EVERETT —The election saga continues.
In some contests, it’s like a photo-finish horse race who will win by a nose.
Don’t bet the farm who will be the next Arlington mayor, Snohomish County treasurer or sit on the Everett School District Board. Or if a levy change sought by the North County Regional Fire Authority will pass or not. It was losing by one vote Friday, but on Saturday was ahead by 56 votes.
As of Saturday, 193,874 ballots had been tallied in Snohomish County, with about 8,500 left to count. Election results are due to be certified Nov. 26.
In Everett, Andrew J. Nicholls was leading appointed incumbent Jamyang Dorjee Nhangkar Saturday by only nine votes — 13,423 votes to 13,414 — for at-large Position 1 on the school board. On Friday, Nicholls had a 138-vote edge.
Arlington Mayor Barb Tolbert held only a 28-vote lead on challenger Don Vanney Jr. Tolbert, who has led the city since 2011, was 55 votes ahead Friday.
Saturday’s latest results have Brian Sullivan with a lead of 778 votes over Rob Toyer to become the next county treasurer. Sullivan, a Democratic Snohomish County Councilman, moved ahead of Toyer, a Marysville City Councilman, on Friday by 32 votes.
City Council races have generated some home-stretch excitement.
Mason Thompson and Leigh Henderson remain locked in a race for a City Council seat in Bothell, which lies in both Snohomish and King counties. Thompson moved ahead of Henderson by 154 votes on Friday but on Saturday, Henderson was ahead by 32 .
In Lake Stevens, challenger Anji Jorstad gained in her quest to unseat City Councilwoman Rauchel McDaniel. Jorstad’s lead grew from 95 votes Friday to a 263-vote advantage on Saturday. McDaniel led by 17 in the initial results but has trailed in each count since Wednesday.
For Position 5 on Mukilteo City Council, Riaz Khan has 51 percent and increased his lead on Christopher Maddux to 181 votes. It’s Khan’s fifth try for public office and the first for Maddux. Khan was defeated in 2015 by Scott Whelpley, who is losing his re-election bid to fellow council member Richard Emery for Position 4.
The contest changed directions Saturday over a proposed levy increase for the North County Regional Fire Authority to reset the fire and emergency services levy to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. It is now passing with 3,472 in favor and 3,416 opposed. On Friday, it was being rejected by a single vote. The district provides fire suppression and emergency medical service to 25,000 people over 110 square miles, including the City of Stanwood.
Other races might be easier to predict. Or not.
In the Snohomish County Sheriff’s race, Sgt. Adam Fortney leads with 55% over incumbent Ty Trenary, who has already conceded. Fortney, who has worked patrol for 23 years, promised a tough-on-crime approach compared to Trenary’s more compassionate form of law enforcement.
In the county, the fate of Referendum 88, which would reinstate use of affirmative action by the state, is being rejected by nearly 55% of voters.
In Snohomish County, support stood at 58% on Saturday for Initiative 976 to lower the cost of car tabs.
Enjoy a day off from the election racetrack. The next update of results is slated for 5 p.m. Monday.
Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.
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