15 votes separate top 2 candidates in open Franklin commission race

In a pair of tight races for Franklin County commissioner, an incumbent and a Pasco businessman hold narrow leads after the first round of ballots were counted Tuesday night.

Commissioner Brad Peck and former teacher Kim Lehrman are leading in one race, while Pasco businessman Rocky Mullen and community leader Ana Ruiz Peralta lead in the second.

The Franklin County Auditor’s Office reported 12,695 ballots were counted and there was a 33-percent voter turnout in the primary.

The top two candidates, regardless of party, move on to the November general election.

Peck, a Republican, led his nearest opponent, former Pasco teacher and Democrat Kim Lehrman, by 78 votes.

Auditor Matt Beaton, a Republican, trails her by 50 votes.

Peck received 1,528 votes, or nearly 35 percent, while Lehrman had 1,450 votes, or 33 percent. Beaton had almost 32 percent or 1,400 votes.

Peck is looking for his fourth term as a Franklin County commissioner.

The second race is for the open seat being vacated by Commissioner Bob Koch.

Mullen, a Republican, was leading with 669 votes, or nearly 42 percent. That put him 15 votes ahead of his nearest competitor Ana Ruiz Peralta, a Democrat, who received 654 votes or almost 41 percent.

They were well ahead of farmer Terry Cissne, who received 153 votes or 9.5 percent, and packing manager Cliff MacHugh, with 131 votes or 8 percent. Both are Republicans.

Koch is retiring from the Franklin County commissioners after four terms. He won his final term by seven votes over Mullen.

Mullen, the owner of Dove Financial Services and Sahara Pizza and a cattle rancher, has spent the past four years attending commission meetings to be better prepared for the position, he said.

Ruiz Peralta has worked on the Tri-City Community Health board, and describes herself as a fiscal conservative.

This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 9:19 PM.