Election Results: Voters sent a clear message in Benton and Franklin commission races

Benton County and Franklin County both had a majority of their board members on the ballot on election night, and the incumbents don’t seem to be in any danger of losing their seats.

Some of the biggest challenges the winners will face over the next 4-year term is managing post-pandemic budget crunches, bringing the region’s 911 communications system up to date and finding a way to pay for a potentially budget-busting series of changes proposed for public defense attorneys.

The commissioners make up a three-member board in each county, setting policy and budget.

Vote totals were updated throughout the week, with the latest numbers available Friday morning. Benton County estimates they have 20,000 ballots left to count and Franklin County had about 2,000 outstanding.

Franklin County

Bauman v Atkins

In the Position 1 race, appointed incumbent Stephen Bauman lead with 6,134 votes, or 62%, to challenger Caleb Atkin’s 3,657 votes, or 37%. Both are Republicans.

The winner will take the seat vacated by former longtime Commissioner Brad Peck, who stepped down at the beginning of the year. Peck served 15 years on the board, but his last term became increasingly contentious with other members of the board and he eventually resigned citing workplace toxicity and bullying.

Bauman was most recently caught up in a criminal investigation after changing the locks to his county office and refusing to provide the sheriff’s office with a copy of the key.

Mullen v Barajas

In the Position 2 race, incumbent Rocky Mullen was winning with 2,679 votes, or 59%. Challenger Blanche Barajas, an independent, received 1,837 votes, or 41%.

Mullen, a Republican businessman, has been on the commission four years and is the current chairman. Barajas is a Pasco councilwoman and was the city’s first Latina mayor.

Mullen was under criminal investigation earlier this year on suspicion of tampering with a witness, official misconduct and making a false or misleading statement to a public servant.

A special prosecutor declined to file charges due to a lack of evidence on two of the potential crimes and said the state lacked the resources at the time to pursue charging him with making a false or misleading statement to a public servant.

Benton County

Delvin v Smart

In the race for the Position 1 seat, incumbent Jerome Delvin was winning reelection with 39,013 votes, or 63% to challenger Jeff Smart’s 21,817 votes, or 36%. Both are Republicans.

Delvin is the current chair of the board, and its longest serving incumbent. Prior to his 2012 election to the board, Delvin served as a state representative and state senator. He is a retired Richland police officer.

Smart is the president of the Washington Association of Realtors.

McKay v Fluharty

In the race for Position 3, incumbent Will McKay was winning another term with 43,484 votes, or 73%, to challenger Zach Fluharty’s 15,164 votes, or 26%. Both men are Republicans.

McKay told the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board last month that he has learned a lot in his first term and wants to continue the work the board is doing, such as an ongoing overhaul of Benton County’s Canine Shelter and dangerous dog response and the forthcoming Columbia Valley Center for Recovery.

Fluharty did not respond to the Herald’s request to be interviewed.

Benton-Franklin Superior Court

In the narrow race for a seat on the Benton-Franklin Superior Court, Court Commissioner Bronson Brown was leading with 43,076 votes, or 50.11% to Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant’s 42,536 votes, or 49.49%.

The two men are running to replace embattled former Judge Sam Swanberg, who resigned after being investigated for harassment and domestic violence. He was cleared of the domestic violence charges and eventually resigned, but the Washington Commission of Judicial Standards still recommended to the Supreme Court that he should barred from holding a position as a judge.

Franklin 911 sales tax and fire levy

Franklin County voters are on the path to reject a new sales tax that would pay for replacement of critical 911 communications infrastructure and radios. Returns so far had the “No” votes at 51%.

In the Connell area, voters were rejecting a levy lid lift request from Fire Protection District 1, with 57% casting “No” ballots in the latest count.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 8:28 PM.

Cory McCoy

Tri-City Herald

Cory is an award-winning investigative reporter. He joined the Tri-City Herald in Dec. 2021 as an Editor/Reporter covering social accountability issues. His past work can be found in the Tyler Morning Telegraph and other Texas newspapers. He was a 2019-20 Education Writers Association Fellow, and has been featured on The Murder Tapes, Grave Mysteries and Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen.