After three failed attempts, Fire District 21 has convinced voters to increase their property taxes so the district can afford to update or replace aging buildings and equipment, hire more employees and meet the fire and emergency services needs of a growing population.
In other races, two Blaine School board members will advance to the November election, one vying for a state Senate seat and the other to be Whatcom County’s top prosecutor.
As for Fire District 21, the measure it put before voters passed with 52.16% in approval, or 6,170 yes votes, and 47.84% in opposition, or 5,660 no votes, as of the last count released on Friday, Aug. 7.
This election marked the fourth time within six years that the district, also known as North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, has asked voters to approve what’s known as a levy lid lift.
“We’re pleased with the outcome and thankful for everyone that voted, that took part in the process,” Fire Chief Jason Van der Veen said.
“It was an election where we asked people to consider raising their taxes and we understand the gravity of that,” he said.
The measure is the first levy rate increase for the district in 20 years.
It will allow the district to collect up to $118.6 million during the six-year levy by raising property tax rates from 77 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to $1.20.
That means the owner of a home valued at $500,000 will pay $600 annually, an increase of $215 from the lower rate.
The levy also will allow annual increases of up to 3% on the total collected revenue for the next five years.
Having more funding will allow the fire district to prioritize:
“This certainly will over time bring the department to a new level, to allow us to serve the community so much better,” Van der Veen said.
The district serves 33,800 people in a 156-square-mile area that includes Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer, Lynden and Laurel.
About 72,309 ballots were cast across Whatcom County in the Aug. 4 primary election, making for a turnout of 42%, according to elections officials.
Because this election is a top-two primary, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation.
Here are the results for other races.
2nd Congressional District
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Everett) will advance to the November general election against challenger Edwin Feller (R-Lynden).
Larsen received 36.08% of votes, or 25,832, while Feller garnered 35.17%, or 25,184 votes.
State Senator, 42nd Legislative District
Erika Creydt (R-Blaine), a clinical psychologist and Blaine School Board member, will advance with 44.6% of votes, or 21,986, for the seat held by Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham), who didn’t seek reelection.
Whether Creydt faces Michael Shepard (D-Bellingham) or Eamonn Collins (D-Bellingham) isn’t yet known.
Shepard — who was leading by just nine votes — had 26.42% of votes, or 13,023, while Collins garnered 26.40% of votes, or 13,014, as of Friday, with one ballot remaining in the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office to count.
So what does that mean and what are the next steps?
Stacy Henthorn, Whatcom County auditor, said elections officials might have more ballots to count before the election is certified on Tuesday, Aug. 18, if:
The Auditor’s Office receives more mailed ballots postmarked by Aug. 4, the election day deadline, with a matching voter signature.
Any ballot being challenged over a signature issue can be cured by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug.17, meaning the ballot would be counted. Ballot curing is a process that helps voters fix their ballots if they made a mistake.
Henshaw said on Monday, Aug. 10, that the Auditor’s Office had 266 ballots under challenge because the voter signature didn’t match, and 242 ballots being challenged because they were unsigned.
At 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17, the Canvassing Board will meet to review all challenged ballots. This meeting is open to the public, and will be in the Election Center in Bellingham, in the basement of the Whatcom County Courthouse at 311 Grand Ave., Suite B3.
And if the race between Collins and Shephard remains close after all that, it could trigger a mandatory recount.
State law requires a manual recount if the difference between the candidates is less than 150 votes and also less than one-fourth of 1% of the total number of votes cast for both of them.
State Representative Position 1, 42nd Legislative District
Incumbent Alicia Rule (D-Blaine) and challenger Misty Flowers (R-Bellingham) will both move on to the November general election, with Rule receiving 56.18%, or 27,710, of votes, while Flowers garnered 43.62% of votes, or 21,515.
They were the only two candidates in their race.
State Representative Position 2, 42nd Legislative District
Incumbent Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham) and Justin Pike (R-Ferndale), a detective at the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, who were the only candidates in this race, will face off once again in November.
Timmons received 53.81% of votes, or 26,588, while Pike garnered 46.07% of votes, or 22,761.
Whatcom County Prosecutor
Four challengers vied for the position after Eric Richey didn’t seek reelection.
Defense attorney Ryan Swinburnson, who also is Blaine School Board president, will advance after receiving 38.33% of votes, or 26,685. He will face Jesse Corkern, who garnered 21.72%, or 15,121 votes.
Corkern is a prosecutor in the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Port of Bellingham Commissioner, District 4
A voter-approved ballot measure last year expanded the number of Port of Bellingham commissioners from three to five.
In the six-way race for this new seat, Lynden resident Paul Burrill will advance and face Ferndale resident Tor Benson
Burrill had 30.23% of votes, or 4,059, while Benson received 24.16%, or 3,244 votes.
Port of Bellingham Commissioner, District 5
This seat also was created after voters decided to expand the number of Port of Bellingham commissioners from three to five.
Acme resident Chris Elder and Shawn Ensley of Bellingham won the top two spots.
Elder received 41.39% of votes, or 5,414, and Ensley was second with 21.40% of votes, or 2,799.
The election will be certified Tuesday, Aug. 18.
