These are the leaders in Whatcom County election races and initiatives

Democrats were leading in the three 42nd Legislative District races as Whatcom County voters appeared ready to turn the longtime-GOP district blue after the first round of ballot counting in Washington state’s vote-by-mail midterm elections.

“(I’m) excited about the results and couldn’t have done it without all the voters, the volunteers and all the people who talked to other people about the importance of participating in democracy,” said 42nd District state Rep. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, who was leading state Sen. Simon Sefzik, R-Ferndale, when the first ballot count was released after 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Shewmake, who gave up her House seat to run for Sefzik’s seat in the Senate, reached The Bellingham Herald by text message Tuesday as election night results showed her ahead by slightly less than 3 percentage points.

Sefzik, who was appointed by the Whatcom County Council in January to finish the term of the late Sen. Doug Ericksen, told The Herald that he was hoping to gain ground when a second ballot count is released Wednesday, Nov. 9.

“There’s still a lot of votes that need to be counted,” Sefzik said.

“This has been the greatest honor of a lifetime. People that love their country, that work hard, can make a difference in their community,” Sefzik said.

“But if Sharon Shewmake is our next state senator, it is our job to wish her well. You fight, you fight hard, and you disagree. But if I’m her constituent, my job is to wish her well,” he said.

Early election returns also showed that a ballot measure for a child care tax was trailing and a countywide EMS tax levy was passing.

“We always knew is was gonna be close because something this ambitious was bound to get a strong and polarized reaction,” said Ray Deck of Skookum Kids, who was co-chair of the children’s initiative committee.

Ballot totals released Tuesday night included those that had been accepted, processed and scanned but not tabulated before the election deadline of 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.

Tabulation is done after the symbolic poll-closing time in the all-mail election.

Vote totals are downloaded from a closed computer system at the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office onto a new flash drive and uploaded to the networked computer system at the Secretary of State’s Office in Olympia, where totals are verified before publishing.

A second ballot count was scheduled for about 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, and will include ballots from drop boxes that were locked Tuesday night and ballots with valid postmarks that arrive in the mail Wednesday.

An estimated 25,500 ballots remained to be counted, according to the Auditor’s Office website.

Ballot processing was going slower than normal because of networking trouble related to the windstorm on Friday, Nov. 4, that knocked out power to tens of thousands of electrical customers in the southern Puget Sound region, according to a statement from Whatcom County Auditor Diana Bradrick on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

Election turnout

Some 68,232 ballots had been returned through 5 p.m. Tuesday in Whatcom County for a turnout rate of 54%, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s Office and the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office websites.

Statewide turnout was 46%.

Whatcom County had 157,580 active registered voters, according to the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office.

On the ballot in Whatcom County were races for U.S. Congress and the state Legislature, secretary of state, state Supreme Court, and statewide advisory measures, two local tax initiatives, District Court judge and other local positions and measures.

U.S. House and Senate

Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray was leading Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley, 57% to 43% in statewide results.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen was leading Republican challenger San Matthews, 62% to 38% in the 2nd Congressional District. After new maps were recently drawn, the district now includes all of Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties and the western part of Snohomish County.

Larsen thanked his supporters in an emailed statement Wednesday, Nov. 9.

“Because of you, I will have the opportunity to continue protecting and building upon the successes of the current Congress: to lower prescription drug costs for seniors and deliver lower copays for seniors using insulin; to protect Social Security and Medicare; to fund law enforcement and expect accountability; to fight climate change; and to ensure the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helps us build a cleaner and greener transportation system for everyone,” Larsen said.

40th Legislative District

Only the two House members were on the ballot in the 40th Legislative District, which includes the southern half of Bellingham and the rest of southwestern Whatcom County, the western part of Skagit County and all of San Juan County. House seats have two-year terms.

▪ In the House position 1 race, state Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow,was leading Shannon Perkes, a Republican from Skagit County, by 72% to 28%.

▪ In the position 2 race, state Rep. Alex Ramel was leading union official Trevor Smith by 77% to 21%. Both are Democrats from Bellingham.

Ramel declared victory in an emailed statement Tuesday night.

“I’m humbled and honored that the voters continue to trust me to represent our community’s priorities like building affordable housing, addressing the climate crisis, rebuilding reliable ferry service, and ensuring reproductive freedom,” Ramel said.

42nd Legislative District

In the 42nd District legislative races, Republicans were seeking to reclaim the House seats and keep the Senate in a traditionally red district that has trended more blue in recent election cycles.

Washington’s 42nd Legislative District includes much of downtown Bellingham, the city’s northern neighborhoods, and the rest of northern and eastern Whatcom County.

▪ State Rep. Sharon Shewmake was leading state Sen. Simon Sefzik by 51% to 49% for the district’s state Senate seat with a four-year term.

▪ Rep. Alicia Rule, D-Blaine, was leading Republican challenger Tawsha Dykstra Thompson of Lynden by 52% to 48% for the House Position 1 seat, a two-year term.

▪ Bellingham Democrat Joe Timmons was leading Republican Dan Johnson of Laurel by 52% to 48% for the House Position 2 seat, a two-year term.

Timmons said he was “cautiously optimistic” about his early lead.

“I’m excited to be ahead,” Timmons told The Herald.

“Of course, nothing’s a done deal. We’re thrilled with where we are right now,” he said.

Child care tax

Prop. 5, a countywide property tax measure to fund child care, preschool and other programs and services for children and families, was failing by 52% to 48%. It requires a simple majority for approval.

EMS tax

Prop. 6, to renew an existing countywide property tax levy for emergency medical services, was passing by 64% to 36%. It requires a simple majority for approval.

Prosecuting attorney

Prosecuting Attorney Eric Richey was unopposed. Richey had 96% of the vote.

District Court judge

District Court Judge Angela Anderson was unopposed for the Whatcom County District Court judge position 1 seat. Anderson had 98% of the vote.

Jonathan Rands was leading Gordon Jenkins by 62% to 38% for the Whatcom County District Court judge position 2 seat.

Public Utility District 1

Jaime Arnett was leading Eric Davidson for the Public Utility District No. 1 seat, 51% to 48%.