As of early Monday, Aug. 17, the Clark County Elections Office reported voter turnout at a low 38% for the Aug. 4 primary.
The remaining 62% amounts to 223,037 registered voters not casting a ballot in the primary. In Cowlitz County, voter turnout landed at 37%. Additional ballot counts will be announced ahead of the election certification on Friday, Aug. 21.
Perhaps among the biggest effects of low voter turnout or lack of a vote on a ballot item hit Clark County Fire District 10. With a 60% super majority needed for Proposition No. 3, which would approve bonds for a new headquarters in Amboy, approval landed at 59.44%.
Clark County Fire District 10 stated in a Facebook post that its bond levy did not pass, falling 15 votes short of the 60% necessary to be approved.
The social media post further asked, “We are curious to hear from the 174 people that submitted their ballots, but chose not to vote in this particular matter. Why did you make this choice? Was it simply that you didn’t see us on the backside of the form? Did you not understand what we were trying to do? Please reach out and let us answer your questions.”
Clark County Councilor District 1’s primary election is still close. Incumbent Glen Yung leads with 34.67% of the vote. But challengers Bryan Shull and Dusti Arab as of Aug. 17 were separated by 218 votes, favoring Bryan Shull to move on to November. After early results on Aug. 4, Arab posted on social media, “Cool, cool, cool, so we’re all ready to fight for ranked choice voting now, right?”
A sign of what is ahead in November can be found between Clark County Councilor District 5 candidates Peter Silliman and Troy McCoy. As of Monday, Aug. 17, before an expected update, McCoy led 15,427 to 15,000 votes with 204 write-ins. The two challengers are seeking a seat vacated by County Chair Sue Marshall, who did not seek reelection.
In Washington's Third Congressional District, Incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s election night lead is gone as the count flipped in favor of John Braun with 84,655 votes over Gluesenkamp Perez’s 77,776.
While both Braun and Gluesenkamp Perez look to November with an inkling of what voters may be feeling, additional Democratic challenger Brent Hennrich earned 35,710 votes in the Aug. 4 primary. Hennrich was vocal on social media after the initial primary election results in that he will not endorse Gluesenkamp Perez. Come November, for Democrats to keep the important seat, the 35,000 voters for Hennrich who are in opposition to the more independent-leaning Democrat will have an impact on the outcome.
Gluesenkamp Perez has a significant fundraising edge, reporting more than $6 million in fundraising while also facing Hennrich from within her own party. Braun has been second in fundraising with just over $2 million raised.
Recent polling on the Third Congressional District race currently favors Braun, but close enough to be labeled a toss-up.
In the 18th Legislative District, Democratic challengers continued to hold narrow leads over Republican incumbents in both races.
Randi Knott led Rep. Stephanie McClintock 52.02% to 47.81% in Position 1, while Deken Letinich was leading Rep. John Ley 53.42% to 46.38% in Position 2.
The open Clark County auditor race was the county's most crowded contest, with Eileen Quiring O'Brien holding a narrow first place position after additional votes counted at 29.12%, followed closely by Mitchell Kelly at 28.25%, as Sharon Wylie and Ty Stober sat a few thousand votes back. Overall, the auditor primary received over 128,000 votes with each candidate receiving over 25,000 votes. Now, the race narrows to Quiring O’Brien and Kelly for November.
See full results and follow for updated tallies here:
Statewide: results.votewa.gov/results/public/washington/elections/20260804
Clark County: results.votewa.gov/results/public/clark-county-wa/elections/20260804
Cowlitz County: results.votewa.gov/results/public/cowlitz-county-wa/elections/20260804
