Review of 2015 south county politics
Published 10:18 am Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Local politics in 2015 were notable for the low voter turnout in the Nov. 3 general election. The countywide turnout of 34.76 percent was the lowest for a general election in 44 years. It was the lowest since 1971, which was only the second year that Washington held November elections in odd-numbered years.
The turnout in South Snohomish County was a little higher than the county average. Turnout in the Edmonds School District, which includes Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Woodway, unincorporated areas near those cities and part of Brier, was 36.86.
The November election gave Lynnwood three new city council members, after three challengers defeated incumbents and one incumbent barely survived after a recount. New Lynnwood Councilman George Hurst defeated incumbent Syd Roberts, Shannon Sessions defeated incumbent Van AuBuchon, and Shirley Sutton defeated incumbent Loren Simmonds. Incumbent Benjamin Goodwin defeated challenger Chris Frizell by 21 votes after a recount.
Edmonds also got three new council members. Mike Nelson joined the council by appointment before winning in November; Neil Tibbott won a position by defeating incumbent Lora Petso; and Dave Teitzel won the position that incumbent Joan Bloom gave up after one four-year term.
Mountlake Terrace finished the year looking for a new city manager for the second time in a year. Arlene Fisher, resigned in lieu of termination in September, just eight months after the city hired her to replace longtime City Manager John Caulfield.
The Mountlake Terrace City Council expects to discuss in January the process for searching for a new city manager.
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.
