The Lewis County Auditor’s office will conduct a manual recount Monday of a statewide race where two candidates are separated by just 51 votes.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the race for Commissioner of Public Lands is the closest in the history of Washington’s primaries, edging out the 252 votes that separated the candidates for superintendent of public instruction in the 1960 primary.
In a notice to the Democratic and Republican parties of Lewis County on Thursday, the Lewis County Auditor’s office said that the results from the August primary for Commissioner of Public Lands fall within the state’s requirements to trigger a mandatory manual recount.
In an announcement Tuesday, the Secretary of State’s office said it had directed county election offices in the state to conduct the recount. The recount is expected to be completed within seven business days. Counties will be reimbursed by the state for costs incurred during the mandatory recount.
“We are confident our election officials and workers throughout the state’s 39 county election offices administered an accurate and reliable election for all Washingtonians,” Assistant Secretary of State Kevin McMahan said in a statement. “The mandatory recount underscores the importance of every vote and reaffirms the commitment of our county election officials to ensuring accurate election results. We ask for everyone's patience as county election officials administer the manual recount to ensure that the intent of every voter is accurately heard.”
According to the Lewis County Auditor’s office, just 51 votes and 0.0064% difference separates Democrat Dave Upthegrove, who currently sits in second place, and Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson, who sits in third place.
The two candidates placed second and third behind former Third District Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican who leads both candidates by more than 20,000 votes. Across Washington, more than 1,900,000 million voters cast their ballots in the race for Commissioner of Public Lands.
While Upthegrove narrowly outpaced Kuehl Pederson across the state, Kuehl Pederson received greater support in Lewis County. Across the county, Kuehl Pederson received 29.95% of the vote to Upthegrove’s 7.6%.
The recount will take place in the Auditor’s Office in Lewis County Courthouse, located at 351 NW North St. in Chehalis.
According to the Auditor’s office, there is limited space for observers in the processing room, and an overflow space for observers to watch the proceedings will be available on a TV in the Election Department lobby.
The Thurston County Auditor’s Office will also conduct a manual recount in the race on Monday. In an announcement, the auditor’s office said the recount would take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily “until finished.”
Thurston County will conduct the recount in the ballot processing center located at 2905 29th Ave SW. in Tumwater, Suite F.
The Thurston County canvassing board will meet at 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3rd to certify the results of the recount.
