The first week of unofficial primary election results show the local propositions to raise the fire district levies for Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue (CCFR) and Fire District 3 passed.
As of Friday afternoon, Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue’s (CCFR) proposition to raise its levy should pass with 6,564 votes (62.77%) with 3,894 voters (37.23%) in opposition. An approved levy lid lift will raise property tax collection to $1.50 per $1,000 assessed property value. Because the allowed property tax increases have not kept up with property value increases in the district, the levy rate has dropped from $1.50 per $1,000 in 2017 to $1.26 per $1,000 today. The lid lift would fund equipment, building expansions and two new fire stations in west Ridgefield and Woodland, respectively.
CCFR Chief John Nohr expects the Woodland fire station, which has already been designed, to be complete and ready by late 2025 to early 2026 with the levy lid lift funding. Nohr anticipates the west Ridgefield station to be prepared around late 2027 as he works with Ridgefield’s city staff to find a suitable location for emergency responses. The new station will improve response times for emergency calls in Ridgefield west of the Interstate 5 bridge and downtown.
“I’m just really grateful for the level of support we get from our communities,” Nohr said. “That’s gonna allow us to maintain our firefighters staffing at three per rig, which is really important for both fire calls and for emergency medical service calls.”
After previously failing, Clark County Fire District 3’s levy lid lift has also passed with 6,491 votes (65.26%) in favor, and 3,455 voters (34.74%) in opposition. Fire District 3 taxpayers currently pay $1.16 per $1,000 of assessed property value. With the $0.34 lid lift, the tax rate will reset to $1.50. The lid lift will fund more paramedic-certified firefighters, updated medical equipment and replace an aging ambulance to transport patients to area hospitals.
Fire District 3 Chief Scott Sorenson appreciates the community’s vote following last year’s failed levy lid lift.
“We’re grateful for the support and relieved. Now we can continue on and maintain and improve services,” Sorenson said. “...That’s a huge step for the community and [for] Clark County as a whole. All the [local] measures passed as far as I know.”
Federal and state offices
Democrat incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez led U.S. Congressional District 3’s race with 81,311 votes (45.59%). Republican Joe Kent will be her opponent in the November general election, as he earned 70,551 votes (39.56%). Republican Leslie Lewallen is behind with 22,116 votes (12.4%).
Democrat incumbent Maria Cantwell will advance to November’s general election in the U.S. senator race with 858,964 votes, (57.55%). Dr. Raul Garcia is the closest challenger, with 326,853 votes (21.9%).
Statewide, Democrat Bob Ferguson leads the governor race with 682,032 votes (45.25%). Republican Dave Reichert will challenge him after garnering 419,369 votes (27.82%) as of Friday. Semi Bird, the state’s Republican Party nominee, received 153,889 votes (10.21%).
Democrat incumbent Denny Heck led the lieutenant governor race with 714,554 votes (48.85%). Behind is Republican Dan Matthews with 333,876 votes (22.82%).
The race for Washington’s secretary of state was led by Democrat incumbent Steve Hobbs with 720,220 votes (48.83%). Republican Dale Whitaker placed second with 542,584 votes (36.78%).
The Commissioner of Public Lands race, which had seven candidates, is led by Republican and former U.S. representative Jaime Herrera Beutler with 324,383 votes (22.25%). Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson came in second with 301,712 votes (20.7%). They were followed by Democrat David Upthegrove with 298,621 votes (20.49%).
Voters will narrow down several more of the state’s executive positions this election leading up to November’s general election. Democrat Pat McCarthy leads the state auditor seat with 67,055 votes (59.01%). Democrat Mike Pellicciotti leads the state treasurer seat with 861,080 votes (58.5%). Republican Pete Serrano leads the attorney general race with 622,271 votes (41.99%), followed by Democrat Nick Brown with 526,529 votes (35.53%). Chris Reykdal leads the superintendent of public instruction race with 553,915 votes (39.32%), followed by David Olson with 442,297 votes (31.4%).Go to results.vote.wa.gov/results/20240806/default.htm to follow all statewide races.
Local elections
The state senator seat in the 18th state legislative district, which encompasses Battle Ground and surrounding areas, is led by Democratic candidate Adrian Cortes with 19,789 votes (46.22%), followed by Republican Brad Benton with 13,610 votes (31.79%). As of press time, 18th District Rep. Greg Cheney only garnered 9,413 votes (21.99%).
Incumbent Stephanie McClintock will advance in the representative position 1 race with 18,972 votes (55.37%), followed by Deken Letinich with 15,255 votes (44.52%). Democrat John Zingale leads representative position 2 with 16,462 votes (47.78%), followed by John Ley with 13,336 votes (38.71%). Ley, the leading republican candidate, faces an October trial for election fraud charges in a 2022 race for an 18th Legislative District representative seat for not being a district resident.
The 20th state legislative district, which includes the City of Woodland, also has state legislative seats to fill. Incumbent Peter Abbarno leads the representative position 1 seat with 6,872 votes (88.06%). Incumbent Ed Orcutt runs unopposed for the representative position 2 seat. Incumbent Sen. John Braun is running unopposed for his state senate seat.
In the race for Clark County Council’s District 3 seat, representing Vancouver, Chuck Keplar leads with 6,436 votes (36.33%), followed closely by Wil Fuentes with 6,344 votes (35.82%). The race for Clark County Council’s District 4 seat, representing Camas, Washougal and county lands north, is also close. Joe Zimmerman leads with 5,625 votes (25.78%), followed closely by Matt Little with 5,264 votes (24.12%).
The Clark County Elections Office has counted 110,237 ballots as of Friday, with an estimated 26,000 more to count. Voter turnout was at 32.8% in Clark County.
Follow local Clark County elections at results.vote.wa.gov/results/20240806/clark/. Cowlitz County elections can be found at results.vote.wa.gov/re sults/20240806/cowlitz/.
