Update | One Benton County candidate concedes his loss. Another race is too close to call
Just 730 votes separate the two Republican candidates facing off to replace Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller.
Ryan Lukson was leading Eric Eisinger after the initial ballot count on Tuesday night.
And in the race for an open seat on the Benton County Commission, Michael Alvarez held a commanding 10,000-vote lead over William “Bill” Jenkin, who conceded the race Wednesday morning.
Both are Republicans.
About 34,600 ballots were counted in countywide races in Benton County after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday. There’s an estimated 35,000 ballots left to count, according to the Benton County Elections Department.
Election results will be certified by the Benton County canvassing board on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Close prosecutor race
Lukson had 50.6%, or 15,608 votes, to Eisinger’s 48.2%, or 14,878.
“I think it’s going to be a pretty close race,” Lukson told the Tri-City Herald early Wednesday morning. “I would anticipate it would get a little tighter.”
Lukson, 40, currently is an assistant chief deputy prosecutor under Miller. Lukson has worked in the office for 11 years, with a background in corporate law.
He also serves as a Richland councilman, and served as mayor during the first two years of COVID.
Eisinger, 46, is a partner with Richland-based law firm Walker Heye PLLC. He has practiced law for about 19 years, and was a prosecutor for Yakima County, Lewis County and the city of Kennewick for several years.
He’s spent the last 12 years in private practice, mostly as a trial attorney in civil and criminal law.
Jenkin concedes to Alvarez
Jenkin conceded the race to Alvarez early Wednesday after election night results showed a trouncing in the race for Benton County Commissioner District 2.
Alvarez, the current Richland mayor, had nearly 65.7%, or 19,977 votes.
“I’m very humbled to have the support of Benton County voters,” Alvarez told the Tri-City Herald.
He re-emphasized his three big goals: Collaboration with cities in Benton County, renewing the public safety sales tax, and funding and building a countywide mental health facility.
What gave him the edge, he said, was engaging with elected officials and citizens, and getting “educated on the topics.”
“I will give 110% in serving my county,” Alvarez said.
He has a 10,000-vote lead on Jenkin, a former Washington state representative from Prosser, who has nearly 32.9%, or 9,991 votes.
“Michael is a very good candidate and I truly believe he’ll do a good job as our county commissioner,” Jenkin said Wednesday.
Alvarez is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and co-owner of Vision Mortgage. He also teaches finance and business management.
He was elected to the Richland City Council in 2017 and selected this year by fellow council members to serve as mayor.
Jenkin served two terms in the Washington state Legislature. He owns a vineyard and winery, but worked as a financial advisor for most of his career. He’s also served on the Prosser School Board, and has been involved with the Prosser Chamber of Commerce and Prosser Economic Development Association.
Commissioner Shon Small, the current representative of District 2, decided not to run for a fourth term.
Prosser City Hall bond
Prosser voters overwhelmingly rejected a $17 million project to rebuild the Prosser City Hall and police station that were destroyed in a fire.
Nearly 86%, or 730 voters, rejected the measure while 14%, or 121, supported it.
The city was asking property owners to pay $1.09 per $1,000 of assessed value for the 31-year long bonds, according to city officials. They were looking to replace a building they believed already was too small before it burned.
Opponents said the nearly $20 million proposed project on six acres of riverfront property didn’t include enough meaningful public participation.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 8:45 PM.
