The primary election for Washington secretary of state remained partly undecided after additional votes were counted Monday, with a shutout for Republicans looking very possible.
Less than a percentage point separated three candidates vying for a spot in November’s general election against incumbent Democrat Steve Hobbs.
Hobbs, who was appointed secretary of state by Gov. Inslee last year, is advancing past the primary with about 40% of the vote in the statewide race. There were eight candidates on the Aug. 2 ballot.
Julie Anderson, a nonpartisan candidate, has held second place since election night. She had 12.86% after Monday’s tally. Trailing Anderson are three Republicans: Keith Wagoner had 12.06%, Bob Hagglund 11.95% and Mark Miloscia 10%.
Fewer than 15,000 votes separated Anderson, Pierce County’s elected auditor, and Wagoner, a state senator from Skagit County.
Were Anderson to advance with Hobbs to the November ballot, Washington voters would be set to elect a non-Republican as secretary of state for the first time since 1960. Hobbs was appointed after Republican Kim Wyman resigned to take a job in the Biden administration.
Most state Legislature contests in the primary election have been decided, but some results remain unclear.
For example, in South King County, Democrat Claudia Kauffman leads Democrat Satwinder Kaur by 61 votes in their 47th Legislative District state Senate race. One of them will advance to face Republican Bill Boyce in the general election. The 47th is a longtime swing district that includes parts of Kent and Auburn and all of Covington.
