Leesa Manion to seek reelection, emphasizing a prevention-first vision for public safety in King County
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion announced today she will seek a second term, launching her reelection campaign with a message centered on continuity, institutional reform, and what she describes as measurable progress on public safety, gun violence prevention, and victim-centered prosecution.
In an interview with NPI, Manion framed her decision to run again as an extension of work already underway rather than a shift in direction. “Over the course of the past three years, I’ve worked really hard to improve the health and well-being of all communities in King County,” she said. “I feel like the work of the office has accomplished some really big changes, and I also feel like we still have more work to do.”
Her campaign announcement highlights a first term defined by refocusing the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on countywide priorities, addressing pandemic-era backlogs, expanding victim services, and creating new divisions to better respond to crimes affecting working families and vulnerable communities.
A justice system under pressure
Manion took office at a time when the justice system was still stabilizing after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 2024 Annual Statistics Report, overall court filings reached their highest levels since before the pandemic, with total filings rising by nearly ten percent year over year. Judicial filings — which include felony and other serious cases — increased by more than twelve percent, while the number of pending cases grew by over eleven percent.
https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2026/01/leesa-manion-to-seek-reelection-emphasizing-a-prevention-first-vision-for-public-safety-in-king-county.html