By Jim Haley and Warren Cornwall
Herald Writers
September primary elections frequently give strong hints about what’s likely to happen in November, but Tuesday’s may go down as a notable exception.
Only 13.4 percent of Snohomish County voters who didn’t vote with mail-in ballots went to the polls Tuesday. The absentee ballot total will be better, but it’s likely to be nowhere near normal.
"There’s not enough base for anyone to say, ‘This is what’s going to happen in the general election,’ " said Bob Terwilliger, county auditor and a keen political observer.
About the only thing that’s certain is three races are still up in the air with up to 25,000 absentee ballots that will be counted on Friday. These three could be decided by those votes:
That’s an area that sweeps from Mukilteo to Woodway.
Wilson led at the outset but Sullivan past him later Tuesday night.
"I feel good about it," Sullivan said Wednesday.
Wilson said he’s just sitting and waiting like everybody else.
James R. Smith leads Don Gough by that narrow margin, trying to become the second candidate to go on to the Nov. 6 general election. Both of them trail Mike McKinnon, although only 142 votes separate the three.
Scott Konopasek, Snohomish County elections manager, said it’s unlikely the absentees will knock McKinnon out of the race.
If any election winds up within one-half of 1 percent, there would be an automatic recount, Konopasek said.
State Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance said he’s encouraged by the primary results, but he’s not sure what to make of it either.
"I can’t emphasize enough how bizarre this election was," Vance said. "None of the rules apply."
Voters obviously were distracted by the terrorist attacks on the East Coast last week, followed by patriotic displays, Konopasek said. Voters apparently didn’t make the connection between the primary election and fundamental patriotic duties at the polls, he said.
One voter, Donnelle Sydow of Everett, said she seldom misses elections but the recent events absorbed her concentration.
"The last thing on my mind was who was going to be running the city of Everett," she said. "I just didn’t want to think about it."
Nonetheless, Vance believes both Marine and Erv Hoglund, a Republican running to unseat Democratic Rep. Jean Berkey in the 38th Legislative District in Everett and Marysville, fared well enough Tuesday to show they have a chance of winning in November.
The Democrats are trying to break a 49-49 tie in the House of Representatives by defeating Marine in the 21st District. Vance wants to hold on to that seat and beat Berkey, thus giving the Republicans the majority. They are the only legislative races on the ballot this fall in the state.
"The voters of Snohomish County have a huge responsibility" in November, Vance said.
Despite the meager turnout, some county council candidates drew encouragement from the results.
Former state lawmaker John Koster, the sole Republican candidate in the 1st District, showed his strength, polling more than all the other candidates combined with slightly more than 50 percent of the vote.
But he said the low turnout made it hard to draw any firm conclusions.
"We feel good about that, but by the same token it’s only halftime in the race," he said.
Jeff Sax, who appeared to have won the Republican spot in District 5, said he was encouraged because he and his Republican opponent, Chad Minnick, combined for more than 48 percent of the vote. That was slightly more than the 47 percent earned by Democrat and incumbent Dave Somers.
But Somers said with no Democratic opponent and little get-out-the-vote efforts on his side, he expected the primary failed to draw his supporters in large numbers.
You can call Herald Writer Jim Haley at 425-339-3447 or send e-mail to haley@heraldnet.com.
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