Cumming is reelected

San Juan County voters reelected Sheriff Bill Cumming and nominated Shaw islander Dave Anderson to oppose incumbent county Commissioner Rhea Miller in the November election .

Orcas Island voters said “no” to the public library’s levy lift proposal which, had it passed, would have enabled the library to expand the facility.

Updated figures from the San Juan County Election Department Sept. 23 reveal that the library levy lift failed 969-568, or 63.04 to 36.96 percent.

Cumming outpolled Detective Jeff Asher 3313-2334, or 59.55 percent to 40.16 percent. Cumming won in every part of San Juan County except Shaw Island and the south end of Lopez.

Anderson received 1081 votes, compared to 917 for Gary Franco and 461 for Johnson. Franco outpolled Anderson only on Lopez and Blakely.

Miller, running unopposed as a Democrat, received 2928 votes.

Incumbent County Assessor Paul Dossett, a Republican, outpolled Democratic challenger Dylan Stephens 3120-2015. County County Auditor

Si Stephens, the Republican incumbent, outpolled Democratic challenger Sandy Baxter 3171-2197. Neither race settled anything, however, as the candidates for assessor and auditor compete again in November.

Although San Juan islander Herb Meyer outpolled Norma Smith among local voters for the Republican nomination for U.S. Congress, Smith won the nomination, and will oppose Democratic incumbent Rick Larsen in the November general election.

About 200 absentee ballots remain to be counted, according to the Elections Department. There are also about 50 ballots being challenged. They were cast by those who received absentee ballots, yet voted at the polls.

Voter turnout was 63 percent, which is substantially higher than that for previous primary elections in the county. Typical turnout is about 55 percent.

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