Emily Clouse, Thurston County Commissioner District 5

Field	Detail	Source
Full Name	Emily Clouse	T1
Residence	Thurston County, Washington (lifelong resident)	T1
Party	Democrat	T1
Education	Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with minor in Global Engagement, University of Washington Tacoma (graduated with high honors, 2018); Alumna of North Thurston High School	T2
Employment	U.S. Army Military Intelligence Analyst; Founder, Collaborative Association for Reintegration and Education (CARE), nonprofit dedicated to supporting justice-impacted youth and families (founded 2021); Manager of two family businesses in Thurston County; Work experience in law enforcement, social welfare, and affordable housing	T2

1 Election History

Year	Race	Result
2023	Thurston County Commissioner District 5	Won (59.9% of vote, 12,510 vote margin over Terry S. Ballard)
2026	Thurston County Commissioner District 5	Pending

Topic	Position	Source
Climate and Environment	Supports full implementation of Thurston County Climate Mitigation Plan; advocates intergovernmental collaboration through TRPC; supports meeting growth management goal of 95% new housing in urban areas for dense, walkable cities	T3
Agriculture and Land Use	Supports strengthening protections for Thurston County farmland and provisions for sustainable agriculture practices including organic farming and stream buffer maintenance	T3
Criminal Justice Reform	Self-described abolitionist; founded CARE nonprofit focused on post-prison reintegration and supporting justice-impacted youth	T2
Economic Policy	Self-described democratic socialist committed to equitable policies addressing income inequality	T2

Metric	Value	Source
Total Raised	$20,839.37 raised as of 2026-06-10 (Individual $15,158.06, Business $4,000, Self $1,661.31, Other $20); 38 contributions totaling $3,784 received since 2026-05-10; latest receipt 2026-06-08	T0
Total Spent	$19,476.89 spent as of 2026-06-10, approximately 93% of receipts. Major vendors: WA State Democratic Central Committee Votebuilder $5,030.18; DeStasio Campaign Services $1,000/month (Feb-May); Oki Golf Management office rent $600/month; WA SOS filing fee $1,479.36	T0
Filing Entity	Filed May 6, 2026 for Thurston County Commissioner District 5	T1

“I deeply regret my decision.”
Response to investigation report regarding relationship with executive aide Allyn Hershey (2024)

3 sourced findings. All sourced at T1 (Official Record) or T2 (Multi-Source Media) per clearthemud provenance model. No T3/T4 claims included.

What happened: In December 2024, the Thurston County Board of Commissioners voted to censure Clouse after an investigation revealed she had a personal relationship with executive aide Allyn Hershey. The censure cited concerns about the power dynamic between an elected official and a subordinate staff member. Clouse publicly stated "I deeply regret my decision." The Thurston County settlement related to the matter was approximately $300,000.
Source tier: T2
Political impact: Severe
Defense: Clouse publicly acknowledged the relationship and expressed regret. She has continued to serve as commissioner and maintained her policy agenda. Supporters may argue the censure was the appropriate accountability mechanism and that she has learned from the experience. She won her initial race with nearly 60% of the vote, suggesting a strong base of support.

What happened: Following the censure, a recall petition was filed against Clouse. The petition was dismissed by Thurston County Superior Court, and the Washington Supreme Court subsequently rejected an attempt to unblock the recall.
Source tier: T1
Political impact: High
Defense: Both the Superior Court and the WA Supreme Court sided with Clouse, indicating the recall petition did not meet the legal threshold. The dismissal reinforces that the censure was the appropriate remedy and no further action was warranted under law.

What happened: The settlement related to the Hershey matter cost Thurston County taxpayers approximately $300,000. The county faces a $23.8 million structural budget deficit (the same deficit that forced the Clerk's Office to close to the public).
Source tier: T2
Political impact: Severe
Defense: Settlements are common in employment disputes and the county's legal counsel determined settlement was in the county's best interest. The $300K represents a small fraction of the county's overall budget. Clouse would redirect to her policy accomplishments and forward-looking agenda.

Data Sources: WA SOS, WA PDC, local media, public records
Collection Date: 2026-06-24
Highest Tier: T1 (Official Record)
Methodology: OSINT deep-dive using exclusively public-record sources. All findings at T1 or T2. No T3/T4 claims included.