The second count of returns for the 2019 General Election have been released by the Yakima County Auditor’s office, and the results have not changed much from the first count of ballots on election night.

In the race to replace Dulce Gutierrez in Yakima City Council District 1, Kenton Gartrell has 57.38% of the vote compared to the 42.62% that has gone to Elliana Macias.  After the first count last night, Gartrell led Macias 60% to 40%.

In District 3, Patricia Byers leads Thomas Sund 59.37% to 40.02%.  The first count had Byers ahead 59.10% to 40.18%. The District 3 seat is currently held by Carmen Mendez, who chose not to run for reelection.

The District 5 seat is currently held by Kathy Coffey, who also is not running this time around. Soneya Lund now has 58.87% of the General Election vote.  Liz Hallock trails Lund with 40.36% of the vote.  The first count showed Lund with 58.85% of the vote compared to Hallock’s 40.42%. 

Holly Cousens, who is seeking reelection to the Council District 7 seat, has received 75.03% of the primary vote.  Sarah Towell won the right to challenge Cousens based on the August Primary Election vote but announced a few weeks ago that she was no longer interested in serving if elected.  Towell’s announcement was made after it was too late to have her name removed from the General Election ballot.  Towell has so far received 23.80%, which is the same percentage of the vote she had after last night’s first count.  Cousens had 74.97% of the vote after the first count of ballots.

I-976, a statewide ballot measure that would limit car tab fees and eliminate transportation benefit districts, is still heading toward passage.  So far, 55.76% of voters statewide have voted against the measure compared to 44.24% who have voted in favor of it.  After the first count on election night, the “yes” votes led the “no” votes 52.47% to 47.23%. 

Additional ballot counts will be conducted over the next few days.  Ballot counts will continue periodically until all of the ballots that were received before the midnight November 5^th deadline have been tabulated.  The 2019 General Election will be certified on November 26^th.