2026 Lewis County Debates

Tracy Murphy is a lifelong Lewis County resident with more than 35 years of law enforcement experience. His career began at age 16 in the Centralia Police Department Cadet Program. He later served as a Community Service Officer before becoming a commissioned police officer at 21.

During more than 30 years with the Centralia Police Department, Tracy served in a wide variety of assignments, including Patrol Officer, K-9 Officer, Field Training Officer, SWAT operator and sniper, Firearms Instructor, Motor Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Training Manager, Detective Sergeant, and DEA Task Force Officer and Group Supervisor. He supervised the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and was selected to develop the department’s training program.

Throughout his career, he trained and mentored officers and supervised both personnel and specialized law enforcement operations.

Tracy graduated from Centralia High School and has spent his life in the community he seeks to serve as Sheriff.

He and his wife, Sherri, have been married for more than 20 years and raised their five children in Lewis County. Their family includes two sons who served in the United States Air Force.

Tracy is running for Lewis County Sheriff with an emphasis on professional law enforcement, strong leadership, employee development, accountability, transparency, infrastructure, and public service.

Tracy isn’t running to preserve the status quo; he’s running to change it.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Jeff Baine is a lifelong Lewis County resident, technology leader, and community advocate committed to serving local families and businesses. He currently works as a Solutions Architect for Barracuda Networks, helping organizations across the Pacific Northwest strengthen critical infrastructure and protect essential systems. Jeff has experience working with public and private organizations on technology, communications, broadband expansion, and long-term infrastructure planning. He believes in transparent leadership, fiscal responsibility, and practical solutions that keep utility services reliable, affordable, and prepared for future growth. Jeff is committed to supporting the communities that make Lewis County a great place to live and work.

STATEMENT

I am running for Public Utility District No. 1 of Lewis County Commissioner because I believe local leadership and local control matter. Decisions impacting our power, infrastructure, and future should be made with transparency, accountability, and in the best interests of ratepayers and the communities served by the PUD at the center of every discussion.

Our utility industry is facing significant challenges that will shape the future of our region for decades to come. Growing energy demand, resource adequacy concerns, aging infrastructure, and increasing regulatory requirements continue to place pressure on public utilities across Washington State. At the same time, utilities must navigate the requirements of the Clean Energy Transformation Act while balancing reliability, affordability, and responsible long-term planning.

I believe Public Utility District No. 1 of Lewis County must continue to prioritize dependable service, responsible financial stewardship, and open communication with the public. Broadband expansion, infrastructure investment, and protecting affordable power for families, farms, and businesses are all critical to the future success of the communities we serve.

I am committed to listening, asking thoughtful questions, and helping ensure Public Utility District No. 1 of Lewis County remains focused on serving ratepayers responsibly both today and for future generations.

ELECTED EXPERIENCE

Freeholder Elect

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Professional Engineer 1980 to Present. Engineer Lewis County PUD (retired) 37 years. Duties licensing, construction and operation of Cowlitz Falls Dam, state and federal regulation compliance, 9-canyon wind project. US Army Corp of Engineers 1970-1980, dams and civil construction projects. Business owner, farmer, timber.

EDUCATION

Graduate Washington State University, B.S., Electrical Engineering, 1970; Engineering Honorary: Sigma Tau

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Lewis County’s Chehalis Basin Flood Advisory Committee. Volunteered at LOVE, Inc. Past President of Chehalis young soccer club, coach and referee. State soccer board representative. Church council member.

STATEMENT

I am running to put my engineering and administrative experience towards serving the PUD and its customers.

Affordability (rates low), reliability (keeping the lights on) and customer service (responding to concerns) are my goals as a PUD Commissioner. I will work with the other commissioners, manager and staff to achieve these goals. With the rising cost of gas, housing and food, life becomes unaffordable for many ratepayers. It has become critical to keep PUD rates low. Purchased power cost, State mandates for renewable power, are increasing. This requires all other expenditures to be closely evaluated in order to keep rates low. Affordability is important for all PUD customers.

With the upcoming relicensing of Cowlitz Falls Dam, now is the time to plan and develop a roadmap to complete the effort. The relicensing process it a combination of environmental studies, agencies consultations, FERC directives and project improvements. I participated in the original licensing and will work to minimize the relicensing expenditures. I am uniquely qualified for this effort.

To provide for affordable and dependable power now and into the future, I ask for your vote.

Warren was born and raised in Boston and after attending EMT school, worked for 14 years as an EMT on ambulances in the Metro Boston Area. These include volunteer, private services and the City of Boston EMS.

In 1995, tired of the snow and cold, Warren relocated to Las Vegas where he worked as an EMT in casinos for a couple of years before joining the Clark County Coroner’s Office as a Coroner Investigator. He served in that role for almost 11 years. Clark County Nevada is 8,000 square miles, has a population of over 2.5 million, gets over 40 million visitors per year and has 6 major cities. Warren conducted over 5500 medicolegal death investigations during his tenure.

In 2008 Warren was hired as the criminal justice/forensics professor at South Puget Sound Community College and he relocated to Washington State. In 2010 he ran for the elected position of Lewis County Coroner and won.

