Recounts: Nicholls on school board, Urban on fire commission

EVERETT — Andrew Nicholls wanted a chance to shape the Everett public school system in which his two children will soon enroll.

On Friday, he learned with certainty he’ll get it.

Snohomish County election workers completed a hand recount that confirmed Nicholls’ 37-vote victory over Everett School Board director Jamyang Dorjee Nhangkar in last month’s election.

Nicholls earned a six-year term by unseating Nhangkar, who was appointed to the Everett Public Schools Board of Directors in 2018.

Nicholls, 35, lives in North Everett and is a research social worker with the VA Puget Sound Medical Center. His sons, aged 1 and 3, will soon be old enough to enroll in the district.

He will begin his duties at the board’s next meeting in January. He is one of two new members. April Berg won in the Nov. 5 election and was sworn into office Dec. 3. She succeeded board member Carol Andrews in Position 2.

Berg, a Mill Creek resident, is a former member of the Edmonds School Board and served on the bond advisory committee for the Everett School District.

Also Friday, Greg Urban secured a 34-vote victory over Nicholas Gullickson in their contest for a six-year term as a South County Fire commissioner for District 2. With almost 32,000 votes cast, the margin was just 0.11 %.

South County Fire provides fire and emergency medical services to nearly 250,000 residents in southwest Snohomish County, including the cities of Lynnwood, Brier, Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace.

For Urban, the executive director of the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, this was his first bid for elected office.

On Wednesday, Snohomish County election workers completed a hand recount in a contest for a seat on the Bothell City Council.

In that race, Mason Thompson defeated Leigh Henderson by five votes.

Final results for all three recounts were certified Friday.

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@herald net.com. Twitter: @dospueblos.