Commissioner race swings around again

Jana Mathia, Whitman County Gazette | Nov 12, 20200

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Dean Kinzer

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Tom Handy

COLFAX-The lead for Whitman County Commissioner District Two changes with each count.

After challenger Tom Handy led on election night, incumbent Dean Kinzer took a four vote lead after the second count on Nov. 5.

Handy regained the lead after the Monday night tally added 1,164 ballots. Handy had 50.35% of the vote with 8,189 and Kinzer 49.11% with 7,988.

The second count showed Handy was favored by all of Pullman's 28 rural and city precincts and Albion. Kinzer was favored by every other precinct in the county.

The line changed in the third count. Two Pullman rural precincts shifted to favor Kinzer, while Palouse turned toward Handy with 272 for him and 271 for Kinzer.

A mandatory recount will be conducted "if the difference in the number of votes cast for the apparent winner and the closest apparently defeated opponent is less than 150 votes and also less than one-fourth of one percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates," according to state RCWs.

All county levies retained 50% or greater approval in the subsequent counts.

Voter turnout is 72.58% with 17,961 ballots tallied.

An estimated 2,500 ballots remain to be counted. Next count was set for Tuesday night after the paper had gone to press.