ELECTIONS 2026: St. Clair not seeking reelection, ‘Granta Claus’ throws hat in ring
Jessie Stensland reports on the 2026 elections for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity AI
Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair announced she will not seek reelection for the District 3 seat representing much of North Whidbey and all of Camano Island, and said she does not plan to run for any other office but intends to stay active in community service and advocacy. Camano Island resident Grant Shaw, a Democrat known locally as “Granta Claus” for portraying Santa and serving on the Freedom Park Association board, has filed to run for the open seat. The article also notes a busy 2026 ballot, with Prosecutor Greg Banks, Sheriff Rick Felici, Treasurer Tony Lam, Assessor Kelly Mauck, several other county officials, District 10 legislators, and local judicial and countywide candidates declaring reelection or new campaigns, many running as independents rather than by party.
They Said It
St. Clair… told the News-Times that she doesn’t plan on running for any other elected position, though she hopes to continue to be involved in community service and advocacy.
Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks announced in a press release last Saturday that he is running for reelection for his eighth term.
“We live in troubling and unprecedented times,” Banks wrote. “The foundations of our society are being weakened by anti-democratic forces. A local prosecutor must do his or her job without fear or favor, guided always by the pursuit of justice. Local prosecutors, by acting competently and with integrity, are a bulwark against corruption and the erosion of democratic norms taking place in other arenas. I stand ready, willing and able to protect the interest of all county residents to live in a place governed by the rule of law.”
Banks originally ran as a Democrat but has been an independent candidate for years, as he said he believes political partisanship has no place in the prosecutor’s office.
Assessor Kelly Mauck said he is running for reelection but hasn’t decided if he will run as a Republican candidate again this year.
“This role isn’t about politics — it’s about fairness, accuracy and serving people well,” Mauck said.
“Over the past term,” he added, “we’ve made significant progress. We’ve strengthened valuation accuracy, improved internal systems, increased transparency and worked hard to ensure property owners are treated consistently and respectfully. I’m proud of how far our office has come and the professionalism our team brings to this work every day.”
