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Special Coverage: Election 2018 Results And Highlights From Around The Region

KNKX reporters fanned out across the region Tuesday for special coverage of the midterm election. Check back as results drop for updates on races and issues down the ballot. Share reaction to results as they roll in, here and across the nation, on social media using #KNKXelex, and listen to local and national coverage on air. And revisit past coverage below.

UPDATE, 12:15 p.m. Thursday: Austin Jenkins, Olympia correspondent for Northwest News Network, chatted with Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick about tight state Legislative races.   

 (Editor's note: After airing this interview, a Washington state Senate committee voted to hire an investigator to look into a rape allegation against state Sen. Joe Fain.)

UPDATE, 5:15 p.m. Wednesday: Reporter Will James talks with All Things Considered host Ed Ronco about some of the latest results on Wednesday. 

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Editor's note: This post is developing. Check in throughout the coming days for updated information.

FEDERAL RACES TO WATCH

U.S. Senate: Susan Hutchison (R), a former television news anchor, is challenging incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell (D). On the crowded primary ballot for the Senate race back in August, Cantwell took nearly 49 percent of the final tally, while Hutchison had nearly 32 percent of the votes.

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. Thursday: Cantwell still leads Hutchison 59 percent to 41 percent. 

8th Congressional District: Dino Rossi (R) and Kim Schrier (D) vie for an open U.S. House seat that has garnered national attention. The district has not elected a Democrat since it was created 35 years ago. 

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. Thursday: Schrier, the Representative-elect after Rossi conceded, still holds 53 percent of the votes. 

Dino Rossi addresses the crowd at the Republican election night party in Issaquah on Nov. 6.
Credit Max Wasserman / KNKX
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KNKX
Dino Rossi addresses the crowd at the Republican election night party in Issaquah on Nov. 6.

UPDATE, from Schrier's speech reacting to her lead over Rossi: "I want to make sure that every family in this country can afford the care they need," she said, to roaring cheers and applause at the Democratic party in Bellevue. "It's time to give the middle class a pay raise."

UPDATE, 8:15 p.m. Wednesday: Rossi has conceded. Schrier will be the next Representative for the 8th Congressional District. "While this race did not end the way you or I would have liked, I urge you to stay involved in the democratic process," Rossi said in a statement to his supporters. "We all need to stay informed, get involved, and hold public officials accountable for the decisions they make."

3rd Congressional District: Incumbent Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) faces challenger Carolyn Long (D), a political science professor at Washington State University Vancouver. Primary results from August showed the two candidates neck and neck, both hovering around 39 percent of the votes.

UPDATE, 3:40 p.m. Wednesday: Molly Solomon, Southwest Washington bureau chief for Oregon Public Broadcasting, reports on Herrera Beutler's lead in early returns.

UPDATE, 4 p.m. Wednesday: Herrera Beutler still leads Long 52 percent to 48 percent, respectively.   

UPDATE, 8:25 p.m. Wednesday: Long has conceded the race, after giving Herrera Beutler the toughest fight of her political career. Results showed Long with 47 percent of the votes late Wednesday. "We ran a civil campaign that I can look back on with pride knowing that we stayed focused on issues that matter to people in my district," Long said in a statement. 

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Molly Solomon of OPB reports

5th Congressional District: Incumbent Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) could get a run for her money in an expensive race in Eastern Washington. She faces challenger Lisa Brown (D), and both candidates have amassed roughly $10 million total in campaign funds. 

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. Thursday: McMorris Rodgers leads Brown 55 percent to 45 percent.

UPDATE, 2:35 p.m. Wednesday: Emily Schwing, inland Northwest correspondent for Northwest News Network, reports on McMorris Rodgers' victory.

 
KEY BALLOT MEASURES

Initiative 1631: This measureasks voters to impose a fee on carbon emissions. Proponents say it will curb pollution, while opponents say it will place a burden on energy consumers. Two years ago, voters rejected an initiative for a revenue-neutral carbon tax that earned bipartisan support. 

UPDATE, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday: No votes leading, 56 percent to 44 percent. 

Campaign director Abigail Doer speaks at the Yes on 1631 part in Seattle on election night Nov. 6.
Credit Bellamy Pailthorp / KNKX
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KNKX
Campaign director Abigail Doer speaks at the Yes on 1631 part in Seattle on election night Nov. 6.

