Recount is quick in tight race for Benton County Commission. Here are the results
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Tri-Cities area Aug. 2 primary election
Here are the latest election results for the Tri-Cities area races in the Aug. 2 Washington primary election.
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Michael Alvarez and William “Bill” Jenkin will face off in the general election after a Monday morning recount found no changes in the tight primary race for Benton County Commission.
A total 2,269 votes were recounted by machine at the Benton County Voting Center in Kennewick. The recount took just 45 minutes.
While Alvarez held a commanding lead in the Aug. 2 primary race with 47.26% of the total vote, just 33 votes separated Jenkin and Barry Bush.
The close race for the No. 2 spot triggered a mandatory recount under Washington state law. Alvarez and Jenkin have now been confirmed as the victors and will move on to the general election on Nov. 8.
“When it’s a machine recount, it’s pretty straight forward process,” said Benton County Chief Deputy Auditor Lorene Roe.
Roe said recounts at the local level rarely result in any change at all.
“I’m ready to go. I’m excited,” Jenkin told the Tri-City Herald. “I do have a pathway forward that I think is going to help the people of Benton County, and I’ve got to get my message across and take the time to do it. Whatever it takes to do, I’m going to do it and work hard.”
Jenkin said he and Bush align on several issues, including in their opposition to the proposed Horse Heaven Hills wind farm.
That could be the reason why it was such a close race — and also why Bush says he plans to endorse Jenkin in the general election.
“Bill has been a servant for our community for many years and I think he’ll do an amazing job as county commissioner,” Bush said.
But Alvarez said he also sees more cons than pros in the Horse Heaven project.
“I just don’t think it’s a right fit for the Tri-Cities,” he said.
Alvarez said he plans to focus on three items, mostly, going into the general election: promoting the public safety sales tax, advocating for the Three Rivers Behavioral Health Recovery Center, and calling for a fair contract for county deputies currently without a contract.
The current Richland mayor, Alvarez received the most votes with 7,559.
“I honestly think the voters of District 2 have spoken for who they want to represent them in the county,” he said.
Jenkin, a former Washington state representative, received 4,145 or about 25.92% of the vote. Bush, a current commissioner with Benton County PUD, had 4,112 votes, or 25.17%.
All three are Republicans.
Including 177 write-in votes, a total of 15,993 votes were cast in the election. Election results will be re-certified Tuesday, Aug. 23.
Whoever wins in November will represent District 2 beginning in 2023. That district encompasses parts of West Kennewick and South Richland and stretches west to include Prosser and Benton City.
The seat is being vacated by Shon Small, who said he’s limiting himself to three terms for philosophical reasons.
This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 12:53 PM.
