Leesa Manion seeks reelection as King County Prosecuting Attorney

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion, first elected by voters in 2022, will run for reelection in 2026.

Manion said in a Jan. 14 press release that she is looking to build upon a first-term foundation defined by refocusing the office on countywide priorities, making measurable progress on public safety and gun violence prevention and a commitment to standing up for our county’s victims, communities and constitutional rights.

“I’m proud of our accomplishments, from reducing the pandemic-era backlog of unfiled cases in our courts to proactively addressing public safety priorities,” Manion said. “We made our office more responsive to the needs of our diverse communities and more effective at balancing accountability, crime prevention and victim support.”

Manion defeated Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell with 57.69% of the vote in November 2022 for a four-year term. She spent the previous 15 years as chief of staff for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Throughout her term, Manion said she has participated in hundreds of community meetings and listening sessions countywide and has consistently advocated in Olympia for stronger laws and necessary services. Responding directly to constituent priorities, she established two new divisions within the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office—the Gender-Based Violence & Prevention Division and the Economic Crimes & Wage Theft Division—bringing greater focus and coordination to crimes that directly impact working families and vulnerable residents.

The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office also significantly increased attention to retail theft, adding dedicated staffing and increasing criminal filings to boost efforts to combat retail crime and organized retail theft, according to the press release. Manion said has taken an aggressive stance against drug trafficking, filing hundreds of charges annually against individuals dealing fentanyl and methamphetamine, and working with law enforcement to regularly take down traffickers in major drug busts.

At the same time, she renewed the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office’s commitment to Drug Court, an alternative for nonviolent offenders that is successful in changing lives through treatment and accountability, according to the press release.

With increases in political violence and threats from the Trump administration targeting immigrant, refugee and other vulnerable communities, Manion said she has expanded capacity to address hate crimes, including advancing legislative reforms. Manion has worked to defend residents from unconstitutional federal overreach, joining lawsuits challenging executive actions that threaten immigrant rights, LGBTQ+ protections, reproductive freedom, environmental safeguards and local authority.

“We must fight back against the hate, bias, and attacks on constitutional rights of our communities coming from the Trump administration,” Manion said. “As the daughter of an immigrant who experienced bias and challenges, I personally understand what is at stake, the division and fear caused by these illegal actions, and am committed to protecting families and communities from harm.”

Manion said she is also proud of her efforts to keep kids and communities safer. She has led a thoughtful, data-driven approach to juvenile justice. She has invested in diversion efforts, strengthened partnerships with community organizations, and ensured that juveniles are prosecuted as adults only as a last resort to protect community safety in cases of exceptional violence, according to the press release. A longtime gun violence prevention leader, Manion launched a Safer Schools Strategy and created a juvenile Extreme Risk Protection Order pilot program. These efforts are producing results, with countywide reductions in gun violence.

“As a mom and advocate for stronger gun laws and help for vulnerable youth, I’m heartened by the progress we are making to reduce overall incidences of gun violence,” she said. “I’m excited to continue this work in the coming years, helping improve safety and peace of mind for kids and families countywide.”

Manion has received endorsements from many local and state leaders, including former Gov. Gary Locke, former Gov. Christine Gregoire, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, former King County Executive Dow Constantine, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, former King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg and others.

So far, nobody has announced they are running against Manion.