Shavers, Paul, St. Clair, Felici ahead in first count

By Jessie Stensland • November 8, 2022 1:30 am

Incumbent candidates in Island County races are ahead in the first count of ballots Tuesday night while two ballot measures for the Oak Harbor Fire Department are doing well.

The two races for District 10 state representative positions, on the other hand, have mixed results, with one incumbent ahead and the other behind.

Clyde Shavers, a Democrat and Oak Harbor resident, is ahead of incumbent state Rep. Greg Gilday, a Camano Island Republican, despite last week’s bombshell letter from Shavers’ father, who accused his son of exaggerating his military service. Shavers has 52.7% of the vote while Gilday has 47.2%, but thousands of ballots are left to count in Island, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

Incumbent Rep. Dave Paul, an Oak Harbor Democrat, is ahead of challenger Karen Lesetmoe, an Oak Harbor Republican. Paul has 54.3% of the vote while Lesetmoe has 45.6%.

In Island County races, two positions are contested by political newcomers. In the race for treasurer, Tony Lam, a Democrat, is far ahead of Republican Richard MacQuarrie. Lam has won 59.2% of the vote so far while MacQuarrie has 40.8%.

The race for the next county assessor, on the other hand, is a close one. T.J. Kubisiak has 51.7% of ballots cast and Kelly Mauck has 48%. Kubisiak has no party preference and Mauck is a Republican.

Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair, a Democrat, is doing well against Republican challenger Timothy Hazelo. She has 57.6% of the vote and Hazelo has 42.4%.

Sheriff Rick Felici has an even bigger lead over challenger Lane Campbell. They are both Republicans. Felici has 62.4% of the vote and Campbell has 37.6%.

Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider, a Republican, is ahead with 52.9% of the vote while challenger Barbara Fuller, a Democrat, has 47.1%.

County Clerk Debra Van Pelt, a Democrat, has 61.7% and challenger Dierdre Butler, unaffiliated, has 38.3%.

The two ballot measures that are key to building and staffing a new fire station in Oak Harbor are passing in the first count of ballots. The levy, which requires a simple majority, has received 60.9% of ballots in support. The general obligation bond, which needs a supermajority, has 62.8% is favor.

Island County election officials counted 25,956 ballots on the first day, and they estimated that 6,500 are left to tally.