Bulk of primary election ballots counted in Walla Walla County (2024)

The bulk of the ballots returned by voters in the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary election has been processed and counted, with 15,178 reflected in the results after 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16.

Walla Walla County elections supervisor Morgen Bradshaw-Morgan said Friday afternoon that the handful of ballots left to be counted — about 50 — include those with signature corrections in progress and other ballots with issues that will be reviewed by the canvassing board before the results are finalized.

She said the canvassing board will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 19, and again at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, to certify the election.

The elections team worked extended hours throughout the week tabulating ballots. Bradshaw-Morgan said the workers will come into the office Saturday, Aug. 17, to prepare for the Monday canvassing board meeting. The work will start at 8:30 a.m. and continue until finished.

As of Friday, turnout in the county was 40.6%. Results will next be updated on Tuesday when the election is certified.

Here is where local ballot measures and primary races stand ahead of certification. All of the candidates mentioned will face off again in the November general election.

Walla Walla County

Walla Walla County Commissioner District 1

Bertha Clayton has maintained a lead over incumbent Jenny Mayberry in the race for Walla Walla County Commissioner in District 1.

Clayton had 3,598 votes, or 64.5%, as of Friday. Mayberry had 1,980 votes, or 35.5%.

Clayton, no party preference, is vying for the seat currently held by Mayberry, a Republican first elected in 2020.

Clayton, 38, is an attorney and the director of the Office of Agricultural and Seasonal Workforce Services for the Washington State Employment Security Department, the office that administers the state’s foreign labor program. She previously worked in insurance and immigration law.

Mayberry, 41, is a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Walla Walla County Fire District No. 4 and co-owner of Hot Mama’s Espresso.

Walla Walla County Fire District No. 4

Voters in Walla Walla County Fire District No. 4, covering the areas west, south and east of Walla Walla and College Place, are approving their district’s levy lid lift with 2,089 yes votes, or 63.2%, to 1,216 no votes, or 36.8%.

The rural Walla Walla department asked voters to raise the current fire levy from $0.88 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $1.26 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Walla Walla County Fire District No. 5

Walla Walla County Fire District No. 5 voters in the Burbank and Wallula areas are rejecting the lid left with 506 no votes, or 52.76%, to 453 yes votes, or 47.24%.

District No. 5 was asking for a lid lift to increase the property tax levy rate for the fire district from $1.14 to $1.38 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The district tried running a similar levy lid lift last year. That proposition failed by six votes.

District 16

More than 35,700 ballots had been counted in southeast Washington's 16th District as of Friday, Aug. 16.

District 16 includes all of Walla Walla County and parts of Franklin and Benton counties, including parts of Richland, West Richland and Benton City in the Tri-Cities area.

There are some ballots still to be counted in each county. Results will next be updated when the election is certified.

Senator

Leading in the senate race, incumbent Republican Perry Dozier, a 65-year-old rancher, had 22,796 votes, or 63.8%. Among Walla Walla County voters, he had 59.3% of the vote.

Challenger Kari Isaacson, 71, a Democrat and retired business and nonprofit executive, had 12,895 total votes, or 36.1%, and earned 40.6% of the vote in Walla Walla County.

Representative Position 1

Mark Klicker, 61, a farm and ranch realtor and Republican incumbent in the race for District 16 representative Position 1, had a total of 23,129 votes, or 64.8%. Among Walla Walla County voters, he earned 60.8% of the vote.

Dr. Linda Gunshefski, 63, a Democrat who owns and operates a medical office in Walla Walla, had 12,551 total votes, or 35.2%, and earned 39.2% of the vote in Walla Walla County.

Representative Position 2

Skyler Rude, 38, a real estate broker and Republican incumbent in the race for representative Position 2, had a total of 23,752 votes, or 66.7%. Among Walla Walla County voters, Rude earned 63.9% of the vote.

Democratic challenger Craig Woodard, 64, a retired union electrician and union operating engineer, had 11,785 total votes, or 33.1%, and earned 36.1% of the vote in Walla Walla County.