WA election live updates: Inslee urges patience as votes still counted across the nation
It’s the day after the 2020 election and while the nation waits for final counts, we’ll be updating information from across Washington state here.
Thurston sees no major hitches
Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said the general election in Thurston County went off without any major hitches Tuesday, and an Olympia Police Department spokesperson reported there had been no signs of local unrest as of Wednesday morning.
Ballot return statistics showed the Auditor’s Office had received 159,062 ballots, and 123,915 had been scanned and tabulated in early results.
A total of 2,173 ballots had been challenged, which is usually related to an issue with the signature. Those voters have until the day before results are certified to resolve the issue, according to Diana Benson, Chief Deputy Auditor.
After picking up an estimated 7,200 ballots from drop boxes Tuesday night, the Auditor’s Office anticipated there were 32,974 ballots in the Ballot Processing Center still to process Wednesday. Benson said in a phone interview that Wednesday’s results are estimated to include about 10,000 additional votes. Ballots will also continue to trickle in via mail in the coming days.
— Sara Gentzler, sgentzler@mcclatchy.com
Inslee preaches patience
Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statement Wednesday, Nov. 4, urging residents to remain patient, as the entire country awaits the final results from Tuesday’s elections.
“There was always a possibility we wouldn’t know who would win the presidency on election night,” Inslee’s statement read. “More Americans this year have voted early and by mail than ever before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those votes were legal, duly-cast and must be counted, even if it takes some time.”
Washington state election officials across the state are working to make sure “every legal vote was counted,” Inslee stated, and reiterated that “states control elections, not the federal government.”
“I call on elected officials across the country, regardless of party, to stand up and protect the will of the voters,” Inslee’s statement says. “It may take time to count every ballot, but the voice of the American people is worth the wait.”
— The Bellingham Herald
Voting results
The Washington State Secretary of State’s website reports Wednesday, Nov. 4, that there are still 540,000 ballots to count statewide. Most counties will release that second count this afternoon. Check and bookmark our statewide and county live vote tallies for McClatchy markets in Washington state:
- Pierce County and state live voting results from The News Tribune
- Thurston County and state live voting results from The Olympian
- Whatcom County and state live voting results from The Bellingham Herald
- Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla county and state live voting results from Tri-City Herald
State Tuesday results at a glance
GOVERNOR
Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee won a third term in Washington state, beating Republican challenger Loren Culp, the Associated Press reported. Inslee is the first incumbent elected to a third term in the state in more than 40 years. The last three-term governor in Washington was Republican Gov. Dan Evans, who served from 1965 until 1977.
Culp, police chief of the small town of Republic, campaigned in part against Inslee’s coronavirus restrictions such as mandatory masks, saying they infringe on people’s constitutional rights.
PRESIDENT
Democrat Joe Biden won Washington state’s 12 electoral votes in the race for president. Washington hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan carried the state in 1984.
U.S. HOUSE
▪ In the 10th District, which includes most of Thurston and Pierce counties and part of Mason County, early results Tuesday night showed former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland leading state Rep. Beth Doglio of Olympia. Strickland had 136,002 votes (50.2%), according to the Secretary of State’s office website. Doglio had 97,357 (35.9%). The two Democratic woman advanced to the general election ahead of 17 other candidates in the primary.
But there also were 37,594 write-in votes (13.9 percent) counted Tuesday night. The Washington State Republican Party’s website listed conservative radio show host Marty McClendon as their write-in candidate in the race.
Strickland would be the first Korean-American woman in Congress and the first African American elected to Congress from Washington state, if Tuesday’s tallies hold. Doglio would be the state’s first openly LGBTQ member of Congress, if elected.
Denny Heck decided not to seek re-election for the seat. He ran to be Washington’s lieutenant governor and is leading that race.
— Alexis Krell, akrell@thenewstribune.com
▪ In the 8th District, which stretches from Seattle’s far eastern suburbs into central Washington, Democrats are trying to hold on to a seat they just picked up for the first time in 2018. After an expensive, close 2018 campaign, Kim Schrier, a pediatrician, became the first Democrat to represent the district since it was created in the early 1980s. She is facing Republican Jesse Jensen, an Army veteran and former program manager at Amazon and Microsoft. Schrier was ahead in early returns Tuesday.
