With 100 ballots left to count in Walla Walla County before certification Tuesday, no major changes are expected in the outcome of the local races or statewide measures in the 2020 general election.
After another 4,934 votes were counted last Thursday, Walla Walla County has moved from approving Referendum 90 to rejecting it by a margin of 31 votes. Other races showed no major changes in direction.
WASHINGTON — Control of the Senate won’t be decided until the new year after Republicans won a seat in Alaska on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON – Republican lawmakers from the Northwest have declined to accept President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday, positioning himself to lead a nation gripped by historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil.
This story has been updated since its original publication.
As of Wednesday, the county had received 31,528 returned ballots from a possible 37,228 registered voters — about 85% turnout.
WASHINGTON — The election scrambled seats in the House and Senate but ultimately left Congress much like it began, deeply split as voters resisted big changes despite the heated race at the top of the ticket for the White House.
As Election Day came to a close with no clear outcome in the presidential race and control of the U.S. Senate still undecided Tuesday night, Washington’s congressional races did not appear to have any surprises in store, while Idaho remained a bastion of congressional Republicans.
In the hard-fought race for state Senate in the 16th Legislative District, Danielle Garbe Reser and her staunch supporters were convinced the reliably right-of-center district was ready to swing to a centrist Democrat.
According to preliminary votes Tuesday, Joe Biden held a 43-vote lead over President Donald Trump in Walla Walla County — 8,289 or 49.2% compared to 8,246 or 48.94% of the 16,849 votes counted.
The Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance is on its way to approval in Umatilla County, with 61% of ballots counted so far in approval of the ordinance to about 39% that voted no.
OUR VIEW: THE U-B ENDORSES
Endorsements are decided by the Union-Bulletin Editorial Board and are independent of the organization's news coverage.
- U-B endorsements for November’s General Election
- Chris Reykdal is choice for state's school chief
- While Measure 90 will impact few schools, it should be approved
- Lands Commissioner Franz has earned second term
- Denny Heck is clear choice for lieutenant governor
- Pat McCarthy has earned second term as state auditor
- Kreidler should be re-elected insurance commisioner
- Inslee's leadership in pandemic has earned him another term
- Ferguson has earned third term as attorney general
- McMorris Rodgers remains choice to serve in Congress
- Mike Mitchell better choice for Superior Court judge
- Secretary of State Wyman deserves to be re-elected
- Duane Davidson should be re-elected state treasurer
- Esparza has edge in race for county commission
- Garbe Reser strongest of two top candidates for state Senate
- Biden is clear choice for president
- Approve ESJR 8212 and ignore advisory ballots
- Rep. Skyler Rude should be re-elected to House
- U-B begins endorsements
Brandon Johnson appears to be leading the nonpartisan race for Walla Walla County Superior Court Judge Position 1, with 2,122 votes more than opponent Mike Mitchell.
A proposition that would have imposed a permanent tax levy in Columbia County of 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to fund the Columbia County Flood Control Zone District was rejected by voters Tuesday.
The annual maintenance and operations levy that funds the operation of the 62-year-old pool received 72.36% approval, well beyond the 60% required.
Republican Skyler Rude was leading on Tuesday night, defending his 16th Legislative District Position 2 state representative seat for a second term over Democratic challenger Carly Coburn.
Races were too early to call in some of other fiercely contested and critical states on the map, including North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
