Skagit County commissioners appoint Joe Burns to fill District 3 vacancy

After interviewing three nominees and meeting in executive session, the Skagit County Board of Commissioners appointed Joe Burns to the vacant District 3 seat on Jan. 5, 2026. Commissioner Browning nominated Burns and Chair Wiesner seconded; the board approved the appointment by voice vote. Burns will serve until the November election, subject to the bond posting required by Washington state law.

The board conducted 35‑minute interviews with the three nominees chosen by the local Democratic party. In his interview, Joe Burns said he had “enjoyed serving as a Central Valley city council member” and emphasized priorities that included farmland preservation, infrastructure maintenance and continued support for the North Star project to address behavioral‑health needs. Jeremy Harrison, another nominee, told the commissioners he was “invested in” Skagit County and highlighted farmland protection, mental and public health, and affordable housing as his top priorities. Amy Wood said she sought the appointment to improve representation for women, people of color and queer residents and cited banking and accounting experience as relevant to the county role.

Chair Wiesner said the board would follow state rules for filling the vacancy, citing RCW 42.30.110(1)(h) as authority to hold an executive session to evaluate qualifications. When the board reconvened at 2:47 p.m., Chair Wiesner stated no action had been taken during the executive session before the public appointment vote. The board noted that the new appointee must post a bond before taking office and that the county will issue a press release with the details.

The appointment was procedural: the commissioners agreed to nominate a working partner for the remainder of the term and to continue statutory compliance steps before Burns is sworn in. The board did not record roll‑call vote tallies in the public remark beyond the unanimous voice approval during the meeting.