General election matchups take shape after update

Several close local races appear to be headed toward the same outcome after Clark County Elections department released an updated vote count of Tuesday’s primary election.

Under Washington’s electoral system, the top two vote-getters from the primary election advance to the general. On Wednesday, most of the matchups for the general election seemed to be solidifying.

On election night, Doug Boff finished first in the contest for La Center City Council Position 1 with 71.5 percent of 472 ballots counted. The initial results showed Linda Tracy leading Michael Smith by 23 votes for second place. Wednesday’s update to the vote count expanded Boff’s lead to 73 percent of 589 votes counted. Tracy saw her percentage of the vote shrink slightly from 16.3 percent to 15.6 percent but saw her vote count increase to 92 to Smith’s 67 votes (11.3 percent).

In Washougal City Council Position 6, Adam Philbin and Julie Russell were separated by less than 90 votes on election night. Wednesday’s results showed Russell staying steady at 39.6 percent of the vote to Philbin’s 33.5 percent. The two are separated by a 100-vote spread. Nettie Morris increased her percentage to 26.7 of 1,644 votes counted, up from Tuesday’s 25.6 percent.

In the race for Vancouver School District school board position, the update shows Mark Stoker maintaining his 75.1 percent of the vote. On election night, the second place spot was separated by 29 votes between Anthony Licerio, who took 12.2 percent of 14,108 ballots counted, and Shantel Okorie, who took 12 percent. On Wednesday, Licerio pulled ahead to 13 percent to Okorie’s 11.8 percent with a gap of fewer than 200 votes.

On Wednesday, Denny Kiggins saw his lead in the race for Clark Regional Wastewater District Commissioner Position 3, expand slightly from 57 percent to nearly 58 percent. On election night, Jim West was leading Charles McDonald by fewer than 100 votes. On Wednesday, West’s lead narrowed to fewer than 60 votes holding 21.2 percent of 10,746 votes counted to McDonald’s 20.7 percent.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the department had counted 46,461 ballots with an estimated 700 left to count. The voter turnout stands at 19.4 percent, according to the department. The results will be finalized on Aug. 15.