▪ In Washington’s 3rd District, which encompasses the southwest portion of the state, incumbent Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler is in a rematch with the Democratic opponent she beat in 2018 — Carolyn Long, a Washington State University-Vancouver professor in the school of politics. Beutler, who was ahead in Tuesday’s early returns, is seeking her sixth term.
▪ Democrat Pramila Jayapal won reelection in the state’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Republican Craig Keller.
▪ Democrat Rick Larsen won reelection to the U.S. House in Washington’s 2nd Congressional District, defeating Republican Timothy S. Hazelo.
▪ Democrat Adam Smith won reelection to the U.S. House in Washington’s 9th Congressional District, defeating Republican Doug Basler.
▪ Democrat Derek Kilmer won reelection to U.S. House in Washington’s 6th Congressional District, defeating Republican Elizabeth Kreiselmaier.
▪ Democrat Suzan DelBene won reelection to U.S. House in Washington’s 1st Congressional District, defeating Republican Jeffrey Beeler.
LT. GOVERNOR
Two Democrats, state Sen. Marko Liias, 39, the majority floor leader in the Senate, and retiring U.S. Rep. Denny Heck, 68, whose career in politics and public service has spanned more than four decades, are vying for the position. The lieutenant governor serves as president of the state Senate, participates on several committees and is next in line should the governor leave office. Heck was leading in early returns Tuesday.
— The Associated Press
Sex ed referendum approved
Referendum 90 was approved by Washington state voters on Tuesday, 59.65% to 40.35%.
The referendum could have overturned a sex education requirement for Washington public schools. In March the state Legislature passed a bill outlining mandatory sex ed standards they said were necessary to protect young people from sexual abuse, diseases and infections. Some Republicans and religious conservatives took issue with the content of the standards, and pushed for R-90 as a way to take back local control. The referendum marks the first time in the country that such a decision on sex ed will be decided by voters.
— The Associated Press
42nd District state House trending blue
Democrats were leading for the 42nd Legislative District’s two open House seats after initial election returns were posted Tuesday night in Whatcom County’s most hotly contested race.
Blaine Councilwoman Alicia Rule, a Democrat, led Rep. Luanne Van Werven, R-Lynden, for House position 1 by 51% to 48%.
“I’m still a little bit in disbelief,” said Rule, who was running in her first state race.
“I’m just thrilled that the voters showed up for a candidate that’s able to represent all of us,” she told The Bellingham Herald. “The voters came out clearly for working together. That’s what the voters told me.”
Van Werven, who has held the 42nd’s position 1 seat since 2014, said she was hoping that Wednesday’s updated ballot count would show different results.
“It’s not over. There are still a lot of votes to be counted. We’re still hopeful,” Van Werven told The Herald.
“We did not leave anything on the table,” she said. “We had to adjust our campaigning in the age of COVID. I’m satisfied that we’ve done everything we could.”
State Rep. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, led Jennifer Sefzik, a Custer Republican, for House position 2 by 52% to 48%.
“It’s a solid lead, but I want to wait until all the votes are counted,” Shewmake told The Herald Tuesday night.
— Robert Mittendorf, rmittendorf@bhamherald.com
Ferndale levy passes second time
Voters in the Ferndale School District have passed the school programs and operations levy after it went before them a second time.
A grateful Superintendent Linda Quinn thanked the community for its support of students, staff and schools.
“This measure will ensure we have continued funding for staffing, technology, programs and extracurricular activities such as athletics, drama and music,” Quinn said in a news release after the first ballot results were posted on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Early election results showed that it was doing so handily, with about 62% of voters approving the measure and a little over 37% voting it down. The levy needed a simple majority to pass.
Voters originally voted down the levy in a Feb. 11 special election.
— Kie Relyea, krelyea@bhamherald.com
Where to report election issues
If you experienced voting issues or saw election irregularities, here’s who to contact in these communities. Editors would also like to know if you experienced election-related issues or if you have photos to share.
Benton County Auditor, Tri-City Herald
Franklin County Auditor, Tri-City Herald
Pierce County Auditor, The News Tribune, Tacoma
Thurston County Auditor, The Olympian
Whatcom County Auditor, The Bellingham Herald
This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 6:31 AM with the headline "WA election live updates: Inslee urges patience as votes still counted across the nation."
