Olson, Green lead race for county council District 2

Clark County council District 2 candidates Julie Olson, a Republican, and Chuck Green, a Democrat, were leading Tuesday’s primary election with comfortable margins, according to early results released Tuesday night.

Olson, a former Ridgefield School Board member, had received 4,369 votes of the 14,399 returned District 2 ballots, or 30.93 percent of the vote. Green, the project manager for C-Trans’ Bus Rapid Transit project, received 3,814 votes, or 27 percent.

Olson said she was grateful for those who supported her campaign, including state Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, Clark County Assessor Peter Van Nortwick and state Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center.

“I have a sense of responsibility to them as well as the people who voted,” she said.

Green, meanwhile, said he is “guardedly optimistic” about the results.

“Ballots are still to come,” Green said.

The county issued 67,336 ballots in District 2, and as of Tuesday night had counted 14,399, for an overall return of 21.38 percent. More ballots, however, remain to be received and counted, and the county will release a second round of election results Wednesday at about 4 p.m.

Candidates Mike Pond, a Democrat, Mary Benton, a Republican, and Tanner Martin, who ran with no party affiliation, trailed behind Olson and Green.

Pond, who has previously volunteered in a number of local political races and is an active member of the Young Democrats of Clark County, received 2,695 votes, or 19.08 percent.

“This is what I want to do,” Pond said. “You’ll see my face around.”

Benton received 2,431 votes, or 17.21 percent. She ran a quiet campaign compared to the top vote earners, recently telling a Columbian reporter she was focusing on meeting voters one-on-one rather than appearing at forums or candidate interviews.

Martin, a newcomer to county politics, received 796 votes, or 5.63 percent.

District 2, newly created under the home-rule charter approved by voters in November, spans northwest Clark County, covering the Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek areas, and the cities of Ridgefield and La Center.