In a notable development for Walla Walla County, the latest election results were unveiled on the crisp morning of November 20. A total of approximately 1,500 newly counted ballots were added to the local races and ballot measures, yet, intriguingly, the outcomes remained steadfastly unchanged.
Election supervisor Morgen Bradshaw-Morgan elucidated that the balance of ballots will not be integrated into the total until the following Tuesday, November 26, when the results are anticipated to receive formal certification. Meanwhile, on the horizon, the canvassing board is poised to convene at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, November 25, gearing up to meticulously scrutinize challenged ballots, particularly those suffering from signature discrepancies—be it missing or mismatched—and their accompanying cure forms.
Notably, ballots presenting signature issues that have not been rectified by their respective voters, along with those arriving past the deadline, will face formal rejection during this pivotal meeting.
Subsequent to this, the dedicated elections staff will embark on processing the remaining 307 ballots along with any additional ballots validated on that very Monday, leading up to the certification slated for 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Per the statutory requirement enforced by the state, updates on the election results must occur every three days while the count of unprocessed ballots hovers above the 500 mark. Once this number dips below that threshold, the office is bestowed the discretion to either halt further updates—preserving voter anonymity—or to ensure results remain untraceable to specific voters, according to Bradshaw-Morgan.
The upcoming canvassing board meeting is set to transpire on the second floor of the courthouse located at 315 West Main St., in Room 203.
As of the latest tallies reported on Wednesday, here’s a look at the current standings:
Walla Walla County Commissioner District 1: Bertha Clayton, unaligned with any party, has taken the lead against Republican incumbent Jenny Mayberry, boasting a significant 58.5% of the votes (16,505) compared to Mayberry’s 41.3% (11,661). Notably, this race was declared in Clayton’s favor on Monday, November 18.
College Place Police Department bond: The votes reflect a tight margin, with 2,192 no votes (51.1%) juxtaposed against 2,099 yes votes (48.9%).
Walla Walla County Fire District No. 8 levy lid lift: This measure appears more favorable, showing 306 yes votes (67.1%) against 150 no votes (32.9%).
District 16 Senate: In the race for Senate, Republican incumbent Perry Dozier leads the Democratic challenger Kari Isaacson with a commanding 63.4% (44,400 votes) compared to Isaacson’s 36.5% (25,561 votes).
District 16 House Position 1: Republican incumbent Mark Klicker continues his dominance over Democrat Linda Gunshefski, holding a robust 64.5% (45,222 votes) to Gunshefski’s 35.4% (24,809 votes).
District 16 House Position 2: In another contest, Republican incumbent Skyler Rude has garnered a solid lead, capturing 65.9% of the votes (45,936) against Democrat Craig Woodard’s 34% (23,722 votes).
Prescott Joint Park and Recreation levy: This levy also showcases substantial support, with 226 yes votes (67.1%) against a mere 111 no votes (32.9%).
Voter resources and comprehensive coverage of the November 8 elections can be explored at the UB Election Center for those interested in delving deeper into the electoral process and its outcomes.
