Veterans — like patrons at Bellingham’s Veterans of Foreign Wars post — and young voters were part of the 20% to 45% turnout across the Salish Current area for the Nov. 7 general election. Early results are in, and updates will continue until certification on Nov. 28. (Kai Uyehara / Salish Current photo)
Updated Nov. 9: Leads change in some key races
The latest count shows challenger Kim Lund now leading the Bellingham mayoral race and Donnell “Tank” Tanksley ahead in the Whatcom County sheriff race, while Jace Cotton’s lead has increased for Bellingham’s council at-large position.
Voter turnout numbers have been updated, with Whatcom’s — at nearly 45% — among the highest in the state.
And … the Skagit County auditor’s office stopped counting and evacuated after an envelope containing white powder was opened.
Whatcom County
With 8,881 ballots left to be counted at 5 p.m. on Nov. 8, the Whatcom County auditor reported that the county’s Public Health, Safety, and Justice Sales and Use Tax proposal was passing by a 64.43% margin.
Incumbent county executive Satpal Sidhu, with 57.86% of votes counted, led Dan Purdy.
In county council races, Jon Scanlon with 57.18% of the vote led Hannah Ordos for the council at-large position; Mark Stremler with 52.57% led Kathy Kershner for the District 4 position; and Ben Elenbaas with 61.13% led Jackie Dexter for the District 5 position.
The Whatcom County Sheriff count showed Donnell “Tank” Tanksley with 51.86% of the vote and Doug Chadwick with 47.97%.
The City of Bellingham’s Initiative 1 to establish a city minimum wage higher than the state minimum wage was passing with 57.55% of the vote counted. Initiative 2 guaranteeing rental relocation assistance for tenants was passing with 60.95% of votes.
Mayoral challenger Kim Lund had 52.36%.of the vote counted and incumbent Mayor Seth Fleetwood 47.06%.
In the city council Ward 1 race, Hannah Stone with 59.93% of the votes counted led Eamonn Collins; Dan Hammill at 58.24% led Liz Darrow in the Ward 3 race; and Jace Cotton with 52.75% of the votes counted led Russ Whidbee in the at-large position race.
The Greenways 5 levy was passing with 65.9% of the vote counted.
School board and other local government results can be found on the Whatcom County Auditor site.
The next ballot count results will be released at 5 p.m. Nov. 9. Voter turnout was updated to 44.86%.
San Juan County
The San Juan County Auditor reported, with 1,700 ballots left to be counted, that the Fire Protection District No. 2 proposition to restore the regular property tax levy was being defeated by 75.05% of the votes counted.
In the Fire Protection District No. 2 commissioner races, Kate Hansen had 53.47% of the vote counted for the commissioner 1 position; Brian Ehrmantraut had 82.88% of the vote counted for the commissioner 2 position; and Randall Gaylord had 74.72% of the vote counted for the commissioner 3 position.
The next ballot count will be at 5 p.m. on Nov. 13. Voter turnout was 36.33%.
Other local results can be found on the San Juan County Auditor site.
Skagit County
Election results were not available from the Skagit County Auditor’s office on Nov. 8. The Skagit County Auditor’s Office was evacuated about noon Wednesday after an elections official found an envelope containing a white powdery substance.
The Skagit County Auditor reported that with 10,000 ballots remaining to be counted, incumbent Anacortes port commissioner Bonnie Bowers has won 58.45% of the vote counted.
Skagit County vote results can be found at the Skagit County Auditor site. Voter turnout was 20.9%.
[End of Nov. 9 update]
Nov. 8 report
Seemingly decisive votes in a few races alongside too-close-to-call results for Whatcom County sheriff, Bellingham mayor and other key races were reported as polls closed last night, Nov. 7.
Whatcom County
With 18,000 ballots left to be counted, the Whatcom County Auditor reported that the county’s contentious Public Health, Safety, and Justice Sales and Use Tax proposal was passing by a 66.15% margin. The proceeds are to fund a new jail and mental health, drug treatment and other public safety uses. Other jail replacement measures had failed in 2015 and 2017.
Incumbent county executive Satpal Sidhu led Dan Purdy with 55.68% of votes counted.
In county council races, Jon Scanlon led Hannah Ordos for the council at-large position with 55.28% of the vote; Mark Stremler with 52.13% led Kathy Kershner for the District 4 position; and Ben Elenbaas with 60.64% led Jackie Dexter for the District 5 position.
The Whatcom County Sheriff count showed Doug Chadwick with 50.95% of the vote and Donnell “Tank” Tanksley with 48.89%.
The City of Bellingham’s Initiative 1 to establish a city minimum wage higher than the state minimum wage was passing with 54.89% of the vote counted. Initiative 2 guaranteeing rental relocation assistance for tenants was passing with 58.4% of votes.
Incumbent Mayor Seth Fleetwood had 50.11% of the vote counted and challenger Kim Lund 49.28%.
In the city council Ward 1 race, Hannah Stone with 63.86% of the votes counted led Eamonn Collins; Dan Hammill at 60.83% led Liz Darrow in the Ward 3 race; and Jace Cotton had 49.87% and Russ Whidbee 49.66% of votes counted in the at-large position race.
The Greenways 5 levy was passing with 63.11% of the vote counted.
School board and other local government results can be found on the Whatcom County Auditor site.
The next ballot count results will be released at 5 p.m. today, Nov. 8. Voter turnout was 28.9%.
San Juan County
The San Juan County Auditor reported, with 700 ballots left to be counted, that the Fire Protection District No. 2 proposition to restore the regular property tax levy was being defeated by 77.88% of the votes counted.
In the Fire Protection District No. 2 commissioner races, Kate Hansen had 63.39% of the vote counted for the commissioner 1 position; Brian Ehrmantraut had 82.56% of the vote counted for the commissioner 2 position; and Randall Gaylord had 74.71% of the vote counted for the commissioner 3 position.
Other local results can be found on the San Juan County Auditor site. Voter turnout was 29.24%.
Skagit County
The Skagit County Auditor reported that with 10,000 ballots remaining to be counted, incumbent Anacortes port commissioner Bonnie Bowers has won 58.45% of the vote counted.
Skagit County vote results can be found at the Skagit County Auditor site. Voter turnout was 20.9%.
— Reported by Salish Current Editorial Staff