GOP wins state seat in 26th District

With only 50 ballots left to be counted in Kitsap County Nov. 22, Republican Spencer Hutchins has won the 26th District state representative seat over Democrat Adison Richards.

Richards led on Election Night, Nov.8, and a couple days later by 260 votes, but Hutchins took the lead Nov. 12 by 369 votes. In the final tally Hutchins won by 726 votes, by less than 1 percentage point.

Of 187,026 registered voters in Kitsap County, 66.2% voted, or 123,784. The election will be certified in the county Nov. 29 and by the state Dec. 8.

For Kitsap PUD, incumbent Debra Lester received 62 percent of the vote, with Alice Tawresey receiving 37 percent.

Democrat Katie Walters beat John Hinman for Kitsap County commissioner 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent.

For sheriff, incumbent John Gese, a Democrat, beat Rick Kuss 58 percent to 42 percent. For auditor, the incumbent, Democrat Paul Andrews, won 58.5 percent to 41.5 percent over Mike Simpson of the GOP. For Kitsap District Court Judge Dept. 3, Shane R. Seaman won by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin over Stan Glisson.

In the county’s fire levies, South Kitsap Fire & Rescue Prop. 1 lost 48.5 percent to 51.5 percent. North Kitsap Fire & Rescue Prop. 1 won 62 percent to 38 percent. And Poulsbo Fire Dept. Prop. 1 also won 64 percent to 36 percent.

In federal races, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray-D easily defeated Tiffany Smiley-R 57 percent to 43 percent, as did U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer-D by 60 percent to 40 percent over Elizabeth Kreiselmaier-R.

In state races, in the 23rd District, state Rep. Drew Hanson-D won 65 percent to 35 percent over Paige A. Jarquin-R. Likewise, state Rep. Tarra Simmons-D won 64 percent to 36 percent over Janell Hulst-R. Incumbent Emily Randall-D, the 26th District state senator, won 51 percent to 49 percent over Jesse L. Young-R.

For state Rep. 26, incumbent Michelle Caldier-R, beat Democrat Matt Macklin 56 percent to 44 percent. Republicans also won in the 35th District. For senator, incumbent Drew C. MacEwen had a 56 percent to 44 percent victory over Julianne Gale-D. And state Rep. Daniel Griffey-R, the incumbent, had a 59 percent to 41 percent win over James DeHart-D.

Along with the Richard-Hutchins race, there was no incumbent running in just one other race — for state representative District 35. Republican Travis Couture won the seat by beating Sandy Kaiser 53 percent to 47 percent.

The race for secretary of state got closer since Election Night, but Democrat incumbent Steve Hobbs won 50 percent to 46 percent over Julie Anderson, a nonpartisan candidate.

Both state advisory votes favor repealing. Advisory Vote No. 39, the tax on aircraft fuel, favored repealing 59 percent to 41 percent. Advisory Vote No. 40, premiums on transportation network companies to provide workers comp to drivers, also favored repealing 52 percent to 48 percent.

Running unopposed this election were: David T. Lewis III, county clerk; Chad M. Enright, prosecutor; Pete Boissonneau, treasurer; state Supreme Court Justices Mary I. Yu, Barbara Madsen and G. Helen Whitener; Appeals Court Judge Erik D. Price; District Court Judges Claire A. Bradley, Jeffrey J. Jahns and Kevin P. Kelly.