Last November’s election of a new county executive and two councilmembers represented a sea change in county government. It brought a new level of cooperation not seen in decades.
Two Democrats needed for a county council majority were elected and Ryan Mello won the County Executive’s seat. This majority has taken on some major reforms in the planning department and now has an opportunity to re-make our community plans with significant changes.
Our urban areas will become more livable with increased affordability of housing and infrastructure. And at long last, the planning department has funding to design a new bridge over Chambers Creek and remove the dam.
But such reforms hang in the balance as the Pierce County Council member from Fife, Bryan Yambe, must be re-elected to his seat.
After becoming appointed, Bryan had to run for his seat in a special election last year to fill the vacancy left by Marty Campbell. He is now running to secure a full four-year term.
Back on the ballot, his vote is still critical as he is essential to keeping the Democratic majority on the council intact. He may not have a difficult campaign this time around, as he is a remarkable vote-getter who won with 57% in November 2025. Fifty-seven percent is a significant win for any county council seat!
Filing week closed in May with only one Republican challenger. The county election rules indicate that when there are only two people running for the seat, both candidates advance to the fall general election. Yambe will face Republican Bettina Gese in the upcoming primary on August 4, and again in November.
In his first year in office, Yambe has focused on improving local infrastructure, equity, and family support systems within District 5:
- Childcare Expansion via Zoning: He recently supported sweeping countywide zoning changes designed to expand local childcare access by easing regulatory restrictions on care facilities in residential and commercial areas.
- Public Health & Firearm Safety: He helped secure a $300,000 county investment to expand the Health Department’s public safety outreach, specifically funding the regional distribution of firearm lockboxes.
- Sound Transit Equity Advocacy: He formally pressed the Sound Transit Board to prioritize geographic and social equity when addressing the agency’s major funding gaps, ensuring District 5 transit corridors are not sidelined.
- Homelessness Response Updates: He has been actively working on the Health and Human Services Committee to advance the updated Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness to the full council.
Background and Experience: Prior to his appointment to the seat, Bryan Yambe was deputy mayor of Fife and was re-elected to the Fife City Council several times. He also served on the Puget Sound Regional Council and on the Pierce County Health Department Board, where he gained experience with budgets and policy.
Bryan’s is opposed by Bettina Gese who has had “an active footprint in regional government relations.” She is an enrolled member of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Her website says that she is not a career politician. “In 2006, Bettina became a commercial geoduck diver, entering one of the most demanding industries in the region. She later became a licensed real estate agent and small business owner,” according to her website. She is a graduate of Puyallup High School.
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