Early returns put Republican Steve McLaughin, a retired Navy commander, in the top slot with Democrat Hilary Franz, executive director of the environmental non-profit Futurewise, beating out fellow Democrats King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove and former Spokane Mayor Mary Verner to place second. There are double-digit candidates in two state races. Early returns showed Democratic Sen.
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All eligible voters in Springfield can request an absentee ballot from the Board of Elections Office and either vote by mail or in person at the Election Office in City Hall, Oyola said. Five of the incumbents are not seeking re-election: lieutenant governor, treasurer, auditor, lands commissioner and superintendent of public instruction. Vance is a former King County Councilman and the former head of the state Republican Party.
In the crowded race to replace longtime Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who’s retiring, Republican Marty McClendon, a realtor, led with 20 percent of the vote. There’s another three hours for people to take their ballots to a drop box, but getting a postmark on a mail in ballot is going to be hard.
Although that total pales in comparison to early voting totals during the last two election cycles, those races were different given that they included primary races for several statewide and federal campaigns. Also, voters don’t have to declare a party affiliation and can choose among all candidates on one, consolidated ballot.
Eric Chase, who dropped off his ballot at the Thurston County Courthouse, said he was “rather disgusted” by the whole election cycle this year. “When you have incumbents, it tends to dampen the competition”.
Chase, a social sciences professor at South Puget Sound Community College, had supported Bernie Sanders. He said the presidential primary politics – especially the fact that superdelegates backed Hillary Clinton even though Sanders won the state’s caucuses – impacted how he voted in state races. Republicans now control the Senate and Democrats control the House, both by narrow margins.
The state’s congressional races aren’t expected to affect the balance of power in Congress, where Republicans control both the Senate and House.
One nonpartisan state Supreme Court race, for the seat now occupied by Chief Justice Barbara Madsen, will be on the Primary ballot.
Primary election day has come and gone, but the votes are still being counted in a few hotly contested races. Twenty-seven contests are unopposed, and in 51 seats, only two candidates are running; they will all automatically advance to the November ballot. Madsen advanced Tuesday night with 64 percent of the vote, as did Kittitas County Prosecutor Greg Zempel, with 29 percent of the vote.
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“We all need to step up”, she said.
