Local News

Write-in candidates fared well among Wahkiakum County voters in Tuesday's general election.
George Wehrfritz won the Cathlamet mayoral election as a write-in, defeating former Councilor John Hannah 107-58.
In the race for a position on the Naselle/Grays River Valley School District board of directors, Position 2, write-in Michelle Condon defeated Mike Queener 202-151 in combined Pacific and Wahkiakum County voting. In Wahkiakum County voting, Condon led 116-101.
Totals will be updated as election officials count late arriving votes today (Thursday), starting at 10 a.m.

In other contested elections:
--Wahkiakum voters favored Initiative 1033 which would cap governmental revenue increases 664-575. Statewide, the issue went down with only 44.54 percent in favor and 55.46 opposed.
--Wahkiakum voters rejected Referendum71 which would extend domestic partnership rights 559-794. Statewide, with about half the votes counted, the issue is narrowly passing with 51.12 percent of the voters in favor and 48.88 percent opposed.

In unopposed elections:
Incumbent Kay Holland received 969 votes in an election to fill an unexpired term as county clerk.
Gary Quigley received 426 votes to be elected to a seat on the board of commissioners of Port District No. 1.
Incumbent Kayrene Gilbertsen received 438 votes to be elected to a seat on the board of commissioners of Port District No. 2.
Gilbert Haataia received 181 Wahkiakum votes to be elected to Position 4 on the N/GRV school board, 304 Pacific County votes.
Michelle Budd, 707 votes, was elected to a seat on the Wahkiakum School District board of directors, and Mike Quigley, 694 votes, and Lee Tischer, 752, were re-elected to their seats on the board.
Ruth Doumit, 140 votes, was elected to the Cathlamet City Council, and Stevan McNicholas, 110 votes, and Robert E. (Bob) Rendler, 116, were elected to seats on the council that they held as appointees.
Fred J. Aegerter, 254 votes, was re-elected to his seat on the Fire District 1 board of commissioners.
Richard J. Bigler, 304 votes, was re-elected to his seat on the Fire District 4 board of commissioners. Kathleen A. Durrah, 680 votes, was elected to her seat on the Cemetery District 1 board of commissioners.
Val Ross, 14 votes, was elected to a seat on the Skamokawa Water and Sewer District board of commissioners.