August Primary Results: Election Night

The Aberdeen Mayoral race is too close to call as of early results, with Doug Orr leading the three candidates with his 34.18%, followed by Debi Ann Pieraccini with 33.23%, and Dee Anne Shaw trailing at 32.12%. Only 39 ballots separate the top and bottom candidates.

Pieraccini and Shaw, the two candidates trailing on the ballot for Mayor, are both currently serving on the Aberdeen City Council. 

In the Westport Mayor race, Edward Welter and Greg Barnes are leading the field of five candidates after first results. Welter holds 45.5% of the vote to Barnes and 31.25% for the second highest turnout. The next closest candidate is former Mayor Michael Bruce with only 15.5%. Both current Councilmember Rose Jensen and resident Brennan Jarnes trail heavily with less than 5% of the vote apiece. 

Ballot Measures:

• The City of Elma will continue seeing funding for their police department, as 59.85% of voters support the annual levy. The measure has been on the ballot in August for a number of years, showing approval each time since 2015, with recent years showing 72.74% in 2021 and 64.71% on the 2022 ballot.
• The South Beach Regional Fire Authority is currently receiving passing votes in both Grays Harbor and Pacific counties for their excess levy, showing a 64.27% approval as of Tuesday results.
• The request for $10,000,000 to improve and expand Ocean Beach Hospital (Public Hospital District 3 of Pacific County) facilities is passing in the first count of ballots, with 70.49% in approval.
• For the limited Grays Harbor voters participating in the Mason County Fire District, all three commissioners on the ballot are receiving over 90% of voters in the multi-county measure asking for a recall for “malfeasance, misfeasance and/or violating” their oath of office.

Other Races:

• Alongside the Aberdeen Mayor race, Sydney Newbill and Bessie Jones look to be moving forward for Aberdeen City Council Position 12, as Newbill leads with 38.71% of the results to Jones and 35.13%.
• For the open Westport City Council, Darcia Davis and Kathryn Franzen are neck-and-neck, with only a three vote difference, 29.87% to 29.09%, respectively.
• In Ocean Shores, current councilmember Alison Cline is leading the race against challengers Caroline Emmert and Jennifer Herboldsheimer. The appointed incumbent will is holding 54.04% of the total votes to hold her position at the end of the year. Cline has been serving in the role since 2022. 30 votes separate Emmert and Herboldsheimer, making the race too close to call.
• In the races for North Beach School Board, incumbent School Board member and sitting School Board President Jeff Albertson leads the field with a 60.32% lead, while Rickie Day holds 22.43% of the vote for second seat currently.
• In the other North Beach School Board seat, the other incumbent in Jessica Iliff trails her challengers by a large margin. Joe Lomedica leads at 49.57% and Halvar Olstead is receiving 38.09%, meaning Illiff will not continue into a new term
• The City of Ilwaco could see either Josh Phillips or Val Perkins as a new face on the City Council, as the two are leading in votes going into November. Phillips held 64.25% of the vote on Tuesday night.
• The Port of Peninsula Commissioner race has Chuck Mikkola and Keli Lucero leading the field of five candidates for the Short & Full 6 year term.

As of Tuesday results, 5,166 voters turned in their ballot by Election Day in Grays Harbor, representing a 23.32% turnout.

Pacific County saw a 42.5% turnout in first ballot counts.

The vote will be certified on August 15, as ballots received on or mailed by August 1, will continue to be counted.