Upthegrove Advances to General Election After WA Lands Commissioner Recount

by Nimra Ahmad

The recount results for Washington's public lands commissioner are in and certified, and King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove will be advancing to the November general election to face off against Republican former U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler.

Upthegrove was in close competition with Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson for second place, and ultimately, Upthegrove defeated Kuehl Pederson by just 49 votes. It's believed to be the closest race in the history of Washington's primary.

"Sue Kuehl Pederson, former candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands, extends heartfelt gratitude to her supporters following the recent election," reads a Sept. 4 statement from Kuehl Pederson's campaign. "Although the results were not as hoped, she is thankful to God for the experience and for the opportunity to bring attention to vital issues facing Washington."

After the primary was certified last month, the initial count found that Upthegrove and Kuehl Pederson were separated by just 51 votes with Upthegrove in the lead. By law, a manual recount is required in a statewide race or measure when the difference between the candidates or responses is less than 0.25% and also less than 1,000 votes.

In the recount, Upthegrove had a net gain of six votes while Kuehl Pederson had a net gain of four votes. It was the first statewide recount in a primary election since 1960.

In the primary, the five Democrats got 57% of the vote while the two Republicans got 43% of the vote.

"Variances, such as an overvote or undervote were identified during the manual recount which led to the overall change in the count," the Washington Secretary of State's office said in a press release. "These discrepancies were a result of careful examination of voter intent on some ballots."

State and county election officials use an established Statewide Standards on What is a Vote, a longstanding standard for determining voter intent when voters' ballot markings are unclear.

"This recount was a significant undertaking that required meticulous attention to detail to ensure every vote was counted fairly and accurately," Assistant Secretary of State Kevin McMahan said. "It demonstrates the accuracy and reliability of Washington's elections, as the vote counting equipment tabulated votes correctly, with the few variances arising from questions about voter intent. I commend all counties for their diligent efforts in conducting a transparent and secure process that reflects the will of the voters."

The Office of the Secretary of State's Elections website has information on recount results and processes for ensuring an accurate vote. Ballots for the Nov. 5 General Election will be mailed to voters by Friday, Oct. 18.

📸 Featured Image: King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove and former Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez at a joint County/City Council Transportation Committee meeting in March 2016. (Photo: Seattle City Council/Flickr, within the public domain)