It's a close call; Local leaders left with some wins, some loses

While across the state voters turned out to elect their favorite senators and congress members, Eatonville residents showed up to support and deny local bonds and levies. A multitude of races in Pierce County came down to just a handful of votes, giving local leaders a mixed bag of wins and loses.

For Eatonville residents, two propositions to support a levy-lid lift for South Pierce County Fire and EMS was only partially approved. While the fire levy-lid lift failed by only 175 votes, the EMS levy was approved by just 19 votes.

Down the road in Bethel, voters failed a bond which was slated to create more school infrastructure to help ease overcrowded classrooms.

In Pierce County voters failed a levy-lid lift that would maintain programs, staff and hours at Pierce County Library branches, such as the Eatonville branch.

And in another close race, Eatonville voters said “no” to an advisory vote regarding marijuana dispensaries in the town. The vote was close with only a 31-vote difference.

Here is a breakdown of the results as of 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10;

• Washington Initiative No. 1631: Concerning taxing emissions failed with 56.5 percent of the vote, or 1,590,860 votes.
• Washington Initiative 940: Police Training and Criminal Liability in Cases of Deadly Force measure passed with 59.55 percent of the vote, or 1,674,104 votes.
• Washington Initiative 1634: Prohibit Local Taxes on Groceries Measures passed with a 55.46 percent of the vote, or 1,553,809 votes.
• Washington Initiative 1639: Changes to Gun Ownership and Purchase Requirements Measure passed with 59.81 percent of the vote, or 1,692,848 votes.
• Maria Cantwell, Democrat, won the U.S. Senate race by 58.67 percent of the vote, or 1,655,142 votes.
• Kim Schrier, Democrat, won the U.S. House Washington District 8 race by 52.68 percent of the vote, or 148,327 votes.
• Steven Gonzalez won the Washington Supreme Court Position 8 race by 67.74 percent of the vote, or 1,549,447 votes.
• Andrew Barkis, Republican, won the Washington House of Representatives District 2a race by 59.36 percent of the vote, or 28,683 votes.
• Mary Robnett won the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney race by 63.02 percent of the vote, or 158,473 votes. Robnett is the first woman to be elected as Pierce County’s prosecuting attorney.
• Pierce County Charter Amendments No. 48: Biennial (Two-Year) County Budget Cycle was approved by 63.32 percent of the vote, or 156,937 votes.
• Pierce County Charter Amendment No. 49: Procedures for Initiative Referendum, Agenda and Charter Amendment Petitions was approved by 75.46 percent of the vote, or 182,430 votes.
• Pierce County Charter Amendment No. 50: Filling Vacancies in Elective Offices was approved by 69.99 percent of the vote, or 169,995 votes.
• The Pierce County Rural Library District’s Levy-Lid Lift Proposal was rejected by just 50.22 percent of the vote, or 87,071 votes.
• The Town of Eatonville’s Advisory Vote No. 1 on Recreational Marijuana Businesses was close with 50.35 percent of the votes being “no” votes, or 357 votes, and 49.65 percent of the vote being “yes” votes, or 352 votes.
• The Bethel School District Proposition 1 General Obligation Bond for $4.43 million failed with only 57.13 percent of the vote, or 17,857 yes votes. A bond needs a supermajority, or 60 percent, to pass.
• The Fire Protection District No. 17 Proposition No. 1 for a six-year Levy Lid Lift for Fire Protection was rejected by just 51.48 percent of the vote, or 3,074 votes. The proposal received 2,897 “yes” votes.
• The Fire Protection District No. 17 Proposition No. 2 for a six-year Levy Lid Lift for Emergency Medical Services was barely approved by 51.32 percent of the vote, or 3,070 votes.

Eatonville Town Mayor Mike Schaub said he wasn’t surprised by how close the vote on marijuana dispensaries were. The issue has been historically divisive, among city officials and residents.

“We have younger generations voting for it and older generations who have grown up believing it was wrong,” Schaub said. “We also had a great voter turnout at 68 percent.”

Schaub said an ordinance to either lift the current moratorium on dispensaries or to ban marijuana sales all together will be presented to the town council in December. The council will vote on the ordinance, which may also result in a near tie.

“Maybe if this was just medical it would be easier to pass,” Schaub said. “But being medical and recreational it’s a close vote.”