Election 2024: Area races too close to call

Third Congressional District candidate Joe Kent shared this photo urging voters in line at the Clark County Elections Department to remain in line because he was informed that elections officials promised anyone in line prior to 8 a.m. would be served. Photo courtesy Joe Kent/X

Voters stood in long lines on Election Day to turn in their ballots at the Clark County Elections Department office in downtown Vancouver

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

A number of Southwest Washington races in Tuesday’s (Nov. 5) general election are expected to take a few more days to determine a clear winner.

Voters stood in line for hours at the Clark County Elections department offices in downtown Vancouver throughout the day waiting to turn in their ballots. Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said he didn’t have an explanation for the long lines on election day.

“I don’t know why we have at least three times the number of people in line at this time on election day than the last presidential election,’’ said Kimsey in an interview on CVTV Tuesday night.

Kimsey said that they identified the last person in the line at the 8 p.m. deadline. He said everyone who was in line before 8 p.m. would be served.

This photo shows a line of area citizens at the Clark County Elections Department offices in downtown Vancouver Tuesday at about 11 a.m. Photo courtesy Rob Anderson

The first election results released Tuesday night included ballots from 57.59 percent of registered voters in Clark County. Kimsey said that he estimates voter turnout to be about 80 percent for this election. Ballot counts will continue throughout the week with daily updates provided by the Elections Department.

Here is a look at Tuesday’s initial results provided by the ClarkCounty ElectionsDepartment:

17th Legislative District

In the race for state senator, less than 700 votes currently separate Democrat Marla Keethler (25,933 votes, 50.67 percent) and Republican Paul Harris (25,248 votes, 49.33 percent). Harris has served in the state House of Representations since 2010. Keethler is the current mayor of the city of White Salmon, a position she has held since 2020.

In the race for state representative (Position 2), Democrat Terri Niles (26,284 votes, 51.74 percent) holds about a 3 percent lead over current Washougal Mayor and City Councilor David Stuebe (David Stuebe 24,515 votes, 48.26 percent). Niles has worked 20 years as an intensive care nurse and five years in nursing administration.

18th Legislative District

In the race for state senator, Democrat Adrian Cortes (31,735 votes, 50.91 percent) has a lead of 1,136 votes over Republican Brad Benton (30,599, votes, 49.09 percent). Cortes is a current member of the Battle Ground City Council and former mayor of that city. Benton, the son of former State Senator Don Benton, campaigned on his support for law enforcement and his opposition to tolls and light rail in the proposed I-5 Bridge replacement project.

In the race for state representative Position 1, incumbent Republican Stephanie McClintock (34,212 votes, 55.03 percent), a Republican, appears to have a 10 percent lead over Democrat Deken Letinich (27,963 votes, 44.97 percent). Letinich campaigned for better policy for working families.

In the race for state representative Position 2, Republican John Ley (31,172 votes, 50.18 percent), a retired airline pilot, currently has 222 more votes than Democrat John Zingale (30,950 votes, 49.82 percent). Ley is a former state committeeman for the Clark County Republican Party and former reporter for Clark County Today. Zingale has been a middle school history teacher for the past 10 years.

49th Legislative District

The Democrats continue to have a lock hold on the 49th Legislative District. Senator Annete Cleveland (29,809 votes, 62.86 percent), who has held the position since 2012, has a sizable lead over Republican challenger Lucia Worthington (17,610 votes, 37.14 (percent).

Sharon Wylie, who has held the Position 1 seat in the state House of Representatives since 2011, Wylie (30,503 votes, 64.35 percent) has a comfortable lead over Republican Brett Graham (16,901 votes, 35.65 percent). Brett Graham is a current member of the U.S. Army.

Incumbent Monica Stonier (30,217 votes, 63.78 percent) will return to her Position 2 seat. Stonier has a comfortable lead over Republican challenger Russell Barber (17,161 votes, 36.22 percent), an Air Force veteran.

Clark County

Two seats on the County Council were on the Nov. 5 general election ballot as Councilors Karen Dill Bowerman (District 3) and Gary Medvigy (District 4) did not seek reelection.

In the District 3 race, Wil Fuentes (14,955, votes, 52.61 percent) currently leads Chuck Keplar (13,471, 47.39 percent). Fuentes has 15 years professional experience in banking operations. Keplar failed in his attempt to earn a position on the Evergreen School Board in 2023. He is an owner/operator of a construction company and the pastor of an area church.

In the District 4 race, Joe Zimmerman (17,532 votes, 50.09 percent) has a 66-vote lead over Matt Little (17,466 votes, 49.91 percent). Zimmerman is a fifth generation Clark County farmer and the finance manager at Bi-Zi Farms. Little is the current co-chair of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Conservation Partnership.

In the race for Public Utilities District commissioner (District 1), Sherry Erickson (109,111 votes, 67.14 percent) has a sizable lead over James Oneil (53,396 votes, 32.86 percent). Erickson is an industry expert and consultant for utilities and municipalities across the United States. Oneil has had a 23-year career in business development and customer service with utility districts and contractors in the Pacific Northwest.

There were also three proposed charter amendments in Clark County.

Amendment 16 would adjust the sheriff’s salary to 8 percent higher than the highest step of the undersheriff salary range. The amendment is passing easily (118,549 votes, 64.06 percent) to the rejected (66,508 votes, 35.94 percent).

If approved, Amendment 17 would increase the Clark County Redistricting Committee to seven nonpartisan members, instead of members selected from lists provided by political parties; require county council to appoint a qualified redistricting master; provide criteria for the redistricting plan; and would require adoption of the redistricting masters plan unless five members amend it.

The approved votes (98,630, 55.20 percent) have a substantial lead over the rejected votes (80,046 votes, 44.80 percent).

If Amendment 18 is approved, a petitioner must obtain a statement from the county of estimated increased expenditures, and if so, that statement and prosecuting attorney’s opinion must be on the petition and ballot. Signatures required for petitions only affecting unincorporated areas would be calculated using the same method as petitions for the entire county.

The voting on this amendment is much closer. The approved votes (88,056, 50.42 percent) are slightly ahead of the rejected votes (86,595, 49.58 percent).

City of Vancouver

Proposition 4 concerns a levy lid lift to fund police and public safety. If approved, this proposition would fund police and public safety services, including staffing, equipment, technology, facilities, and criminal justice costs; increase Vancouver’s regular property tax by approximately $0.41/$1,000 assessed valuation, for a maximum levy rate not to exceed $2.63/$1,000 for 2025. It would also limit the factor for Vancouver’s total regular property tax levy for 2026-2030 to 100% plus annual increase of 5%; and authorize the 2030 levy amount as the basis to calculate subsequent levies.

Currently, the No votes have a slight lead (29,245 votes, 50.69 percent) over the Yes votes (28,445, 49.31 percent).