UPDATE, 10:15 a.m. Wednesday: Yes on 1631 folks are optimistic, but not conceding yet. KNKX enrivonment reporter Bellamy Pailthorp says the group is proud of their coalition.  Opponents also reacted to the news during the Republican party in Issaquah last night: "It just shows you that the voters don't want any taxes whatsoever," said Tim Eyman, the self-proclaimed "initiative guy." He said this result and the passage of I-1634 underscores an "anti-tax message" by the electorate.    

UPDATE, 8 p.m. Wednesday: The Yes on I-1631 campaign conceded this evening, making the measure's defeat official. Latest results show the initiative failing (56 percent no, 44 percent yes). "People in Washington want to take action on this issue," said Nick Abraham, communications director for the yes group. "They want clean energy for our state and we just have to do that in a way that works best for folks and frankly isn't overwhelmed by an opposition, funded by the oil industry that's trying to mislead people about the facts." 

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Bellamy Pailthorp reports

Initiative 1639: The initiative is a 30-page ballot measurethat deals with restricted access to semi-automatic rifles and safe storage of guns, among other details. Proponents say it's a step in the right direction for gun control, while opponents say it would criminalize self defense

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. Thursday: Yes leads 60 percent to 40 percent. 

Initiative 1634: Approving the measure would mean preventing local governments from establishing new taxes on groceries in Washington state. It would not roll back existing grocery taxes, such as Seattle's sugary beverage tax. 

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. Thursday: Yes still leads 55 percent to 45 percent. 

UPDATE, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday: In a statement late Tuesday on the apparent victory of the Yes on I-1634, Washington Healthy Kids Coalition campaign manager Vic Colman said: "While Initiative 1634 has won at the polls tonight, the science connecting the consumption of sugary drinks to our nation's obesity and Type 2 diabetes epidemics remains clearn. The soda industry's $21 million disinformation campaign has proven successful, but the movement to advocate for policies and programs that protect our shared community's health will continue." 

Initiative 940: I-940 saw a long, winding road to the November ballot that included a legislative vote, a legal challenge and a state Supreme Court decision. Now, voters will decide whether to approve the measure that would make it easier to prosecute police officers who use deadly force, among other details. 

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. Thursday: I-940 passing with 60 percent of the votes in the latest returns.   

UPDATE, 10:40 a.m. Wednesday: The Yes on I-940 campaign released a statement late Tuesday after an apparent victory: "People of all races support better policing and law enforcement of all races strive to protect and serve their communities. You can both support law enforcement and support better policing."

Proposition 1 (Seattle schools): Supporters of the education levy, including Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, say passage would provide funding for early childhood education and help improve educational outcomes for low-income students of color. It also would add community college tuition for graduates of Seattle Public Schools, building on a campaign promise from Durkan. Critics, including the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County, worry about a lack of clarity on whether levy dollars would be used for charter schools. 

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Voters still supporting the measure 69 percent yes, 31 percent no. 

UPDATE late Tuesday, statement from Seattle Public Schools superintendent Denise Juneau: "Thank you to the voters of Seattle for passing the City’s Families, Education, Preschools and Promise Levy! Your support of the City’s levy will help Seattle Public Schools continue to provide the best education possible for all students. I look forward to our continued partnership with the City as we work to increase student achievement, collaborate with our families, and move SPS to new heights.”

UPDATE, 11 a.m. Wednesday: "This is an amazing day for Seattle," Mayor Jenny Durkan said last night on Capitol Hill. "Tonight we celebrate a victory for opportunity for all our kids. Seattle has said and spoken that it believes in the future of our children." 

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Full audio

SOUTH SOUND

Editor's note: Pierce County releases the next round of results at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Proposition 1 (Tacoma arts): If approved, this measure would raise Tacoma's sales tax one-tenth of a percent, allowing arts and culture organizations to tap into an estimated $5 million of annual funds. It would mean bringing art into underserved neighborhoods, among other citywide programming and resources. Opponents say approval would add to the financial burden of an existing high sales-tax rate.

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Yes is leading, 66 percent to 34 percent. 

Pierce County prosecutor: The much anticipated prosecutor's race is expected to be close, with Mary Robnett (nonpartisan) challenging incumbent Mark Lindquist (D). Lindquist's tenure has been marked by controversy, from ethics complaints to a fight over release of public records. Both candidates have gained bipartisan endorsements. 

UPDATE, 6:20 p.m. Wednesday: Robnett with a significant lead (63 percent) over Lindquist (37 percent). Robnett maintained that lead as of the latest results drop on Friday. 

 
VOTER VOICES

Revisit the special KNKX election series — Five Voters, Fresh Perspectives — which explored voting through the lives of five people transitioning to a new stage of life. Listen to the issues that are top of mind for this group of voters:

New citizen Avan Shwany: Reporter Will James, who is stationed at the Democratic party in Bellevue tonight, talked with a woman who watched the rise and fall of democracy in Iraq. She knows how important it is to participate. 

