What does the Executive do?

King County is the 14th largest county in the United States, with a diverse population of nearly 2 million residents spread across urban, suburban and rural areas.

Because of the size and importance of the jurisdiction, the King County Executive is widely considered to be the second most powerful elected official in the state (after the governor), overseeing a government that covers nearly a third of the total population of Washington State.

Specifically, the Executive heads a $5 billion regional government whose more than 13,000 employees provide crucial services for the County's residents: everything from courts and jails, to protecting public health and making sure our food and water are safe and clean, to sewage treatment and flood control, land use permitting, protecting and managing open space and parks, and running Metro Transit, one of the largest public transit agencies in the country.

For the 350,000+ residents living outside the county's 39 incorporated cities, King County provides all local government services as well.