated to keeping our town safe, quaint, and enjoyable for everyone.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about good government and eliminating waste. With a college degree in environmental health, I consider myself an environmental champion. I have been a state and national leader in vehicle electrification, even starting the National Drive Electric Steilacoom festival in 2014, which has become one of the best in the country.

I personally drive all-electric vehicle​s, live in a home well-suited for solar panels, and utilize heat pumps for both cooling and heating. I strive to lead by example in my daily life. Additionally, public safety is my number one priority, and I am proud of our success in recruiting qualified law enforcement officers, bringing our team to full strength.

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

My favorite president ​and a leader to model myself during my lifetime, and someone I've read a great deal about, is President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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

I am committed to the highest levels of integrity and have a zero-tolerance policy for anything that could be perceived as self-serving. With fifty years of flawless public service, I will ensure that I complete my final four years of formal public service maintaining these same standards of integrity.

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

The core responsibilities as the Mayor of Steilacoom are to hire and retain exceptional staff, facilitate productive town council meetings, and ensure effective communication with our citizens.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Foremost my legacy will be the successful marriage to my wonderful wife Mary Muri for the past 46 years. My 4 wonderful and successful children and the 12 grandchildren who are also awesome.  But I will also leave a legacy of quality public service for more than 50 years.  A service I hope to do for a few more decades, "God Willing"! 

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

​The assasination of President John Kennedy in November 1963. I was 9 years old at the time and remember all of us elementary school kids being brought into the gymnasium for the announcement among all the crying from the teachers and students. Then being home watching television about the sad and tragic event in our nation's history.

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

From ages 12 to 16 I owned and ran a paper delivery route back in my hometown of Ashalnd, Massachusetts.  Then at age 16 I was a dishwasher, busboy and eventually a shift supervisor at a restaurant.  I did all that until I entered the USAF at age 21!  

What is your favorite book? Why?

No favorites, a lot of good books read in my life.

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

Maybe "Batman"!

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

Nothing that comes to mind. Life is so far has been very good for me.

A mayor is a leader in his or her city. What does that mean to you?

I believe a strong Mayor begins by setting a positive example and advocating for all aspects of Steilacoom. This includes actively collaborating with the various agencies that influence the well-being of our town.

If the mayor in your city is a member of the city council and there's a city manager appointed to handle the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe should be the mayor's top priority in office?

Supervising and communicating effectively with​ our town administrator.

If the mayor in your city is not a member of the city council and oversees the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor and city council?

I​ have been committed to fostering unanimous 5-0 votes on all major issues before the town council. I have successfully achieved this objective for the past four years, and I look forward to continuing this approach.

What do you love most about your city?

Small, quaint and friendly. A town of incredible volunteers.

What do you perceive to be your city's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The proper development of the former paper mill property on the Northern edge of town.  I have a bird's eye view of the mill property from my home, so I have a a keen awareness of this issue.  Our inflation-adjusted property tax revenue continues to decline, so we need to find adequate resources to support our town endeavors.  We need to speed up the replacement of our electrical infrastructure. 

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the state government?

I wanted to highlight the strength of our current relationship with the state legislature. Having served in the legislature for six years myself, I possess a unique and in-depth understanding of its functions and processes. This experience allows me to work diligently and effectively with them on our behalf.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the federal government?

Our main relationship with the federal government is the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).  They provide 100% of our outside town electric power and we continue to have a very positive relationship.  Though their rates unfortunately rising above the rate of inflation. 

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor's office and law enforcement?

To communicate with our Chief of Public Safety on at least a weekly basis.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Currently have 225 yard signs in people yards.

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.

Other survey responses

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

• VoteWA Profile

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