Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts running for King County Assessor

Saying he will restore integrity and deliver transparent, effective leadership, Shoreline Mayor, Chris Roberts, announced a run for King County Assessor for the 2026 election.

Saying he will restore integrity and deliver transparent, effective leadership, Shoreline Mayor, Chris Roberts, announced a run for King County Assessor for the 2026 election.

Shoreline Mayor, Chris Roberts. Photo curtesy of the Roberts campaign.

Current King County Assessor John Wilson faces allegations of stalking, harassment, and mismanagement. Local leaders have called for Wilson’s resignation. Wilson has denied the allegations, has refused to resign, and is a candidate running for King County Executive.

In an interview, Roberts said, “I believe we need to restore fairness and equity back to the office. […] That’s important for any elected official but especially for the official who is assessing people’s property taxes.”

The King County Assessor directs a department of over 200 employees responsible for setting property values.

Roberts said he’s the right person for the job because he’s provided a steady hand managing and governing for over 16 years on the Shoreline city council. In addition to serving as Shoreline Mayor, Roberts has been elected to the board of the Sound Cities Association and the National League of Cities. He is also the chair of the 32nd Legislative District Democrats. He said he’s received over 60 endorsements and said, “I appreciate that my peers are backing me.”

“I want to make sure people are able to stay in their homes…” by improving the senior and low-income property tax exemption process, he said. “I want to make sure everyone in King County knows about those exemptions,” said Roberts.

Roberts is the longest-serving Shoreline council member, having been first elected in 2009. He was elected to the Shoreline City Council in 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2021. He served as Mayor from 2016 to 2017 and was elected to the position again in 2024. His current term expires December 31, 2025, and he is currently running unopposed for his fifth term.

If Wilson resigns, Roberts said he would put his name forward for the King County Assessor position.

(Correction: an earlier version of this story contained a typo confusing the “assessor” and the “council” position. Sorry.)