One race was a nail-biter. Now, Benton and Franklin election results are all but certified

Roy Keck has all but solidified his return to the Port of Benton Commission with a 93-vote lead over his challenger.

Officials initially questioned if a recount would be necessary with Bill O’Neil holding a razor-thin lead of five votes over the veteran commissioner one day after the Nov. 5 general election.

The numbers have fluctuated with each updated count since then, but Benton County Auditor Brenda Chilton said her office’s calculations show all races are outside recount range.

A person “can never say never,” said Chilton, but she anticipates the numbers on Keck’s race and three other seemingly close ones to remain far enough apart so as not to require a closer look.

The county’s last ballot count was Nov. 15. Another tabulation is scheduled for this Friday afternoon.

Franklin County did not have any tight races, according to a summary of results posted by county Auditor Matt Beaton.

Final certification will be held by the canvassing boards in both counties on Nov. 26.

Chilton told the Tri-City Herald that a hand recount is required if there are fewer than 150 votes and less than one-quarter of one-percent difference between the top two candidates.

A machine recount is done if there are less than 2,000 votes and less than one-half of one-percent difference in the results.

Keck, a retired Energy Northwest executive, joined the Port of Benton Commission in 2007. He currently has 5,619 votes or 50.11 percent.

O’Neil is a pilot who worked as a flight test engineer for NASA and later as a Hanford project manager. He has 5,526 votes or 49.28 percent.

There were 68 write-ins for that race.

Other close races

While 31 votes separate John A. Derderian and Ashley Morrison for Position 3 on the Benton City City Council, Derderian has 53 percent to Morrison’s 47 percent.

In the Kennewick City Council race for Position 5’s at-large seat, incumbent Chuck Torelli maintains his lead with 245 more votes than challenger Chariss Warner.

That breaks down to 50.56 percent for Torelli and 48.76 percent for Warner.

And in Benton County Fire District 4, challenger Garrett Goodwin appears to be ousting Commissioner Ralph “Woody” Russell by 118 votes.

Goodwin has 2,284 votes or 50.95 percent, while Russell has 2,166 votes or 48.32 percent. Russell has been on the board since 2013, serving West Richland and the surrounding county areas.

The late Max Benitz Jr. did not draw a challenger last spring for his at-large position with the West Benton Fire Rescue Commission.

The Prosser native and Tri-City political icon died July 11 following an illness.

His name remained on the ballot for the general election and he received 1,406 votes, with 66 people writing in another name.

Chilton said while Benitz technically won, the position became vacant because he cannot take his oath of office.

However, West Benton Fire Rescue Commission meeting minutes show the remaining board members appointed Roy “Dewey” Holliday in August.

He will hold the seat until the next regularly scheduled election for Position 1 in two years, said Chilton.

This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 9:38 AM.