Election:Coons, Dearmore, Reid lead; Brady, Bigelow re-elected

Some Wahkiakum County elections were settled Tuesday as county election officers counted votes, and some were still up in the air.

Challenger Bill Coons, who ran as an Independent, defeated incumbent Sulema Zerr, a Republican, in the race for county assessor by a vote of 1,043-638.

Jon Dearmore defeated challenger Troy Norris 1,398-259 in the election for county sheriff. Both ran as Independents.

Incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow, a Democrat, defeated challenger Dennis Gordon, no party preference, 978-631 in the election for that position.

Other local races weren't decided Tuesday. Auditor Diane Tischer said she had about 250 ballots on hand that were too late to count Tuesday; election officers will wait till Friday afternoon to count those and others that may arrive in the mail by then. Tischer estimated 75 percent of the county's 2,100 voters will vote in the election.

In the elections that aren't decided:

--Incumbent County Commissioner Blair Brady, a Democrat, had a 925-746 lead over challenger Lori Scott, an Independent, in the election for the District 3 seat on the county board of commissioners.

--Challenger Dennis Reid has a lead of 850-758 over incumbent Esther Gregg in the election for the District 3 seat on the Wahkiakum PUD board of commissioners. The position is non-partisan.

Results for uncontested local elections included:

--Auditor, Diane Tischer, incumbent, Democrat, 1,379.

--County Clerk, Kay Holland, , incumbent, Democrat, 1,366.

--Treasurer, Paula Holloway, , incumbent, Democrat, 1,334.

--District Court Judge, William Faubion, , incumbent, non-partisan, 1,141; unspecified write-in, 94.

Results for regional and statewide elections included:

Initiative 1053, restating existing statutory requirements about legislative actions in raising taxes: Yes 1,152, No 487. Statewide, the measure passed with a 65.6 percent vote.

Init. 1082, authorizing purchase of private industrial insurance: Yes 623, No 979. Statewide, the measure failed by a 58.17 percent vote.

Init. 1098, taxing adjusted gross income above $200,000/$400,000: Yes 555, No 1,120. Statewide, the measure failed by a 65.43 percent vote.

Init. 1100, closing state liquor stores: Yes 621, No, 1,074. Statewide, the measure failed by a 51.93 percent vote.

Init. 1105, closing state liquor stores and revising laws about the sale of spirits: Yes 525, No 1,164. Statewide, the measure failed by a 63.25 percent vote.

Init. 1107: ending sales taxes on candy, bottled water, etc.: Yes 1,102, No 586. Statewide, the measure passed by a 62.79 percent vote.

Referendum 52, concerning bonds for energy efficiency projects in schools: Yes 587, No 1,054. Statewide, the measure failed by a 56.88 percent vote.

Resolution 8225, amending the state constitution concerning the limitation on state debt: Yes 692, No 801. Statewide, the measure passed by a 51.13 percent vote.

Resolution 4220, amending the state constitution regarding bail for certain criminal offenses: Yes 1,378, No 275. Statewide, the measure passed by an 85.5 percent vote.

US Senator: Patty Murray, incumbent, Democrat 775; Dino Rossi, Republican, 911. Statewide, Murray leads narrowly with a 50.59 percent vote.

US Representative, District 3: Denny Heck, Democrat, 767, Jaime Herrera, Republican, 886. District wide, Herrera leads with a 52.92 percent vote.

State Representative, District 19, Position 1: Dean Takko, incumbent, Democrat, 1,015; Kurt Swanson, Republican, 674. District wide, Takko leads with a 59.17 percent vote.

State Representative, District 19, Position 2: Brian Blake, incumbent, Democrat, 882, Tim Suttinen, Lower Taxes Party, 787. District wide Blake leads with a 52.74 percent vote.

State Supreme Court, Position 1: Jim Johnson 1,144. All judicial positions are non-partisan. Statewide, he was unopposed.

State Supreme Court, Position 5: Barbara Madsen 1,091. She was unopposed.

State Supreme Court, Position 6: Richard B. Sanders, incumbent, 645, Charlie Wiggins 538. Statewide, Sanders leads with a 51.12 percent vote.

State Court of Appeals: Jill M. Johanson 1,111. District wide, she was unopposed.

Pacific County

In the race for Pacific County Sheriff, challenger Scott Johnson, a Washington State Patrol veteran, defeated longtime incumbent John Didion 4,524-3,574. Both ran as Democrats.

In the race for Pacific County Commissioner, District 3, Lisa Ayers defeated Cathy Russ 4,114-2,914. Both ran as Democrats.