2009 Primary – the day after

Although the final results won’t be known for days, the early tallies from this week’s 2009 Primary Election indicate that some highly visible races and ballot measures appear to be decided. King County update: King County Elections just posted its updated election results , which show Susan Hutchison (35.92 percent) still in the lead, followed by Dow Constantine (23.4). Both appeared headed to November’s General Election. The Seattle Mayor’s primary remains a close three-way battle between challengers Joe Mallahan (26.76 percent) and Mike McGinn (26.48) and incumbent Greg Nickels (25.19). Both races are nonpartisan. House races: Here are the numbers as of Wednesday afternoon on the three Eastern Washington primary races in the state House of Representatives:

• The contest for the open seat in the 9th District (Pullman, Cheney, Othello) remains close. Susan Fagan leads with 28.61 percent, followed by Pat Hailey at 25.64 and Glen Stockwell at 25.24 percent. Fagan and Hailey prefer the Republican Party, and Stockwell the Democratic Party.� In the 15th District (Yakima Valley and the Columbia Gorge), incumbent David Taylor, who prefers the Republican label, was leading with 65.54 percent of the vote. John Gotts was in second with 18.56 percent, ahead of Donicio Marichalar (15.89 percent). Gotts and Marichalar prefer the Democratic Party. Gotts had suspended campaigning and left for California, but now says he’ll return to begin campaigning.
• In the 16th District (Walla Walla), incumbent Laura Grant (who was appointed last winter to replace her father, the late Rep. Bill Grant) was atop with 46.22 percent, followed by Terry Nealey (37.73 percent) and Kevin Young (10.02 percent). Grant prefers the Democratic Party, and Nealey and Young prefer the Republican Party.
• The three House primary races fall under the Top 2 Primary rules, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the November General Election, regardless of party preference. Each of the three House elections this year is to complete an unexpired two-year term.

Recount info: Thanks to a handful of close races, some might already be wondering about how a recount might work. Here is some basic information on recounts:

• A mandatory machine recount for any office at any primary or general election is conducted if the difference between the candidates is less than one half of 1 percent and also less than 2,000 votes. (RCW 29A.64.021)
• A Primary race recount would be between the second- and third-place candidates.� In regional and local offices a manual recount is conducted if the difference between the candidates is less than 150 votes and one quarter of one percent. (RCW 29A.64.021)
• A recount may be requested by any candidate or officer of a political party for whom votes were cast.
• In the case of a requested recount, the individual or group who makes the request pays for the recount unless the outcome is reversed, and then the county pays. For all other mandatory recounts the counties pays.
• After the recount has been conducted, the County Canvassing Boards certify the results of the recount by submitting an amended abstract of votes.

Certifying Primary results: County Canvassing Boards have until September 2 to certify the Primary returns, and counties have to send in their final Primary results to the Secretary of State by September 3.