Hawley, Brown top two in county sheriff’s contest
By Don Nelson
In the latest returns from the Aug. 7 primary election, independent Ann Diamond of Winthrop was winning the Okanogan County vote in the race among four candidates hoping to replace retiring 12th Legislative District Rep. Cary Condotta for Position 1. But Republican Keith Goehner of Leavenworth was leading overall in the multi-county race.
The Okanogan County Auditor’s Office released the second round of results on Monday (Aug. 13). The auditor’s office said that 8,155 ballots had been counted and about 3,000 remained to be counted. The next update was expected to be released on Wednesday (Aug. 15).
According to the Washington Secretary of State’s office, as of early this week, Goehner was polling about 46 percent of all votes in Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan and Grant counties, which District 12 encompasses, to Diamond’s 30 percent overall. JD Greening of Waterville (prefers Republican) was drawing about 9 percent of the overall vote, while C. Keiki Stacy Weigle of Okanogan (prefers Democratic) had about 15 percent.
In updated returns from Okanogan County, Diamond drew 44 percent of the vote to Goehner’s 31 percent. Greening had about 12 percent and Weigle 14 percent in Okanogan County.
In the Position 2 race in the 12th District, Republican incumbent Mike Steele of Chelan had a comfortable overall lead with about 62 percent of the vote, according to the Secretary of State’s website. Steele’s challengers are Valerie Sarratt of Twisp (prefers Democratic) with about 33 percent and Alan Fahnestock of Winthrop (no party preference) at about 6 percent. In Okanogan County, Steele was drawing about 52 percent, Sarratt 33 percent and Fahnestock 15 percent.
The top two finishers in each primary race will go on to face each other in the November general election. Unless later results turn things around dramatically, Diamond will face Goehner for Position 1 and Steele will face Sarratt for Position 2 in the 12th District.
In the six-way Okanogan County Sheriff primary race for spots on the November ballot, Anthony Hawley of Okanogan had 29 percent of the votes in early returns, followed by Steve Brown of Omak with 22 percent. Michael Blake of Okanogan and Jeff Koplin of Tonasket both had about 18 percent, Kevin Newport of Omak 11 percent and Court Creighton of Winthrop 2 percent. Sheriff Frank Rogers said earlier that he was retiring.
Okanogan County District 3 Commissioner Jim DeTro of Tonasket (prefers Republican) is seeking another term. He is challenged by Salley Bull of Oroville (Independent) and Robert Fuchs of Oroville (Independent). As of Monday, DeTro had about 66 percent of the vote in District 3 compared to 24 percent for Bull and 10 percent for Fuchs. Methow Valley residents don’t vote in the primary, but they and all other county residents will vote for the District 3 position in the November general election.
In other races:
• County Auditor Laurie K. Thomas did not file for re-election. Filing for the post were Cari Hall of Okanogan (prefers Republican), who drew 59 percent of the vote returns so far, and Randy Gates of Omak (prefers Republican), who polled 41 percent.
• County Prosecuting Attorney Branden Platter of Omak (prefers Democratic) is being challenged by Arian Noma of Pateros (prefers Republican). Platter was appointed to the position when Karl Sloan resigned. He was trailing Noma in the latest returns, with 41 percent of the votes compared to Noma’s 59 percent.
• County Assessor Scott Furman said earlier that he was retiring as well. Only one candidate, Larry Gilman of Omak (prefers Republican), filed for the position.
• County Clerk Charleen Groomes of Riverside (prefers Republican) is running for re-election and is unopposed.
• County Coroner David Rodriguez of Twisp (prefers Republican) is also running unopposed for re-election.
• County Treasurer Leah Mc Cormack of Omak (prefers Republican) is also seeking re-election and is unopposed.
• Okanogan County District Court judges Robert Grim of Winthrop and Charles Short of Nespelem are both unopposed in their quest for re-election to the nonpartisan positions.
William Coylar of Carlton is unopposed for the Okanogan County Public Utility District position No. 2 seat.
In U.S. Congressional District 4, incumbent Dan Newhouse (R-Yakima) is being challenged by Democrat Christine Brown of Kennewick; both will advance to the general election. According to the Secretary of State’s office, Newhouse was drawing about 64 percent of the overall votes on Tuesday compared to Brown’s 36 percent. In Okanogan County, Newhouse was at about 63 percent, Brown at 37 percent.
In another closely watched race in U.S. Congressional District 5, incumbent Republican Cathy McMorris Rogers led and Democratic challenger Lisa Brown, McMorris Rogers with about 49 percent and Brown with about 46 percent, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s bid for re-election drew a host of candidates. In statewide results, Cantwell, a Democrat, drew about 55 percent of the votes and Republican Susan Hutchison about 24 percent. They will advance to the November general election. In Okanogan County, Cantwell drew about 41 percent of the vote and Hutchison 29 percent.
For complete county results, visit results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/okanogan. For statewide results, visit www.sos.wa.gov/elections.
