I am running for Skagit County Coroner because I believe you deserve to understand what this office does long before you ever need it.
The job is bigger, and quieter, than most people know.
When a death is sudden, violent, unexpected, or happens with no doctor present, the Coroner's office determines the cause and manner of death, identifies the person, notifies next of kin, and signs the death certificate a grieving family needs. In Washington, the elected Coroner does not personally perform autopsies; that is done by trained forensic pathologists. The Coroner leads the office, oversees that work, communicates with families, and safeguards the public's trust.
One of the most important public health offices on the ballot.
from 2022 through 2024 — about 36 per 100,000 residents
Statewide, fentanyl and synthetic opioids were involved in nearly three of four of Washington's overdose deaths in 2024. Preliminary data suggest a decline began in 2024 into 2025 — but behind every number is a Skagit family.
A national problem arriving at our doorstep.
Nationwide there are only about 750 to 800 full-time forensic pathologists — roughly half of what experts say we need. Backlogs in some states now stretch families' waits well past the recommended 60 to 90 days, sometimes beyond a year. When answers are delayed, grief is prolonged.
Three concrete commitments.
- 48-hour family notification — families hear from this office within two days, every time.
- Regular public overdose-data transparency — Skagit residents will have access to timely, plain-language reporting on overdose trends in our county.
- Written service standards with every tribal nation, hospital, and EMS agency — so partners know exactly what to expect and when.
The Coroner's office exists for the moments no family anticipates. I want Skagit County to have an office ready for those moments — one built on care, transparency, and standards you can hold me to.