On Tuesday, Dec. 2, Grays Harbor County Elections Administrator Scott Turnbull conducted a machine recount for the Aberdeen City Council Ward 6 Position 11 race between incumbent David Lawrence and challenger John Shaw.
When the election was certified on Nov. 25, Shaw held a one-vote lead, 167-166, a margin of 0.3%. According to the Washington Secretary of State’s Recount FAQ, “If the difference between the candidates is less than one half of one percent and also less than 2,000 votes, a recount is required.”
The recount process, which was open to the public, took place in the Election Center adjacent to the Grays Harbor County Administration building in Montesano. Shaw was in attendance as Turnbull explained the procedure, which included reviewing ballots for undervotes (leaving candidate box blank), overvotes (voting for more than one candidate in a race), improperly filled in bubbles, failure to follow ballot instructions, and improper write-in votes. Voters had until Nov. 24 to “cure” their ballots.
After visually reviewing any ballots flagged as “nonconfident” for any reason by the computer software, Turnbull declared the count to be accurate and that Shaw did indeed win by one vote.
Shaw attended the recount in person out of genuine curiosity for the process.
“I’m happy. I think it was an interesting campaign, it was a fairly light turnout, and I don’t think it was a terribly dynamic race. We both threw ourselves out there,” Shaw said. “I don’t think anybody was running against anybody. I was running for the seat, not against David (Lawrence). David’s a very nice guy. I’ve known him for a while.”
As a newly minted city councilor-elect, Shaw said he has two top of mind priorities.
“A couple of the high priorities for me are rail separation and mobility and really seeing that that keeps a fire under it, because that’s going to impact all of the discussions around economic development, et cetera,” Shaw said. “I think that for the ward, rail noise and safety is an issue in the 6th. Overall economic development, we’ve got to figure out how to get people stopping in town and engaging.”
Shaw, along with Deb Wilson, Carrie Hubbard, Kevin Moynihan, Michele Nipper, Jerry Rajcich, and Joshua Francy (who won election to Ward 5 Position 10) will be sworn in at the Dec. 10 Aberdeen City Council meeting at City Hall.
Election results
Senate Joint Resolution No. 8201 (statewide)
Constitutional amendment to allow funds held for the purpose of long-term care services and support for eligible seniors and people with disabilities to be invested as authorized by law. Dedicates investment income from any such funds to long-term services and supports for program beneficiaries. Approved
City of Elma
Police Operations and Maintenance: This measure did not pass because special levies require a supermajority ⅔ vote. It only received 53% of the vote.
Winners
Port District Commissioner 1: Phil Papac
Hospital District 1 Potential Annex Area – Oakville: NO
Hospital District 1 Position 3: Andrew “Drew” Hooper
Hospital District 1 Position 5: Shannon M Brear
Hospital Commissioner District 2 Position 2: Kyle Pauley
Hospital Commissioner District 2 Position 3: Lynn Csernotta
Hospital Commissioner District 2 At Large: Scott Dilley
Aberdeen City Council Ward 1 Position 2: Deb Wilson
Aberdeen City Council Ward 2 Position 4: Jerry Rajcich
Aberdeen City Council Ward 3 Position 5: Kevin Moynihan
Aberdeen City Council Ward 4 Position 7: Carrie Hubbard
Aberdeen City Council Ward 5 Position 9: Michelle Nipper
Aberdeen City Council Ward 5 Position 10: Joshua Francy
Aberdeen City Council Ward 6 Position 11: John Shaw
Cosmopolis City Council Position 4: Steve Davis
Cosmopolis City Council Position 5: Sue Darcy
Hoquiam City Council Ward 1 Position 2: Kaleb Blume
Hoquiam City Council Ward 2 Position 4: David J Smith
Hoquiam City Council Ward 3 Position 6: William Nelson
Hoquiam City Council Ward 4 Position 7: Robert T. Gillis
Hoquiam City Council Ward 5 Position 10: Denise Anderson
Hoquiam City Council Ward 6 Position 12: Elizabeth Reid
Elma City Council Position 1: Jim Sorensen
Elma City Council Position 2: Jacob Cristelli
Elma City Council Position 3: John Heater
City of McCleary Mayor: Brycen Huff
McCleary City Council Position 3: Brent Schiller
McCleary City Council Position 4: Andrea Dahl
McCleary City Council Position 5: Keith Klimek
Montesano City Council Position 1: Jennie L. McLean
