# Ryan Mello
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{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ryan N. Mello
| image =
| office = 7th [Pierce County Executive](/source/Pierce_County_Executive)
| term_start = January 1, 2025
|term_end =
| predecessor = [Bruce Dammeier](/source/Bruce_Dammeier)
| successor =
| office1 = Member of the [Pierce County Council](/source/Pierce_County_Council) from the 4th District
| term_start1 = January 1, 2021
| term_end1 = January 1, 2025
| predecessor1 = [Connie Ladenburg](/source/Connie_Ladenburg)
| successor1 = Rosie Ayala
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of dates | 32 | 2011 | 10 | 7 | 32 | 2011 | 7 | 15 }}
| birth_place = [Kailua, Hawaii](/source/Kailua%2C_Hawaii)
| party = [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
| partner = Sean
| education = [University of Puget Sound](/source/University_of_Puget_Sound) (B.A.)
}}
'''Ryan Mello''' is a Democratic politician from [Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington), who currently serves as the [Pierce County Executive](/source/Pierce_County_Executive). Mello was elected as County Executive in [2024](/source/2024_Pierce_County_Executive_election), and previously served as a member of the [County Council](/source/Pierce_County_Council) and the [Tacoma City Council](/source/Tacoma_City_Council).
==Early life==
Mello was born in [Kailua, Hawaii](/source/Kailua%2C_Hawaii), and moved to Washington in 1997 to attend the [University of Puget Sound](/source/University_of_Puget_Sound).[{{cite web|title=Biography|date=2025|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/8703/Biography|website=Pierce County, Washington|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] He served as the President of the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound, the university's [student government association](/source/Student_governments_in_the_United_States), from 2000 to 2001,[{{cite web|title=Past ASUPS Presidents|date=2025|url=https://www.pugetsound.edu/associated-students-university-puget-sound/governance/asups-president/past-asups-presidents|website=Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] and graduated in 2001 with his [bachelor of arts](/source/bachelor_of_arts) degree in politics and government.[{{cite web|title=County Council No. 4 - Ryan Mello|date=2020|url=https://voter.votewa.gov/GenericVoterGuide.aspx?e=865&c=27#/candidates/47759/45597|website=State and Local Online Voters' Guide|publisher=Washington Secretary of State|access-date=August 4, 2025}}]
==Political career==
In 2005, Mello ran for a position on the [Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma](/source/Metro_Parks_Tacoma). He defeated incumbent Commissioner Jerry Thorpe,[{{cite news|last=Sherman|first=Kris|title=Parks bond bound to pass, auditor says|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=November 11, 2005|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=B1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178198254/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] winning 55–44 percent.[{{cite web|title=November 8, 2005 General Election - Official Election Results|date=November 29, 2005|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1538/nov2005results?bidId=|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] He became the Pierce County Director of the Cascade Land Conservancy in 2006,[{{cite news|last=Wickert|first=David|title=Preservation comes to county|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=August 18, 2009|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=A1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178198783/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 4, 2025}}]
Mello applied for a vacant position on the [Tacoma City Council](/source/Tacoma_City_Council) in 2010. He was appointed by the City Council to the Position 7 seat on January 14, 2010.[{{cite news|last=Kamb|first=Lewis|title=Council picks Boe, Mello for empty seats|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=January 15, 2010|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=A1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178195712/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 5, 2025}}] He was elected to a full term in 2011,[{{cite news|last=Kamb|first=Lewis|title=Ibsen leading Smitherman in Tacoma City Council race|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=November 9, 2011|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=A6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212419/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 5, 2025}}] defeating perennial candidate Will Baker with 74 percent of the vote.[{{cite web|title=November 8, 2011 - Summary Report - Pierce County - Final Results Report|date=November 28, 2011|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/75557/Summary-ReportFinal|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 5, 2025}}] He was re-elected in 2015,[{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Kate|title=Ibsen, Blocker lead competitive races|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=November 4, 2015|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=A12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212451/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 5, 2025}}] and barred from seeking another term in 2019 because of term limits.[{{cite news|last=Needles|first=Allison|title=Which two new faces will join Tacoma City Council?|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=May 19, 2019|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=A3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212471/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 5, 2025}}]
In 2020, Mello ran for the [Pierce County Council](/source/Pierce_County_Council) from District 4. In the primary election, he placed first, receiving 30 percent of the vote,[{{cite web |title=Final Results - Pierce County, Washington, Primary Election, Aug 04, 2020|date=August 18, 2020|publisher=Pierce County Auditor|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/93658/Summary-Report|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] and advancing to a runoff election with [University Place](/source/University_Place%2C_Washington) City Councilman Javier Figueroa.[{{cite news|last=Peterson|first=Josephine|title=Pierce County races will determine majority party|newspaper=[The News Tribune](/source/The_News_Tribune)|date=August 23, 2020|location=[Tacoma, Washington](/source/Tacoma%2C_Washington)|page=A4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/178212584/|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 5, 2025}}] Mello defeated Figueroa in a landslide in the general election, receiving 63 percent of the vote.[{{cite web |title=Final Report - Pierce County, Washington, General Election, Nov 03, 2020|date=November 23, 2020|publisher=Pierce County Auditor|url=https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/95923/Summary-Results|access-date=August 4, 2025}}]
==Pierce County Executive==
Mello announced in 2023 that he would run for [Pierce County Executive](/source/Pierce_County_Executive) in [2024](/source/2024_Pierce_County_Executive_election) to succeed term-limited Republican incumbent [Bruce Dammeier](/source/Bruce_Dammeier).[{{cite news|title=Mello announces campaign for Pierce County Executive|newspaper=[Tacoma Weekly](/source/Tacoma_Weekly)|date=December 11, 2023|url=https://tacomaweekly.com/mello-announces-campaign-for-pierce-county-executive-p6572-117.htm|via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] He was the only Democratic candidate to run, and faced Republican State Representative [Kelly Chambers](/source/Kelly_Chambers_(politician)).[{{cite news|last=Lotmore|first=Mario|title=Competition for statewide offices, Pierce County seats dominate Day 1 of candidate filings|newspaper=Lynnwood Times|date=December 6, 2023|url=https://lynnwoodtimes.com/2023/12/06/kelly-chambers-231206/|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] In the primary election, Mello placed first with 52 percent of the vote,[{{cite web|title=August 6, 2024 Primary|date=August 20, 2024|url=https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20240806/pierce/|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] and narrowly defeated Chambers in the general election, winning 51 percent of the vote to her 49 percent.[{{cite web|title=November 5, 2024 General Election|date=November 26, 2024|url=https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20241105/pierce/|website=Pierce County Auditor|access-date=August 4, 2025}}]
==Personal life==
Mello is [openly gay](/source/coming_out), and came out when attending college at the [University of Puget Sound](/source/University_of_Puget_Sound).[{{cite news|last=Nagle|first=Matt|title=Ryan Mello seeks to be Washington state's first LGBTQ county executive|newspaper=[Seattle Gay News](/source/Seattle_Gay_News)|date=October 17, 2024|location=|url=https://www.sgn.org/story/151037|access-date=August 4, 2025}}] He and his partner, Sean, live in the Theater District of Tacoma.