Svoboda increases her lead over Spencer in latest tally

A second ballot count has all but sealed the win for the would-be first female Grays Harbor County prosecutor, Katie Svoboda.

The Grays Harbor County Auditor’s Office tallied the remaining votes flowing in after election day, running the remaining ballots on Thursday.

Svoboda has about 53 percent of the vote, leading challenger Mike Spencer 8,833 to 7,895. She increased her lead over Spencer by about 300 votes in the latest count.

Svoboda will take office as soon as the election is certified with county certification taking place by Nov. 25 and state certification by Dec. 4.

County Commissioner

Comopolis Mayor Vickie Raines held onto her lead over Republican hopeful Keith Olson, with 8,577 votes to 5,817. Raines’ lead accounted for more than 59 percent of the vote.

Olson had conceded the race to Raines in an interview with The Vidette on Tuesday.

Raines will be the second female county commissioner in Grays Harbor history.

Assessor

Dan Lindgren continues to lead incumbent assessor and former Ocean Spray manager Rick Hole, leading with 11,022 votes (about 61 percent) to 6,969.

PUD

Incumbent PUD Commissioner Russ Skolrood has more than 57 percent of the vote, defeating challenger John Straka with 9,234 votes to 6,731.

Pacific County

Challenger Mark McClain held onto his win after additional ballots were counted on Friday in Pacific County.

McClain had 59 percent, defeating three-term incumbent Prosecutor David Burke, 4,563 votes to 3,160.

In the county commisioner race, incumbent Lisa Ayers extended her lead by a percentage point, bumping up to more than 64 percent of the vote over challenger Michael Hess.

She leads Hess with 4,443 votes to 2,460.

Initiatives

A statewide measure to reduce class sizes (Initiative 1351) remains close, both sides splitting the vote at 50 percent apiece.

As of Friday afternoon, the initiative was failing by just 37 votes statewide.

The “No” vote leads 835,815 to 835,778.

The results were nearly as close in Grays Harbor with “Yes” leading 9,681 to 9,394.

Initiative 591, looking to limit the expansion of background checks on firearms was shot down statewide, 913,784 votes to 766,918, while Initiative 594 to expand background checks was approved by more than 58 percent with 994,505 votes to 701,931.

Meanwhile on Grays Harbor, voters cast their ballots in a nearly opposite fashion.

County residents approved I-591 with more than 51 percent of the vote, 11,004 votes to 8,155.

Residents also shot down I-594, 10,414 to 8,920.