At tonight’s City Council meeting, District 5 City Council Member Joe Bushnell was appointed to serve as Tacoma’s Deputy Mayor in 2026.
Elected in 2021 and reelected in 2025, Deputy Mayor Bushnell has served as Vice Chair of the City Council’s Government, Performance, and Finance Committee and is a member of the City Council’s Economic Development Committee.
Deputy Mayor Bushnell represents Tacoma regionally as Chair of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Chair of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Board of Health, and member of the South Sound 911 Board of Directors. He also served as Chair of the National League of Cities 2025 Military Communities Council.
“It is an honor to be selected as Deputy Mayor,” said Deputy Mayor Bushnell. “I’m grateful for the confidence of my colleagues and committed to serving the people of Tacoma with integrity and collaboration. I look forward to working alongside residents, community partners, and my Council colleagues to strengthen our neighborhoods and ensure our city continues moving forward in 2026.”
A lifelong Tacoma resident, Deputy Mayor Bushnell’s commitment to public service includes serving over a decade in the U.S. Marine Corps as an ammunition logistics manager, as Chair of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council, and on boards including Travel Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Food Advisory Board.
“Deputy Mayor Bushnell is a trusted and respected leader whose dedication to public service, including his years in the military and his work with neighborhood councils and community boards, reflects a deep commitment to the people of our city,” said Mayor Anders Ibsen. “I want to thank him for his service on the City Council, particularly his leadership on public safety and improving the Hosmer neighborhood, and I am confident that as Deputy Mayor he will continue to listen to residents, foster collaboration, and work with his colleagues to improve the quality of life for all Tacoma residents.”
Deputy Mayor Bushnell succeeds former At-Large Council Member Kiara Daniels as Deputy Mayor.