Early results from the Tuesday, Nov. 4, general election showed North Bend residents in favor of extra police and local parks, while in Carnation, a package for more police protection was failing by the narrowest of margins.
North Bend voters showed strong support for the city’s public safety measure, Prop. The 0.1 percent sales tax increase, projected to bring $200,000 in revenues for police and fire protection budgets had 59 percent voter approval in early returns on Tuesday night. A total of 605 voters, 59.49 percent, voted yes on Prop. 1 to 412, or 40.51 percent no votes.
Meanwhile, Si View Metro Park District’s annual operations and maintenance levy was passing by a landslide, 69.7 percent to 30 percent, or 1,886 votes to 820.
In Carnation, a proposed police levy increase was failing by only four votes. Prop. 1, for a 35-cent permanent levy increase to fund additional police services, had 159 no votes, 50.64 percent, to 155 yes votes, 49.36 percent, as of 8:05 p.m. Tuesday.
King County Elections officials announced Wednesday morning that they will post results updates twice each day this week, at around 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., with daily updates at 4:30 p.m. next week and until the results are certified, on Nov. 25. As of Wednesday, elections headquarters had received 518,000 ballots, about half of which arrived in the past week. Elections officials stated that it takes about a day to verify each ballot for counting. There are 1,181,076 registered voters in King County.
Candidates and state measures
In the Valley’s state legislature races, incumbent Jay Rodne of North Bend beat challenger Essie Hicks of Issaquah, 57 percent to 41 percent to retain his position 1 state representative seat.
Issaquah’s Chad Magendanz, at position 2, kept his seat, winning 58 percent to 40 percent over North Bend challenger David Spring.
In King County, congressional incumbent Dave Reichert was ahead of opponent Jason Ritchie, 59 percent to 40 percent.
Statewide, the initial vote counts show support for increased gun control. Initiative 594, calling for increased background checks and other changes to state law regarding the transfer of guns between people, is passing with nearly 60 percent voter approval. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, 725,003 votes were counted in support of 594, to only 489,457 against.
Another gun measure, 591, was failing in early returns. Initiative 591, which would require the state to adhere to the federal standard for background checks, at federally licensed retailers only, was running at nearly 55 percent, or 656,439 no votes to 45 percent, 547,178 yes.
Both of these measures are Initiatives to the Legislature, which means the state legislature must act on the certified results in its next session. If legislators approve the measure as-is, it becomes state law. If they take any other action, rejection, revision, or refusing to vote on the issue, it will go back to voters on the next general election, along with any proposed revisions from the legislature.
A third initiative, related to education funding and class sizes, is failing by less than 15,000 votes. The measure would impose a maximum class size of 17 students in grades 3 and lower, and a maximum of 25 students in grades 4 to 12, and require full funding at these levels by 2017. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, the no votes were slightly ahead 605,650, or 51 percent, to 591,917, or 49 percent.
Initiative 1351 is an Initiative to the People, and would become state law if both the petition signatures are certified, as well as the voting results.
In other state measures, Advisory Vote No. 8, which implements a marijuana excise tax, was passing with 52 percent of the vote, or a margin of about 60,000 votes, according to the Secretary of State’s website. The “yes” vote repeals the legislature’s elimination of agricultural tax preferences for marijuana.
Advisory vote 9, which concerns excise tax on tribe-owned, privately leased land, is passing by 54 percent, 592,408 votes to 503,553. The measure sought voter affirmation to continue to direct land-use tax on the use of tribal property by private parties in lieu of property taxes.
According to the Snoqualmie Tribe’s website, the local tribe does not lease any of its properties out currently, so the excise tax doesn’t affect the tribe. However, the tribe endorsed HB 1287, saying it allows tribes to be treated the same as state and local governments regarding land tax rules, and strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Statewide voting results are certified following each counties’ certification. The Secretary of State will certify final results by Dec. 4.