Warren has served as the coroner of Lewis County, WA for the past 16 years and has led the office to being accredited through the IACME, modernizing and getting the staff certified as death investigators. During his entire career in public service, Warren has been responding to emergencies and tragedies for over 42 years.

Warren lives on a 5-acre hobby ranch in Winlock with approximately 26 animals of all descriptions. It is said he has Dr. Doolittle Syndrome whereby he cannot say no to animals that need rescuing.

EDUCATION

• Associate’s degree in criminal justice from College of Southern Nevada

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas

• Master’s degree in justice administration from Norwich University

• Master’s degree in political science from American Military University

CERTIFICATIONS

• Nationally registered Diplomate medicolegal death investigator through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)

• Certified medicolegal death investigator through the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Council (WA CJTC) and the Washington Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (WACME)

• Certified critical incident stress professional through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)

• Certified auditor for the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (IACME)

MEMBERSHIPS

• Lewis County Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team

• American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)

• Washington Homicide Investigators Association (WHIA)

• Washington Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (WACME)

• International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (IACME)

• International Association for Identification (IAI)

“I was raised by my grandparents in a small rural community with conservative values where hard work, personal responsibility, faith, and helping your neighbors weren’t campaign talking points, they were how we lived. I was taught that your word matters, that you treat every person with dignity, and that service to others is a privilege.

For more than fifteen years, I have dedicated my career to medicolegal death investigation in both a coroner and medical examiner model. Every person I have cared for, regardless of their background, circumstances, or the manner of their death, has been treated equally with compassion, dignity, and respect. I have nearly two decades of public service experience in the behavioral health field, with nearly half of that providing administrative oversight to programs dedicated to serving the most vulnerable in our community.

During that time I earned a Master of Science degree in Studies in Human Behavior, became certified through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, obtained Washington State Forensic Investigator certification, became a certified Psychological Autopsy Practitioner, completed education in Positive Psychology through Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School; as well as Leadership for Purposeful Change: Creating Public Value via HarvardX learning initiative of Harvard University. I believe that continual professional development and educational growth are imperative to providing best practice services to our community.

Today, I live in Toledo with my family, where we enjoy caring for our small farm. I continue to pursue educational and professional development because I believe learning never stops. Every experience throughout my life has reinforced one simple belief: people deserve compassion, honest communication, and dedicated public service. Those values continue to guide both my career and my vision for serving Lewis County.”

Mitchell Merrill was raised in Winlock and is a lifelong member of the Lewis County community. Currently, as a local business owner with over 10 years of experience in public accounting, Mitchell holds a Washington State Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license. Mitchell brings professional, executive-level leadership and experience in financial management, business operations, and organizational leadership.

He is a graduate of our own Centralia College and earned his MBA from Pacific Lutheran University. Mitchell is running for Lewis County Auditor to serve the people of Lewis County. As your next Lewis County Auditor, he will bring his professional experience and commitment to integrity, accountability, exceptional customer service, and responsible stewardship to keep the Auditor’s office working for you. A vote for Mitchell Merrill (M&M) is a vote for excellence!

ELECTED EXPERIENCE

Chairman Lewis County Republican Party Executive Committee and PCO, Chairman Mossyrock School District Board of Directors

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Lumynz Digital Engineer, Pacific Precious Metals Owner, Owner and/or Executive at multiple businesses over 35 years to include 25 years of Accounting Experience, College Instructor (Centralia and Lower Columbia Colleges), Author, Doctoral Level Researcher, International Journalist, 14-year US ARMY Infantry Veteran

EDUCATION

• BA Bachelor’s Program University of Puget Sound (European History)

• MA Master’s Program Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (Education)

• MA Master’s Program Gonzaga University Graduate School of Professional Studies (Organizational Leadership)

• EdD Doctoral Program University of Calgary Graduate Division of Educational Research (Education)

COMMUNITY SERVICE

US Forest Service Archaeology and History Representative for Gifford Pinchot Forest and Lewis County Budget Advisory Committee

WEBSITE

I have been serving my community in Lewis County for over 30 years and there is no better place to live in the State of Washington.

I believe strongly in retaining the core values of honesty, integrity, accountability and hard work at the center of county government. I am committed to ensuring responsive and efficient services to meet the needs of Lewis County residents. My vision is of a thriving, rural way of life that brings a balance to economic opportunity and growth. Lewis County can experience wise growth and deal head-on with future challenges to ensure a strong future for our children and grandchildren.

For more than 20 years, I served the region as a habitat biologist for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and for the last nearly 4 years as your County Commissioner representing District 3, which includes portions of Winlock, Toledo and Vader and all the great communities in east Lewis County.

I serve on many boards and committees representing the people of Lewis County, including service as Interim Chair of the Office of Chehalis Basin, Interim Director and Chair of the Lewis County Transit Authority Board, Chair of the Lewis County Flood Control Zone District, Economic Alliance of Lewis County Executive Committee, Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board, Veterans Advisory Board, and Southwest Washington Fair Advisory Board.

I reside south of Winlock, where my family and I operate a farm and feed business. Together with my wife Kristine, we are the lead pastors of God’s Place church in Ethel. We have three grown children and four grandchildren who also call Lewis County home.