PUD races remain unchanged

EPHRATA - County Commissioner candidate Cindy Carter now leads opponent Eric Briggs by more than 100 votes, election officials reported late Thursday.

Grant County Auditor Bill Varney said they still have approximately 1,000 ballots left to count.

Carter, 39, Royal City, has 1,287 votes, for 51.9 percent. Briggs, 35, Ephrata, has 1,183, for 47.7 percent.

A machine recount is automatically triggered when the top two candidates are separated by no more than one-half of 1 percent of the total votes cast for both. Either candidate can request a recount, but must fund it.

The two candidates are running for the District No. 3 county commissioner position. The four-year post is currently held by Deborah Moore, who has opted not to seek a third term.

"I'm just extremely grateful for the support I've received and thankful to those who voted for me," Carter said.

Both candidates are waiting until the results are certified on Sept. 29 to make any official statements.

"We'll just have to wait until they're all counted," Briggs said.

In two races for the Grant County Public Utility District board commissioners, Ron Baker, Terry Brewer, Dale Walker and Bob Bernd appear headed to the general election.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Brewer had 1,466 votes, for nearly 44 percent. Baker had 870 votes, for 26 percent. As the top two candidates for retiring PUD Commissioner Vera Claussen's District No. 1 position, they move on to the general election.

David Stevens of Wilson Creek received 613 votes, while Alan Cain of Grand Coulee picked up 384 votes. Stevens and Cain were eliminated.

For the District B at-large position, Bob Bernd, of Moses Lake, picked up 2,698 votes, for 46.5 percent. Dale Walker, of Moses Lake, moves on to the general election with Bernd after garnering 1,603 votes, or 27. 6 percent.

Incumbent PUD Commissioner Bill Bjork, of Moses Lake, lost with 1,490 votes.