Agen, Baker school board winners

It is all but official: John Agen and Marlys Baker have won their contests for La Conner School Board Directors in Districts 1 and 2 respectively. At press time Tuesday 300 votes in Skagit County needed counting.

Both first time candidates decisively defeated incumbents in the only locally contested races this fall. Agen had 60% of the vote on election night, Nov. 5, against Kate Szurek, elected in 2015.

Baker had won more than 66% of the vote against Board Chair Janie Beasley, a 15 year incumbent. Baker has increased her margin to over two-thirds and Agen was up by 220 votes after the Nov. 13 count.

Agen and Baker take office at the first official board meeting following the December certification of election results.

Lynette Cram was reelected as a director and Susan Gardner Deyo was elected to the seat she was appointed to last spring. Brad Smith is the fifth director.

Almost 39,000 people, 49.6% of the county’s registered voters, cast a ballot. Skagit County’s votes will be finalized by Nov. 26 and sent to the secretary of state.

Statewide, I-976 won with 53% of the vote. If enacted, the measure reduces car tab fees and denies local governments authority to raise license plate taxes. King County and the City of Seattle have sued to have the measure declared unconstitutional.

Measure 88 was defeated by over 20,000 votes, 0.6%. If passed it would have allowed I-1000, approving state affirmative action becoming law,