Island County voters approve port tax, fireworks ban with 64% support

A national Democratic surge played out with mixed results on Whidbey Island Tuesday.

County voters approved two property tax measures and backed a ban on consumer fireworks in unincorporated areas. Grant Shaw is leading the race for Island County commissioner. Incumbent officials in sheriff and prosecutor races are holding their positions.

Shaw, a Democrat, is leading Republican Matthew Van Pelt in District 3. Shaw has 61.3% of the vote, totaling 15,620 ballots. Van Pelt has 38.7%, or 9,873 votes. In the assessor race, Democrat Doug Stults leads incumbent Kelly Mauck by a wide margin. Stults has 56.9% of the vote, or 14,283 ballots. Mauck, who lists no party preference, has 43.1%, or 10,812 votes.

The auditor race is the closest contest on the ballot. Democrat Barbara Fuller leads independent incumbent Sheilah Crider by 378 votes. Fuller has 50.7% of the vote, or 12,711 ballots. Crider has 49.3%, or 12,333 ballots. Independent Sheriff Rick Felici is leading Democratic challenger Tavier Wasser. Felici has 52% of the vote, or 13,216 ballots. Wasser has 48%, or 12,185 ballots. Prosecutor Greg Banks, who lists no party preference, is leading Democrat Andrew F. Scott. Banks has 58.4% of the vote, or 14,501 ballots. Scott has 41.6%, or 10,331 ballots. Democrat Dierdre Butler is leading Republican Maria Hazelo for county clerk. Butler has 61.1% of the vote, or 15,563 ballots. Hazelo has 38.9%, or 9,916 ballots.

Voters approved Proposition 1 for the Port of South Whidbey. The measure passed with 58.3% support, or 4,162 votes in favor and 2,976 against. The levy adds 6 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to the port’s regular tax. The new rate will be approximately 16.9 cents per $1,000. Revenue will fund maintenance and modernization of port facilities. Langley voters approved a similar Proposition 1 for governmental services and technology. The measure has 63.3% support, with 382 votes in favor and 221 against. In a nonbinding advisory vote, 64.2% of voters in unincorporated Island County support banning consumer fireworks. That is 13,356 votes in favor and 7,433 opposed. The vote signals public sentiment to county commissioners but does not create an immediate ban.

National and state races show strong Democratic performance in the district. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen leads Republican Edwin H. Feller in the 2nd Congressional District. Larsen has 67.91% of the vote, or 159,891 ballots. Feller has 31.74%, or 74,732 ballots. The district includes Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. In the 10th Legislative District, Rep. Clyde Shavers leads Republican Robert Hicks for Position 1. Shavers has 58.98% of the vote, or 27,545 ballots. Hicks has 40.94%, or 19,119 ballots. Rep. Dave Paul leads Republican Tim Hazelo for Position 2. Paul has 60.61% of the vote, or 28,230 ballots. Hazelo has 39.30%, or 18,306 ballots. The legislative district covers parts of Island, Skagit and Snohomish counties. Coroner Shantel Porter, Treasurer Tony Lam and District Court Judge Ronald Costeck are unopposed. Results are preliminary as additional ballots are counted.

The local results align with a wider Democratic trend on Tuesday. Democrats are winning control of the U.S. Senate and gaining seats in Republican strongholds. The party is also making gains in the House, though control remains undecided.