Edmonds resident announces campaign for Snohomish County Prosecutor
Snohomish County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor Jason Cummings announced Thursday he will be running for Snohomish County Prosecutor in the 2022 election. Cummings has spent nearly 25 years at the Prosecutor’s Office, serving as Chief Civil Deputy for the last 14 years. The announcement comes just days after Prosecutor Adam Cornell, also of Edmonds, announced he would not seek re-election.
“As a lifelong Snohomish County neighbor, I value the unique place that we call home and am committed to preserving our quality of life as our county continues to grow,” Cummings said. “As prosecutor, I will prioritize the safety of every neighbor, ensure the Prosecutor’s Office provides accurate and unbiased legal services, and will exercise prosecutorial discretion to best serve our diverse community.”
Cummings enters the race with the endorsement of Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “Jason is the experienced leader we need to deliver on our County’s commitment to safe and strong communities,” Somers said. “In his time at the Prosecutor’s Office, he has proven his ability to deliver justice, improve access and transparency, and move the office forward. He has served his community for years and is exactly the person we need as our prosecuting attorney.”
In addition to running the Prosecutor’s Office Civil Division and its team of 35 attorneys and staff, Cummings manages the office’s $30 million budget and has served on the leadership teams of the last three elected prosecuting attorneys. He was also appointed acting Prosecuting Attorney by the Snohomish County Council in 2009 to continue normal office operations until Prosecutor Mark Roe was formally appointed later that year.
Addressing the growing impact of addiction and homelessness in Snohomish County, Cummings said that “as prosecutor, I will strive to balance grace and recovery with accountability. We must remain focused on dealing with the root of the addiction, provide strong diversion programs and collaboration with human service organizations, and do more to incentivize recovery. We must also hold those accountable should they decline the opportunity to begin their path to recovery.”
Cummings, a Democrat, also serves as lead on the Data Collection Initiative begun earlier this year, which evaluates performance metrics to better understand racial and ethnic disparities as they exist in Snohomish County. The dashboard, which will be used by law and justice system partners and the community, will help guide community discussions and budget considerations for the county.
Raised in Edmonds, Cummings graduated from Edmonds High School and the University of Washington before earning his law degree at the Seattle University School of Law in 1996. Cummings serves or has served on the Imagine Children’s Board, the Edmonds Lion Club, as a youth sports coach, and as a school board committee member.
He lives in Edmonds with his wife of 25 years, Kim, along with their son and daughter. …Read More