Two key races affecting Whidbey Island residents are real nail-biters.

Republican state Sen. Ron Muzzall was behind Democratic rival Janet St. Clair in the first ballot tally Tuesday, but edged ahead in each subsequent count. As of the Thursday night count, he led by 0.9% of the votes cast.

The race for Island County commissioner in District 2 has also tightened. Christina Elliott, a Democrat, was ahead of incumbent Republican Commissioner Jill Johnson by 6% in the first count. As of Thursday, her lead narrowed to about 2%.

The Island County Auditor’s Office reports that an estimated 17,000 ballots were left to count after Thursday night.

The outcome of the two contests will shape the leadership of Island County government for years to come. Depending on who wins, the three-person board could remain the same or have one or two new members. If Johnson loses, it would become an all-Democrat affair.

St. Clair is a county commissioner representing District 3, which encompasses much of North Whidbey and all of Camano Island. She said during the campaign that she would resign if elected in order to concentrate on working in Olympia.

Commissioner Melanie Bacon, a District 1 Democrat, was reelected in something close to a landslide. She got nearly 66% of the regular votes cast while challenger Marie Shimada, also a Democrat, received just over 34% of ballots cast. Republican Damian Greene ran as a write-in candidate and is solidly in third place.

Bacon said she was gratified and humbled by the results.

“I think the returns show that the citizens of Island County, regardless of political party, know that I listen to them and care deeply about them and these beautiful islands, and they trust me to continue making informed and thoughtful decisions based on my experience and vision for the county,” she said. “In my message I focused on issues not rhetoric, clearly telling people what I have done and what I intend to do in the future.”

As of the Thursday night count, Elliott has 16,815 votes in her favor and Johnson has 16,170.

Muzzall has received 32,603 votes for District 10 state senator, which includes votes from Skagit and Snohomish counties, compared to St. Clair’s 32,029.

The closeness of the race is similar to the election four years ago, when Muzzall faced Helen Price Johnson, a Democrat who was an Island County commissioner at the time. Price Johnson had a slight lead on election night but subsequent counts reduced the margin until Muzzall came out ahead.

The contest between Muzzall and St. Clair is one of the most closely watched races in the state as well as one of the most expensive. The candidates raised well over $1 million between them; in addition, political groups joined in with their own often negative advertising about the candidates.

St. Clair, a Camano Islander, differs in several ways from her Whidbey Island opponent. While both accept the state’s policies on reproductive freedom, Muzzall has voted against expanding protections in the past and St. Clair has championed her pro-choice policies.

In recent discussions, St. Clair said she aims to address surprise medical billing and prescription drug prices and secure more funding for school districts. Muzzall’s focused on cost of living and public safety.

“I’m proud of our campaign, the grassroots effort driven by many volunteers to share our message,” St. Clair said. “Despite disappointing national trends, voters here know the importance of reducing costs, supporting working families with fair wages, child care and housing, protecting reproductive freedoms and improving local health and safety. We’re confident that those issues are guiding voters and wait eagerly for updates.”

Muzzall did not respond to a request for comment.

For the other legislative races, the winners seem clearer. Rep. Clyde Shavers received 34,450 votes for District 10 representative, 53.7% as of the most recent count, compared to his Republican challenger Carrie Kennedy. Dave Paul received 34,617 or 54% compared to Republican Gary Wray.

Shavers attributes the success of his campaign to the focus on lowering costs during his first term. This will continue to be a priority going into the legislative session in January, he said.

“No matter who wins, as long as we come back together, that’s what democracy is all about,” he said. “I’m really hopeful and positive and looking forward to talking with everybody again, reaching out to folks and having them reach out to me as we continue to prepare really meaningful policies.”

Similarly, Paul said the focus of the legislative session paved the way to election success.

He said he’s built pathways for trades jobs, youth mental health and lower health care costs.

Looking to January, he’s working on legislation to further this work. In addition, he expects to return to the transportation committee.

“We’ve got to keep pressure on the legislature to fully fund the ferry system and get those boats on the water as soon as we can,” he said.