Vancouver City Councilman Bill Turlay on Wednesday wasn’t ready to give up hopes of unseating Mayor Tim Leavitt, whose lead narrowed by 55 votes.
“Looks like it’s a pretty steep hill to climb, but we haven’t given up yet,” Turlay said.
Leavitt led Turlay by 1,406 votes Election Night. After 3,300 more ballots in the race were tabulated on Wednesday, Leavitt had a 1,351 vote edge. The latest returns show Leavitt with 52.6 percent to Turlay’s 46.7 percent.
To win, Turlay would need roughly three out of every five outstanding ballots to go his way. About 6,700 ballots remain to be counted in the Vancouver race.
The additional 10,161 ballots countywide tallied by election workers Wednesday didn’t sway margins much in other races, either. The new vote total raises turnout to 27.48 percent. About 24,000 ballots remain to be tallied countywide.
Vancouver Councilman Jack Burkman maintained his lead over Micheline Doan, 52.27 percent to 47.27 percent. Political newcomer Alishia Topper, development director for the Fort Vancouver National Trust, remained ahead in her race to unseat Councilwoman Jeanne Stewart, 52.26 percent to 47.26 percent. Council candidate Anne McEnerny-Ogle continued to lead her opponent, Frank Decker, 57.18 percent to 42.42 percent.
The split on Clark County’s advisory vote on a new west county toll-free bridge held at 49.9 percent “yes” to 50.1 percent “no.” Election Night’s 87-vote difference widened to 110 Wednesday.
In the Evergreen Public Schools race, the gap narrowed to only 195 votes separating incumbent Julie Bocanegra and challenger Daniel Poletti. Bocanegra now has 50.2 percent, or 7,725 votes, to Poletti’s 48.9 percent, or 7,530 votes.
