Updated: Bertlin Takes Commanding Lead in City Council Race

With a lead of more than 900 votes, Mercer Island City Council Position 7 challenger appears to have an insurmountable lead over Deputy Mayor in the community's sole contested race.

With more than 33 percent of all mailed ballots tallied in the race, Bertlin led Tuesday night with 59 percent of the vote to Jahncke's 41 percent (see below for an Election Night scorecard).

"It's been nerve-racking," said campaign volunteer Tana Senn, "but we're all feeling pretty good."

A political newcomer, Bertlin pledged to work for a more "pro-active" city council and greater transparency in the way is managed and was critical of the city's brought by a former employee.

"I knew this was a great place," said Bertlin, "But then I went around the community and 'doorbelled' thousands of homes, and got to know how much all the people I visited with are a part of an active, caring and involved community."

Jahncke has served on the city council since 2000 and served one term on the Mercer Island School Board from 1994-1997.

In the King County Council District 6 race, incumbent Jane Hague was leading challenger Mercer Island resident Richard Mitchell, 54 percent to 46 percent.

The King County Elections Department will update results Wednesday afternoon at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Elsewhere on the ballot, initiatives on liquor deregulation and long-term care worker background checks were passing by wide margins, but a measure restricting tolling was failing by a very narrow margin.

With 32 percent of mailed ballots counted statewide, Initiative I-1125 — which would prohibit state gas tax and toll revenues from diversion into services and programs not specifically transportation-related, including language that prevents light-rail on the I-90 Floating Bridge — was failing by a small margin with 51 percent opposed and 49 percent in favor (of 1,125,817 ballots tallied).

I-1163, which would require more extensive background checks and training for long-term care workers, was passing with a wide margin of 67 percent. Only 33 percent said no (of 1,127,716 ballots counted).

I-1183, which would remove liquor sales from state control and privatize the business, was passing with 60 percent of voters agreeing and 40 percent saying no (of 1,149,216 ballots counted).

The Secretary of State's office is expecting overall voter turnout at 47 percent, meaning approximately 67 percent of the expected ballots have been counted.

State:

•Initiative Measure 1125, concerning state expenditures on transportation.

Yes 552,441, 49.07 percent

No 573,376, 50.93 percent

•Initiative Measure 1163, concerning long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people.

Yes 753,010, 66.77 percent

No 374,706, 33.23 percent

•Initiative Measure 1183, concerning liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).

Yes 685,979, 59.69 percent

No 463,237, 40.31 percent

•Senate Joint Resolution 8205, concerning the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice president.

Yes 785,798, 71.45 percent

No 314,054, 28.55 percent

•Senate Joint Resolution 8206, concerning the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury.

Yes 719,941, 66.88 percent

No 356,572, 33.12 percent

King County:

•Director of Elections

Mark Greene  50,033, 23.43 percent

Sherril Huff  162,427, 76.07 percent

Write-in 1,064, 0.50 percent

•Metropolitan King County Council District No. 6

Jane Hague 15,878, 53.80 percent

Richard E. Mitchell 13,551, 45.92 percent

Write-in 84, 0.28 percent

•Metropolitan King County Council District No. 8

Joe McDermott 16,848, 66.92 percent

Diana Toledo 8,233, 32.70 percent

•Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 2

Richard Pope 97,164, 43.96 percent

Gael Tarleton 122,932, 55.61 percent

•Port of Seattle Commissioner Position No. 5

Dean Willard 79,568, 36.98 percent

Bill Bryant 134,502, 62.51 percent

Write-in 1,097, 0.51 percent   

Mercer Island:

Debbie Bertlin 2,920, 58.65 percent

El Jahncke 2,059, 41.35 percent

(Ed Note: An earlier version of this story was published before late returns from six counties were tallied by the Secretary of State's office on the state initiatives. The story is now updated with vote totals that reflect all votes counted on Election Day, Nov. 8. Percentages in the body of the story are rounded up from the first decimal place.)