Live Updates: Here’s who’s leading in Whatcom County after initial election results released
Whatcom County voters appear to be returning incumbent legislators to Olympia as Americans went to the polls across the country on Tuesday and Washington's mail-in ballots were due.
When the first ballot count was released after 8 p.m. Tuesday, Democrats were leading in the five races for the 40th and 42nd legislative districts that represent Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Local voters are casting ballots for delegates to the Charter Review Commission, members of the state Legislature and all statewide offices including the governor and the Washington Supreme Court.
There also are four statewide initiatives seeking to overturn laws enacted by the Legislature.
Also on the ballot were federal offices, including U.S. president and vice-president, seats in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.
Democrats were celebrating their local successes during a party Tuesday night at the Hotel Leo. But there was caution and concern for the outcome of races for the presidency, House and Senate.
State Rep. Alicia Rule, D-Blaine, was holding a 10-point lead in her bid for a third term — a solid margin in a district that only recently trended Republican.
"The members of the 42nd are clearly supportive of a candidate who is willing to listen to our district. That makes me really happy and I'm ready to go back to work," Rule told The Bellingham Herald in an interview.
Rule's House partner Rep. Joe Timmons, D-Bellingham, was holding a 6-point lead in his re-election race.
"I feel like the work I've done in my first term was really great as far as trying to reduce the cost of living for folks and improve our education systems. I look forward to continuing that work. I also look forward to tackling more housing issues specifically to try to increase more homeownership for first time homebuyers and decrease the cost of living for folks who are renting," Timmons told The Herald.
All voting is done by mail in Washington, and ballots were due by 8 p.m. Tuesday, meaning that they had to be place in official ballot drop boxes by then, or have a postmark before that time.
There are 167,634 active registered voters in Whatcom County, according to the Auditor's Office website.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, a total of 105,814 ballots had been returned and 100,983 had been accepted.
A second tally of ballots was scheduled for about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
U.S. House, 2nd District
U.S. Rep Rick Larsen, D-Everett, was leading Cody Hart, a MAGA Republican from Sedro-Wooley, by 63% to 37%.
"There are many more ballots to be counted in Washington state, and I am confident that our election officials are fair and nonpartisan and that the final ballot count will be accurate," Larsen said in a statement.
Regardless of what the final results of this election are, I know there is more work to be done – to protect reproductive freedom, to combat the opioid epidemic, and to keep the jobs engine going," he said.
Washington's 2nd Congressional District covers all of Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties, along with part of western Snohomish County.
Larsen has represented the district since he was elected in 2000.
State Sen. Liz Lovelett, D-Anacortes, was leading Charles Carrell, a Republican from Glenhaven, by 72% to 28%.
Lovelett, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat in 2019, is running for her second four-year term.
Washington state's 40th Legislative District covers the southwest part of Whatcom County, including the south part of Bellingham, western Skagit County, and San Juan County.
Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow, was elected to a two-year House term in 2018 and has been re-elected twice. Lekanoff, an Alaska Native, spent 20 years working for the Swinomish Tribe before she joined the Legislature. She was unopposed in this election.
Washington state's 40th Legislative District covers the southwest part of Whatcom County, including the south part of Bellingham, western Skagit County, and San Juan County.
Alex Ramel, D-Bellingham, is climate policy adviser with Stand.Earth. He was appointed in January 2020 to fill a vacant seat. He won in November 2020 and again in November 2022.
Ramel was unopposed in this election.
Washington state's 40th Legislative District covers the southwest part of Whatcom County, including the south part of Bellingham, western Skagit County, and San Juan County.
State Rep. Alicia Rule, D-Blaine, was leading her Republican challenger Raymond Pelletti, a real estate agent from Blaine, by a vote of 55% to 45%.
Rule, a social worker and a therapist in private practice, was elected to a two-year state House term in 2020 and re-elected in 2022.
Washington state's 42nd Legislative District covers the northern part of Whatcom County, including the northern part of Bellingham. The state Senate position is not on this year's ballot.
State Rep. Joe Timmons, D-Bellingham, was leading Kamal Bhachu, a Rebublican from Blaine, by a vote of 53% to 47%.
Timmons is seeking re-election to a two-year state House seat after his first term in office.
Washington state's 42nd Legislative District covers the northern part of Whatcom County, including the northern part of Bellingham. The state Senate position is not on this year's ballot.
