Primary Election results support incumbents, M&O levies

Adams County voters passed Maintence and Operation (M&O) levies in Lind, Ritzville and Washtucna as shown in results of the Aug. 2 Primary Election and voted for the candidates who will move on to the general election.

The Primary ballot hosted three candidates for State Representative with two candidates being selected to move on to the General Election ballot.

The Legislative District No. 9 State Representative Position No. 1 race is lead by Incumbent Mary Dye who received 68.19 percent of votes in Adams County. Her opponent Jennifer Goulet received 19.29 percent of votes, while Hailey Roemer received 12.23 percent of votes.

In the initial statewide results, Dye maintains the lead with 57 percent of votes. Goulet received 31 percent and Roemer received 11 percent.

The top two legislative candidates move on to the General Election ballot for election in the fall.

All M&O levies require a super majority to pass, requiring 60 percent of voters to approve the local levies. The ballots in drop boxes within the communities were not included in the Tuesday night count.

Washtucna had two levies on the ballot, with the Cemetery District 1 levy passing with 65.15 percent of votes in favor of the levy. The total votes in favor of the levy are 43, with 23 rejecting the levy.

The Cemetery levy is an estimated $.27 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation in 2016 for a total collection of $9,500.

The Park and Recreation District 2 in Washtucna remains close with 54.55 percent of votes in favor of the levy. The votes approving the levy are 36, with 30 rejecting the levy.

The Parks and Recreation District 2 levy collection totaling $35,000 is an estimated $.73 per thousand of assessed valuation. The funds collected will be used for maintenance and operation of the Washtucna Pool.

The Park and Recreation District No. 4 levy in Ritzville passed with 66.84 percent of votes in favor of the resolution. The total votes in favor of the levy are 252, with 125 opposing.

The Parks and Recreation District No. 4 levy is an estimated $.34 per thousand of assessed valuation in 2016 for a total collection of $120,000. The funds collected will be used for maintenance and operation of the Ritzville Water Park in 2017.

The Park and Recreation District No. 3 in Lind received 61.86 percent of votes in favor of the levy.

The Lind Park and Recreation levy collection totals $65,000 at an estimated $.24 per thousand of assessed valuation. The funds will be used for the Lind Swimming Pool.

Incumbent Roger Hartwig took the lead for the Commissioner District No. 2 position in Othello with 59.41 percent of votes over his opponent Kenneth Johnson 38.82 percent. Both candidates move on to the General Election.

For the Precinct Committee Office position, Heidi Tracy maintains a 67.92 percent advantage against John Faure with 32.08 percent.

Incumbent State Senator Mark Schoesler ran unopposed for the State Senator position receiving a total of 97.14 votes.

The Commissioner District No. 1 in Ritzville is lead by Incumbent John Marshall who ran unopposed. Marshall received 94.29 percent of votes.

The State Representative position is lead by Joe Schmick who also ran unopposed. Schmick received 97.88 percent of votes.

The U.S. Representative Congressional District No. 4 is lead by incumbent Dan Newhouse who received 53.59 percent of votes. His Republican Party opponent Clint Didier received 28.33 percent of votes. Leading the Democratic Party candidates in votes is Doug McKinley with 13.7 percent.

With an estimated 400 ballots left to count, the Adams County Auditor’s Office counted again on Aug. 3 at 4 p.m.

Those results were not available at press time, but are posted on the Adams County website. The certification date for the Primary is Aug. 16, for M&O levies.

There are a total of 6,410 registered voters in Adams County, and 1,108 ballots were tallied in the initial count, showing a voter turnout of 17.29 percent.

The General Election is set for Nov. 8.

For updated results, visit http://co.adams.wa.us and follow the Election tab. For more information on the Primary, contact Adams County Elections Administrator Jacque Laird at 659-3247.