Recent retiree Curn Domingo: I-1631 and I-1634 are some of the many issues that are important to this newly retired voter. She talked with reporter Ashley Gross, who is holding down coverage in Capitol Hill monitoring Seattle's Prop 1. 

(Soon to be) new voter Tristan Agosa: While he can't vote quite yet, Agosa told reporter Paula Wissel that the aftermath of the Parkland shooting changed the way he looks at voting. 

New resident Steve Holdsworth: There's a lot to navigate when moving to Washington state. But, Holdsworth told producer Geoffrey Redick, the easy voting system is a welcome change.

Formerly incarcerated Rebekah Brown: Brown told reporter Simone Alicea that she doesn't take her restored voting rights for granted, especially after being forced to sit out the 2016 presidential election. "I want to be involved and I want to know what's going on in this world because I'm living in it."

#KNKXELEX ON THE GROUND

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More from Morrison

SNAPSHOT OF STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES

Voters could flip several Republican-held seats in Olympia, changing the landscape of the state Legislature. The shift would have implications on important statewide issues, such as education reform. Here’s a quick look at some of those races: 

UPDATE, 2:40 p.m. Wednesday: Austin Jenkins, Olympia correspondent for Northwest News Network, reports that Democrats are leading in two state Senate and seven state House races — in districts currently led by Republicans. 

5th District (House Pos. 1): Chad Magendanz (R) faces challenger Bill Ramos (D), an Issaquah City Council member. They are running for an open seat vacated by Rep. Jay Rodne, a Republican who chose not to run for re-election.

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Ramos leads Magendanz 51 percent to 49 percent.

5th District (House Pos. 2): Incumbent Rep. Paul Graves (R) faces challenger Lisa Callan (D), a school board director with the Issaquah School District. The Democratic candidates in both races in the 5th Legislative District led their Republican opponents in the August primary election. 

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Callan leads Graves 52 percent to 48 percent.

25th District (House Pos. 1): The open seat has Kelly Chambers (R) pitted against Jamie Smith (D). Chambers led Smith by nearly 10 percentage points in the August primary, on a relatively crowded ballot for the Puyallup-area district. 

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Chambers leads Smith 51 percent to 49 percent.

26th District (House Pos. 1): Incumbent Rep. Jesse Young (R) faces challenger Connie FitzPatrick (D), a small-business owner. FitzPatrick led Young in the primary with nearly 49 percent of the votes. 

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Young still narrowly leads FitzPatrick 52 percent to 48 percent.

30th District (Senate): Incumbent Sen. Mark Miloscia (R) faces challenger Claire Wilson (D) in a district that voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Miloscia — who switched political parties in 2014 — had a 10-percentage-point lead on Wilson in the August primary. Still, Democratic candidates took a larger share of total votes, indicating this race is likely to be competitive.  

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Wilson is still ahead in the latest drop, leading Miloscia 54 percent to 46 percent.

42nd District (Senate): Incumbent Sen. Doug Ericksen (R) faces challenger Pinky Vargas (D), a two-term Bellingham City Council member. Ericksen had a significant lead over Vargas in the primary, with nearly 46 percent of the votes compared to his challenger, who narrowly defeated a third opponent with nearly 29 percent. 

UPDATE, 10 p.m. Wednesday: Ericksen narrowly leads Vargas by 122 votes.

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Thursday: Ericksen now narrowly leads Vargas with 208 votes, gaining some ground in the latest drop.

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Ericksen's lead dropped to 72 votes.

UPDATE, Nov. 14: Ericksen's lead continues to shrink, dropping to 58 votes.    

47th District (Senate): Incumbent Sen. Joe Fain (R) faces challenger Mona Das (D). Voters will decide between the two candidates more than a month after a woman accused Fain of sexual assault in an incident she alleges occurred in 2007. Fain denies those allegations, and has said he would support an investigation into the claims.  

UPDATE, 4 p.m. Saturday: After Das expanded her lead over Fain by 548 votes, the incumbent conceded Friday night in a post on Facebook:

UPDATE, 7 p.m. Thursday: Fain fell behind Das by 206 votes in the latest results drop. The shift came several hours after Senate leaders announced they would hire an investigator to look into the rape allegations against the incumbent. 

 

   

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Kari Plog is a former KNKX reporter who covered the people and systems in Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap counties, with an emphasis on police accountability.