Carlson and Dole headed for town council positions

La Conner residents have likely chosen Ivan Carlson and Rick Dole to represent them on town council in this election. With 4,900 ballots counted Monday by Skagit County elections office staff, the pattern of challengers Carlson and Dole’s substantial leads continue. Carlson increased his margin over Councilmember John Leaver to 108. Dole has a 52 vote lead and 55% of the total with 238 votes, even though Councilmember Bill Stokes took 10 of the 16 La Conner ballots counted this round. Dole led by 22 votes election night.

Citizens overwhelmingly decided to keep MaryLee Chamberlain. She has 74% of the votes against Glen Johnson in her first election challenge since 2015. She will be council’s senior member in the new year.

The La Conner School Board directors all gained over 98% of the vote running unopposed. Reelected are Amanda Bourgeois, District 2, now with 1,145 votes; J.J. Wilbur, District 3, 1,258 votes; and Susan Deyo, District 5, 1,174 votes.

John Doyle has been elected to the Fire District 13 Position 2, with 1,066 votes after the Nov. 8 ballot count, handily defeating Eric Day. Doyle was appointed in April after Larry Kibbee resigned.

Most of the roughly 700 ballots left uncounted Monday were tallied Tuesday, Nov. 9. If 100 of them, 14%, are La Conner votes – an extremely unlikely possibility – Stokes would need to win over 75%. Of the 4,909 ballots counted Monday, 16 were from La Conner, less than 0.4%.

The 436 votes cast to date in the Carlson-Leaver race are 20 more cast than in any municipal election here since Ramon Hayes won the mayor’s contest with 416 votes in 2011. Last year 730 votes were cast for president in the La Conner precinct.

This is the first contested council election since 2015 and the first time Leaver or Stokes were challenged.

In the Anacortes mayor’s race, Councilmember Mike Miller’s lead has increased to 181 votes, with 4,170 votes, against fellow Councilmember Ryan Walters’ 3,989 votes. Election night Miller was up by eight votes.

Mahlon Hull will be the next Position 3 Port of Skagit Commissioner. His 8,788 votes is 53.8% of the total cast in his race with Griffin Berger.

County voter turnout will be about 41%, higher than the statewide average of 39% but lower than voter rates in Whatcom, Island and San Juan counties.

The last vote count will be Nov. 16 and the county’s votes certified Nov. 23.