Bob Songer, far-right 'constitutional sheriff' in Washington, retires from Klickitat County

Bob Songer, 81, the far-right 'constitutional sheriff' of Klickitat County, Washington, is retiring in 2026. Songer's departure follows Washington's enactment of Senate Bill 5974, which sets qualification standards for sheriffs and regulates volunteer posses in response to anti-government movement concerns. Independent candidate Dwayne Matulovich led Republican Tony Warren with 57% to 27% in the August primary ahead of their November runoff, where both candidates seek to refocus office priorities on local matters while retaining volunteer posses.

Songer retirement and candidates' background

• ▪Financial disclosures show Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer donated money to support Republican candidate Tony Warren's campaign to succeed him.
• ▪Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, 81, is retiring in 2026 and not seeking re-election after serving as sheriff since his first election in 2014.
• ▪Both candidates running for Klickitat County sheriff in 2026, Tony Warren and Dwayne Matulovich, previously worked under Sheriff Bob Songer in the Klickitat County Sheriff's Office.

2026 primary election results

• ▪Independent Dwayne Matulovich and Republican Tony Warren will face each other in a November 2026 runoff election for Klickitat County sheriff.
• ▪In the August 2026 all-party primary for Klickitat County sheriff, independent candidate Dwayne Matulovich received 57 percent of the vote while Republican candidate Tony Warren received 27 percent.

Constitutional sheriff movement and CSPOA

• ▪Former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack founded the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association in 2011, an organization designated as an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
• ▪The constitutional sheriff movement asserts that elected local sheriffs hold supreme legal authority in their counties and possess the power to nullify state or federal laws they deem unconstitutional.
• ▪Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer serves as a board member of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association and has spoken at its national conferences.

Klickitat County volunteer posse

• ▪Bob Songer promised to start up a volunteer posse to increase community involvement with the department while running for his first term as Klickitat County sheriff in 2014.
• ▪Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer established an armed volunteer posse that grew to over 100 members tasked with duties including front desk work, search and rescue, courtroom security, and cougar hunts.

Candidates' views on constitutional authority

• ▪Independent candidate Dwayne Matulovich stated that constitutional legal interpretation belongs to the judicial branch rather than executive officers like the county sheriff.
• ▪Republican candidate Tony Warren expressed support for refusing to enforce state laws he considers unconstitutional, specifically citing firearm restrictions and mask mandates.

Candidates' shared policy positions

• ▪Klickitat County sheriff candidates Tony Warren and Dwayne Matulovich both oppose implementing Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers due to privacy, budget, and public records concerns.
• ▪Klickitat County sheriff candidates Tony Warren and Dwayne Matulovich both stated they will not task local deputies to assist federal agencies with immigration enforcement.
• ▪Klickitat County sheriff candidates Tony Warren and Dwayne Matulovich both support continuing the county's volunteer posse program despite state-level policy changes.

Washington Senate Bill 5974

• ▪In March 2026, Washington lawmakers passed Senate Bill 5974, establishing minimum qualifications, age criteria, and criminal history checks for sheriff candidates while regulating volunteer posses.
• ▪Washington State Representative Roger Goodman and Senator John Lovick introduced Senate Bill 5974 partly in response to public complaints regarding Sheriff Bob Songer's volunteer posse in Klickitat County.
• ▪Washington Senate Bill 5974 establishes a administrative process allowing the state to remove sheriffs who lose their peace officer certifications.