6,000 votes left to count

GRANT COUNTY - It's a close race between candidates vying for Grant County District 2 commissioner position two.

Tuesday night candidate Carolann Swartz was leading incumbent commissioner LeRoy Allison by 331 votes.

Swartz declined to comment.

There are 6,000 votes left to tabulate in Grant County, according to the Grant County Auditor's Office. The next tabulation is expected to be complete by 4 p.m. today.

Allison spent the evening waiting for the election results at Don's Restaurant in Soap Lake with family, friends and supporters.

People waiting in the reception room made phone calls to the auditor's office in hopes of getting an early scoop on the election results.

"I'm always a little bit nervous but I guess I've had more peace today," Allison said about the general election day. "Not knowing the outcome is always nerve-racking."

He remains hopeful about the outcome of the final vote tabulation because the race is close.

Allison said his supporters have helped a great deal throughout the campaign.

"It's been really nice in terms of people stepping up and helping," he said. "I really appreciate the trust they've given me for the last 15 years. It's been a real privilege to serve. What's in store for me is God's plan."

Over the past 15 years, Allison said he has several accomplishments to be proud of including Grant County Fairgrounds improvements, improvements to all road district shops, supporting the centennial committee, working with the Grant County Historical Society and services at Grant County Mental Health.

He said he still has several goals he hopes to achieve if re-elected, including improvements to the accounting system and alleviating space needs at the Grant County Courthouse.

As Allison learned the results of the first vote count for Grant County, the group watched the TV and learned Barack Obama was elected president of the United States.

Allison said the outcome of the presidential election is historic because Obama is the first African-American elected to the position and he is anxious to learn the final count of votes in the state governor's race.