EVERETT — Candidates in races across Snohomish County began to be whittled down with the first primary results released Tuesday night.
Highlights include a tight state Senate race in the 10th Legislative District, a potential rematch between state Rep. Sam Low and former Rep. Robert Sutherland and a competitive race in east Snohomish County’s 12th District.
The top two vote-getters in each election advance to November’s primary, regardless of party affiliation.
Snohomish County auditor Garth Fell said 25,000 ballots were uncounted. More mail-in ballots are expected over the coming days, he said.
State Senate
10th District
State Sen. Ron Muzzall, a Republican, led Janet St. Clair, a Democrat who currently serves on the Island County Board of Commissioners, grabbing 48.2% of the initial ballot return. St. Clair took 44.99% of the vote and Denny Sandberg, a Democrat, took 6.7%.
The district represents Island County, a wide swath of the north coast of Snohomish County, as well as Arlington and parts of Skagit County.
Muzzall highlighted cost of living, public safety and education as his priorities. St. Clair highlighted cost of living and health care improvements, particularly in abortion access.
39th District
State Sen. Keith Wagoner topped the ballot in the 39th District with 58.77% of the vote, with John Snow trailing at 30.68% and Tim McDonald at 10.47%. The district includes eastern Skagit and Snohomish counties and northeastern King County. It is mostly rural, and Republicans currently hold all three of its positions in the Legislature.
Both Navy veterans, Wagoner wants to reduce crime and taxes by blocking and reversing what he calls “bad policy” put forth by Democrats. Meanwhile, Snow focuses his campaign on “minimizing harm” by lowering housing costs, lowering the tax burden on the lower- and middle-class, and increasing education funding using the state budget surplus.
State House
10th District
In the 10th Legislative District, Democratic state Rep. Clyde Shavers held a wide lead over Republicans Yvonne Gallardo-Van Ornam and Carrie Kennedy. Shavers held 52.55% of the vote, with Kennedy in second with 27.52% and Gallardo-Van Ornam grabbing 19.82%.
Navy veteran and attorney Shavers centered his platform on decreasing cost of living, veterans issues and mental health care. Kennedy is a self-described “American Patriot” and “Constitutionalist” and feels an influx of people moving from the “lawlessness” of Seattle is a major issue for the district.
12th District
In the 12th Legislative District, Heather Koellen led former Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett, gathering 46.22% of the vote. Burnett grabbed 40.32% of the vote, while Jennifer Bumpus — who pulled out of the race — nabbed 13.47%. Burnett, a Republican, is hoping to keep the district red — it hasn’t elected a Democrat to this seat since the 1970’s. The district includes Monroe and redistricting added parts of Duvall, Carnation, Fall City and North Bend into the district.
Burnett’s priority is public safety. He opposed restrictions to police pursuits, and wants to work between states to address immigration on the southern border. Koellen, a nurse and North Bend City Council member, also focuses on public safety, as well as increasing state funding for affordable housing and promoting health care access.
21st District
Two seats are up for grabs in the 21st District. Incumbent Strom Peterson, who also serves on Snohomish County Council, held a lead in the three-way primary with 50.03%. Republican Riaz Khan was in second with 27.86%, followed by Democrat Jason Moon with 21.96%.
Peterson wants to continue addressing housing costs by increasing housing density and pushing for stricter gun control. Conversely Khan, an engineer at Boeing, said he favors single-family housing. Khan opposes the state gas and single-use plastic bag taxes.
In the district’s Position 2, state Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self was leading with 66.85%. She was followed by Kristina Mitchell with 22.97% and Bruce Guthrie, a Libertarian, with 9.99%. District 21 encompasses Edmonds, Mukilteo and parts of Lynnwood.
A school counselor, Ortiz-Self focuses on education. She wants to increase funding and address gaps in behavioral support, special education and early child care. Guthrie, a “semi-retired” substitute teacher, wants to work towards privatizing the education sector by providing vouchers for students to attend private school.
32nd District
State Rep. Lauren Davis led in the race for the 32nd District seat with 68.71%. Lori Theis, a Republican from Shoreline, grabbed 25.05% and Democrat Dunia Wabenga took 6.14%. The 32nd Legislative District includes parts of Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds and Shoreline.
Davis, running for her fourth term, wants to continue her work on behavioral health and public safety policy. Meanwhile, Theis, a business owner, wants to “Make Crime Illegal Again” by hiring more police officers and cracking down on drugs and sex work solicitors.
38th District
State Rep. Julio Cortes sailed to the general election over Bryce Nickel and Annie Fitzgerald. Cortes garnered 59.82%, Fitzgerald took 21.29% and Nickel 13.8% of the initial ballot return.
All three are Democrats.
39th District
State Rep. Sam Low led in the 39th District with 37.69%, as he fought off a challenge from three others. Former state Rep. Robert Sutherland took 27.18% of the vote, with Zephaniah Borynack and Kathryn Lewandowsky taking 20.68% and 14.38% of the vote, respectively. The district includes eastern Skagit and Snohomish counties and northeastern King County.
The result sets up another showdown between Low, who also serves on Snohomish County Council, and Sutherland, a former biochemist, for state office. Low topped Sutherland in the 2022 general election for the seat.
Low’s campaign focuses on hiring police officers, funding public safety and passing a housing bill to promote accessory dwelling units. Sutherland’s campaign focuses on making voting records more transparent and cutting property taxes using the state’s surplus. Both are Republicans.
Public Utility Commissioner
Julieta Altamirano Crosby led the race for the Snohomish County Public Utility District’s commissioner seat with 51.12%, followed by Amber King with 25.94% and Michael Rowland with 22.43%. District 2 serves the region stretching from Mukilteo to Edmonds and west of I-5 and I-405.
King, a contract manager for a community assistance nonprofit, wants to continue supporting innovation to meet growing energy demands and serve PUD customers. Meanwhile, Altamirano Crosby, a Lynnwood City Council member, prioritizes outreach, wanting to engage residents about the environment and the PUD’s resources.
Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jordyhansen.
Connor Zamora: 425-339-3037; connor.zamora@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @cgzamora02.
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