Recounts set for Snohomish, King counties after November election
Nov 26, 2021, 9:01 AM
An elections worker carries a box of unopened envelopes to his desk for processing at the King County Elections headquarters in Renton, Washington. (File photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
(File photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
Recounts have been ordered to settle a few election races in Snohomish County and King County.
Local races have direct impact on daily lives for Washington voters
In Snohomish County, most of the positions and issues for November’s general election were formally decided Tuesday, but three are close enough that state law requires another ballot tally.
A Stanwood City Council position has just a five-vote difference, and a council position in Mill Creek has the candidates 15 votes apart. Both will go to a machine recount. An Alderwood Water and Wastewater District Commissioner seat has a 59 vote difference and will go to a hand recount.
Recount activities are open to the public and will take place at Snohomish County Elections.
For King County, there are three races headed to a mandatory machine recount: City of Newcastle, Council Position 6; Issaquah School District No. 411, Director District No. 4; and Public Hospital District No. 1, Commissioner District No. 2.
Recount activities for the King County races will begin Nov. 30, and the recount will then be certified by the King County Canvassing Board on Dec. 6. The certification meeting will be livestreamed on King County Elections’ Facebook page.
All other results were certified Tuesday by King County Elections. Over 616,000 voters returned their ballots, marking a countywide turnout of 44%. This turnout is close to expectations, and is line with previous odd year elections, KCE says, with the turnout in 2019 hitting 49% and 2017 hitting 43%.
Final results are available on the King County Elections website, as are precinct-level results, election summaries, and reconciliation reports.
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State law requires a machine recount when there is a difference of less than 2,000 votes and also less than 0.50% of the total number of votes for both candidates.
The KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.
