Incumbents win big in Grant County primary vote
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Certified Elections Administrator Dedra Osborn, right, and elections assistant Sally Goodwin, left, count ballots Tuesday morning at the Grant County Courthouse.
EPHRATA — Voters across Grant County seemed content with incumbents in county offices if the results of Tuesday’s primary are any reflection.
Even in the closest primary race between incumbent Grant County Commissioner Cindy Carter and challenger Jeff Foster, Carter edged out a six-percentage-point victory, garnering 53 percent, or 1,259 votes, of the ballots cast compared with Foster’s 47 percent, or 1,107 votes.
Carter is seeking a fourth term as Grant County commissioner.
In the race for county assessor, incumbent Melissa McKnight won with 64 percent, or 6,380 votes, against challenger Scott Schmig, who tallied 3,599 votes, or 36 percent.
McKnight is seeking a second term as the Grant County assessor.
Finally, in the Grant County auditor’s race, current Auditor Michelle Jaderlund won the primary face-off with challenger James Liebrecht, earning 6,570 votes, or 66 percent, against Liebrecht’s 3,432 votes, or 34 percent.
Jaderlund is seeking a second term as Grant County auditor. The auditor’s office oversees the county’s elections, prepares the budget, handles marriage licenses and vehicle licenses, and keeps all of the county’s records.
Current County Clerk Kimberly Allen, who got 9,075 votes, is running unopposed this year.
Ballots will continue to be counted until the election is certified on Tuesday, Aug. 21.
Since Tuesday was a primary election, all of these candidates will face off against each other again in the statewide general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com.