OLYMPIA – Two Republican state lawmakers extended leads on their Democratic challengers Monday in the latest round of ballot counting.
Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, increased his margin on Democrat Scott Olson of Monroe in the race for the 39th District seat.
“We’re confident that it’s over,” Kristiansen said after Monday’s tally showed him with 53.3 percent to Olson’s 46.7 percent.
“We knew it was going to be close,” he said, adding that as with his previous races, he gained more votes than his opponent with each additional day of ballot counting.
Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, leads Democrat Tim Knue of Mount Vernon 50.7 percent to 49.3 in their battle in the 10th District that includes all of Island and portions of Snohomish and Skagit counties.
“We want to see all the ballots counted,” Knue said. Monday evening more than 10,000 ballots remained to be counted in the district.
In Snohomish County, 176,942 of the 205,000 ballots received had been tabulated by Monday.
County Auditor Bob Terwilliger said more votes will be tallied today.
After today, staff will likely focus on several thousand ballots kicked out by the vote-counting machines for one reason or another. These will be reviewed by hand and most will be processed and counted no later than Nov. 27.
There will be some ballots considered invalid by election workers because of such things as an improper signature. The canvassing board will determine how to handle these ballots in a public meeting Nov. 27.
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