Some take big leads in Basin races in first tally

In preliminary general election results Tuesday, Mattawa and Quincy chose mayors, the Quincy City Council chose two new members, while the Royal City City Council chose one, and Othello-area voters decided the fate of a maintenance and operations levy for the parks and recreation district.

Sun Hwang challenged incumbent Maria Celaya in the race for Mattawa mayor. As of Tuesday, Celaya was in the lead, with 63%, or 45, of the votes.

“I have done my best in the race for mayor, campaigning since May 17,” Hwang wrote in a statement before the results were released. “It has been a great experience for me, listening to residents and getting to know more about the community’s needs.”

Incumbent Paul Worley was challenged by Luke Garrison in the race for Quincy mayor. Worley had 65% of the votes Tuesday.

The Quincy City Council will seat two new members, since there are contested races for two seats where incumbents didn’t file for reelection. Peter Shelton and Jeff Spence ran for Position 2, the seat vacated by Garrison when he filed for mayor. Spence had 74% of the votes Tuesday.

Dave Dormier and Oscar Romero competed for Position 5 on the Quincy council and Dormier led with 59% Tuesday.

Quincy council incumbent Andrew Royer ran unopposed.

The Royal City Council also will have one new council member; Michael Christensen and Stanton Fanning ran for an open seat, and Christensen led with 73%.

Royal City Mayor Kent Anderson ran unopposed. So did incumbent council member Tiffany Workinger.

Four Mattawa City Council members ran unopposed, including Tony Acosta, Wendy Lopez, Vicente Acosta and Sylvia Barjas.

Incumbent Wahluke School Board member Jesse Chiprez drew a challenger, Nick Trejo, and Trejo led with 72%. Luke Jenne and Cynthia de Victoria ran for another open school board seat, with Jenne at 66% Tuesday.

Quincy School Board member Liliana Garcia was challenged by Chad Lower and Lower led with 58%. Incumbent Tricia Lubach ran unopposed.

Othello mayor Shawn Logan also ran unopposed. Three incumbents on the Othello City Council, Genna Dorow, John Lallas and Corey Everett, all ran unopposed.

So did three members on the Othello School Board, Jenn Stevenson, Ken Johnson and Lindsy Prows.

Incumbent Port of Othello commissioner Deena Vietzke was challenged by Patrick Simmons and Vietzke led with 51%.

Voters in Adams County Parks and Recreation District 1 rejected a one-year, $210,000 maintenance and operations levy, the money from which would be used to make improvements to P.J. Taggares Park, with 52%

Because it’s a revenue measure, the levy required 60% approval to pass.

Voters in Grant County Hospital District 2 (Quincy Valley Medical Center) approved a M&O levy, a one-year, $825,000 proposal for QVMC, with 62%. It also required 60% approval to pass.

Barbara Davis and Jessica Marie Fernandez ran unopposed for seats on the board of Grant County Hospital District 5 (Mattawa Community Clinic). Incumbent Lynda Bowers ran unopposed for her seat on the Adams County Hospital District 3 (Othello Community Hospital) board.

Incumbent Grant County Fire District 8 (Mattawa) commissioner Richard Kummer ran unopposed. Incumbent Robert Weber ran unopposed for a new term on the Grant County Fire District 10 (Royal Slope) commission.

Incumbents Carl Yeates and Randy Zolman each ran unopposed for their seats on the Grant County Fire District 3 (Quincy) commission. Peter Anderson ran unopposed for a seat on the Adams County Fire District 5 (Othello) commission.