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Latest election tally offers no surprises

Published 11:24 pm Monday, November 9, 2009

By Noah Haglund Herald Writer

EVERETT — Hopes of a come-from-behind victories are looking dimmer for many candidates in last week’s Snohomish County elections.

Barring a mathematical miracle for the trailing challengers, the incumbents in two County Council races were likely to hold their leads.

On Monday evening, Democrat Dave Somers’ lead in District 5 had thinned to 52 percent compared to Republican Steve Dana’s 47.6 percent. Republican John Koster bumped his substantial lead to 58.2 percent in District 1 over Democrat Ellen Hiatt Watson’s 41.5 percent.

“I would think it would be pretty clear after today what the results will be,” county elections manager Garth Fell said Monday.

The latest tallies added another 28,000 ballots to the Nov. 3 election totals. That leaves an estimated 2 percent — or about 4,000 ballots — left to be counted.

Only one race in the county looked likely for an automatic recount, Fell said. That was commissioner Position 3 for Marysville Fire, also known as Snohomish County Fire District 12. Iris Lilly led slightly with 3,404 votes to Marilyn Sheldon’s 3,390, a difference of 0.2 percent.

In other races:

  • A Sno-Isle Libraries levy was passing with 88,210 votes, or 53 percent ,approval in Snohomish and Island counties. Rejecting it were 78,077 voters or 47 percent.

  • Jeffrey Thorp increased his lead over challenger Ken Renfro in a Mukilteo School Board race with 7,328 votes, or 50.3 percent, to Renfro’s 7,111 or 48.9 percent.

  • Jeff Russell led in the race for Everett School Board Position 3 with 12,544 votes and 51.5 percent over Pam LeSesne’s 11,666 votes and 47.9 percent.

  • Jessica Olson, in the race for Everett School Board Position 4, had 54.1 percent, or 13,077 votes, to Karen Madsen’s 45.4 percent and 10,975 votes.

  • Peter Gott’s seven-vote lead in the Index Town Council contest remained unchanged. He had 35 votes or 55.6 percent to Alex Gibb’s 28 votes and 44.4 percent.

    By Monday evening, election officials had counted 175,151 of the 371,915 ballots mailed out. They expect that about 49 percent of voters participated in the election. That leaves about 4,000 ballots left to be counted, Auditor Carolyn Weikel said.

    The next update is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday. Results are to be certified Nov. 24.

    About 600 returned ballots had problems with signatures: 260 didn’t match the signatures on file and 346 lacked any signature at all, Fell said. Voters notified by mail about an absent or questionable signature have until 5 p.m. Nov. 23 to correct the problem.

    Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

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