A manual recount in Washington State’s August primary confirmed King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove’s second-place finish in the race for Public Lands Commissioner by a slim margin of just 53 votes.
This recount – one of the closest in state history – secures Upthegrove’s place on the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election ballot against former Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler.
In the primary, Democratic candidates collectively earned 57% of the vote, while the two Republican candidates secured around 43%.
Upthegrove, endorsed by environmental organizations like the Sierra Club and Washington Conservation Action, has pledged to focus on creating climate-resilient communities if elected.
The general election is set for Nov. 5, 2024, with both candidates preparing for what is expected to be a highly competitive race.
For more info on the candidates:
This specific race shows how your vote actually counts more than you think. Btw, while the article suggests the race will be highly competitive, I personally doubt that. Democrats in total won 57% of the vote while Republicans won around 43%. That’s a 14% margin, something that suggests to me it won’t be that competitive in November. It’s possible it’ll be the most competitive race compared to other statewide elections but being the most competitive in this context doesn’t mean that the GOP has an actual chance of winning. Good article so wanted to share my 2 cents.