Montesano City Council Position 2: Rollin Caryl
Montesano City Council Position 3: Julie Farinas Cope
Montesano City Council Position 6: Scott Roth
City of Oakville Mayor: Bill Breedlove
Oakville City Council Position 3: Cassie Rhoades
Oakville City Council Position 4: Julie Zehe
Oakville City Council Position 5: Rebecca Hand
Ocean Shores City Council Position 1: Denise Siers
Ocean Shores City Council Position 5: Lisa Scott
Ocean Shores City Council Position 7: Curt Dooley
Westport City Council Position 1: Wes Galvich
Westport City Council Position 3: Louis Summers
Westport City Council Position 4: Tom Aronson
Westport City Council Position 5: Frank Eshpeter
Mary M. Knight School Board Director District No. 2: Jill M. Edgin
Mary M. Knight School Board Director Position No. 1: Kayla Mali
Satsop School District Position 4: Beth Heller
Ocosta School District Director District 2: Nathan Krigbaum
Ocosta School District Position 4: Ben Quinby
Wishkah School District Director District 2: Tiffany Dhooghe
Wishkah School District Director District 4: Jason Halstead
Wishkah School District Director District 5: Riki Miller
Hoquiam School District Position 4: Brittney Daisy Dawn Russell
Hoquiam School District Position 5: Tanya Bowers Anderson
Oakville School District Director District 1: Jessica George
Oakville School District Director District 2: Katie Bushnell
McCleary School District Director District 2: Paul Gaskins
McCleary School District Director District 3: Tom Moonan
Taholah School District Position 3: Tomi Charley
Taholah School District Position 4: Tyson Johnston
Taholah School District Position 5: Lia Frenchman
Cosmopolis School District Director District 4 (at-large): Dave Palmer
Quinault School District Director District 2: Annie Simpson
Quinault School District Director District 4: Andrew J. Sylvester
Quinault School District Director District 5 (at-large): Jody Lines
Montesano School District Director District 1: Moraya KA Wilson
Montesano School District Director District 2: Abby Gourdin
Montesano School District Director District 3: Doug Messick
Aberdeen School District Position 4: Jeanne Marll
Aberdeen School District Position 5: Annica Mizin
North Beach School District Director District 2: Joshua Cooper
North Beach School District Director District 3: Beckie Fruh
North Beach School District Director District 4: Halvar Olstead
North Beach School District Director District 5: Donald N. Dowie
Elma School 68 Director District 1: Michael B. Smith
Elma School 68 Director District 2: Jamie Bailey
Elma School 68 Director District 5: Katie Gonsalves
North River School District Director Position 1: Lorenzo Churape
North River School District Director Position 2: Kathi Schlesser
North River School District Director Position 4: Sara Jordan
North River School District Director Position 5: Debbie Koehn
SBRFA Commissioner District No. 2: Thomas Bearden
SBRFA Commissioner District No. 3: David McLellan
Fire District 1 Fire 1 Position 2: Devin G Harris
Fire District 2 Fire 2 Position 2: Scott Busz
East Grays Harbor Fire and Rescue Pos 3: Jeff Redmond
East Grays Harbor Fire and Rescue Pos 5: Tina Redmond
Fire District 6 Fire 6 Position 2: Kevin Goar
Fire District 6 Fire 6 Position 3: Tim Spradlin
Fire District 7 Fire 7 Position 1: Charles Nation
Fire District 8 Fire 8 Position 1: R. Mark Moulton
Fire District 8 Fire 8 Position 2: Clint Davis
Fire District 10 Fire 10 Position 2: Michael Pauley
Fire Protection Dist 12 Fire Commissioner Position No. 1: Derrick Nygaard
Fire Protection Dist 12 Fire Commissioner Position No. 2: Nicholas Jones
Fire District 12 Fire 12 Position 2: Eric Cohen
Fire Protection Dist 12 Fire Commissioner Position No. 3: Steve Ingram
Fire District 12 Fire 12 Position 3: Darren R Banks
Fire District 15 Fire 15 Position 1: Bo Chapin
Fire District 15 Fire 15 Position 2: Jeffrey Schreck
Fire District 15 Fire 15 Position 3: Kaycee Headley
Fire District 17 Fire 17 Position 2: Stephen Wightman
Water District 1 Water 1 Position 2: Jerry Arnold
Water District 2 Water 2 Position 1: Dakota Burger
Water District 2 Water 2 Position 2: Bill Kempton
Park District 1 Parks Position 1: A. Susan Abernethy
Park District 1 Parks Position 2: Mike Reichenberger
Park District 1 Parks Position 3: Nicole Keplinger
Park District 1 Parks Position 5: Marguerite Garth
Ballots locked up in a cage at the Grays Harbor County Elections Center.
