Pasco voters returning 2 incumbents, delivering a newcomer to city council

Pasco votes returned two incumbents to office and elected a newcomer in Tuesday’s election.

With Mayor Matt Watkins stepping down from his city council seat, voters were already going to choose at least one newcomer.

Zarah Roach, chair of the city’s planning commission, will fill the council’s lone at-large post.

“I’m thrilled Zahra will be the newest member on Pasco council,” Watkins said Tuesday evening. “She will join a group of six now-seasoned council members and incredibly professional staff for what I know will be an exciting new chapter for Pasco.”

The new council will choose its next honorary mayor and mayor pro tem.

Position 5

Incumbent David Milne was leading challenger Isaac “Ike” Myhurm with 1,290 votes to 681, or 65 percent to 34 percent.

Milne, who owns a downtown Pasco business. Myhrum, an accountant and regulatory analyst for Cascade Natural Gas Corp.

Milne joined the city council in 2018 when the city council switched to district-based elections to provide better representation.

Position 7

Zahra Roach was leading Patrick Guettner with 3,471 votes to 2,458, or 58 percent to 41 percent, in the race to succeed Watkins.

Zahra Roach, chairwoman of the Pasco Planning Commission, previously ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for the Franklin County Commission. Guettner served as vice chair of the Franklin County Republican Party.

Position 2

Incumbent Ruben Alvarado ran unopposed. He received 216 of the votes cast in his race.

This story was originally published November 5, 2019 at 8:54 PM.