Pasco voters rejecting 3 council incumbents

Three veteran Pasco City Council members may be out.

Al Yenney, Rebecca Francik and Bob Hoffmann all were trailing their challengers after Tuesday’s initial returns.

Come January, their nameplates on the council dais may be replaced with Ruben Alvarado, David Milne and Craig Maloney.

Councilman Saul Martinez is the only incumbent in a contested race who appears to be assured a return.

Blanche Barajas may become the first elected Latina — and only woman — on the board, though her absent opponent trails by just 29 votes.

And Pete Serrano is leading Dan Hatch in the race for Councilman Chi Flores’ seat.

The initial results are based on 8,517 ballots counted so far, for a 25-percent voter turnout of 33,732 registered voters in Franklin County. More ballots will be counted Wednesday.

All seven Pasco City Council seats were up for election this year after a federal judge ruled in January on a new plan to have six council districts and one at-large seat.

The decision was in response to a lawsuit that claimed Latino candidates in Pasco have not been given an equal opportunity because of the longstanding system with five council districts and two at-large seats. Three of the new districts are Latino majority.

Under the new format, the six seats were voted on by district in the general election.

The at-large position, retained by Mayor Matt Watkins, was on the ballot citywide. Watkins, who got 4,990 votes, did not draw a challenger this year.

In District 1 — a seat currently held by retiring Councilman Tom Larsen — Barajas received 170 votes, or 55 percent. Marla Rico, who has not been heard from since she filed for office in May, got 141 votes for 45 percent.

In east Pasco’s District 2, 10-year incumbent Yenney got 124 votes, for 39 percent, to newcomer Alvarado’s 193 votes, or 61 percent.

The District 3 race pitted two Connell High alums against each other — Martinez and challenger Rick Rios.

Martinez pulled out 1,255 votes, for 67 percent, with Rios trailing at 610 votes for 33 percent.

Serrano and Hatch advanced to the general election for District 4 after topping Flores in the primary. Flores was appointed in November 2016.

Hatch nabbed the top spot in August, but on Tuesday received 473 votes, or 44 percent, to Serrano’s 614 votes, or 56 percent.

The longest serving council member, Francik, found herself challenged by Milne in District 5 for the second time in two years. This time, Milne pulled in front with 1,236 votes, or 56 percent, to Francik’s 969 votes for 44 percent.

And in District 6, Maloney’s passion for promoting Pasco to the whole Tri-Cities may have earned him the seat that Hoffmann has occupied for 12 years.

Maloney received 169 votes, for 57 percent, while Hoffmann got 128 votes, or 43 percent.

All council members will receive $1,115 per month in 2018, while the council-selected mayor will get $1,450.

This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Pasco voters rejecting 3 council incumbents."