There will be a slew of new faces on local boards come this January as newly elected commissioners get sworn in after of the November 4 general election. Whatcom County is also in for some big changes.
The highest vote total in local Point Roberts races was 492 compared to 1,106 in last year’s presidential election. A total of 76,463 ballots out of 169,232 registered voters were received by the Whatcom County election office for a voter turnout of 45.2 percent. This compares to a state turnout of 39.1%; the highest county turnout statewide was Garfield County with 58.4% and the lowest was Yakima County with 27.3%.
County voters approved expanding the Port of Bellingham commission from three to five members with the pro-expansion vote coming in at 45,380 or 65.2%. The commission race for District 2 was also heated, with business owner Carly James beating incumbent Ken Bell with 35,951 votes or 51%. The percentages for Point Roberts voters were 75.8% and 58%, respectively.
Voters took a divided look at 12 measures that were part of a decennial review of the county code from the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission with some passing while others didn’t.
Following is the November 5 ballot count, the latest election results as of press time. The election results will receive final certification on November 25.
District Votes %-age
Point Roberts Fire District 5 Pos. 3
Pat Harper (incumbent) 348 94.3
Write-in 21 5.7
Total 369
Water District Pos. 3
Rhonda Granger 313 71.0
Grant Heitman 126 29.0
Total 439
Parks & Recreation Pos. 3
Mike Bell 346 77.5
Travis Robb 94 21.1
Total 445 ( 5 wi)
Pos. 4
Bronwyn Glor 251 51.8
Doug Shier 162 33.4
Izaac Wilkowski 67 13.8
Write-in4
Total 484
(Parks and cemetery districts do not have primaries; all candidates go directly to the general election.)
Hospital District Pos. 2
Alyssa Clark 353 71.7
Allison Calder 137 27.8
Total 490
Port of Bellingham expansion
The Port of Bellingham’s commission will make room for two new seats at the table as voters were largely in support of Proposition 2025-04, which will expand the commission from three to five members and create new commission districts. Voters overwhelming surpassed the 51 percent simple majority threshold with a 65.2 percent approval, turning the tide from the last time the measure went before voters in 2012.
Proponents of the port expansion have said it will improve communication among commissioners as it allows two members to discuss port business outside of meetings, something state law doesn’t allow with only three commissioners.
Port staff have said they would draw five districts by January and races for the two new seats would be included in the August 2026 primary. The new commissioners would then take office as soon as election results are certified in November 2026.
The new port candidate with the highest number of voters would serve three years, while the candidate with the second highest votes would only serve for one year. Those commissioners would be elected in odd numbered years, which is in line with the port’s current election cycle. Voters of the entire district would elect the new commissioners.
Port of Bellingham Commission
The Port of Bellingham race between incumbent Ken Bell and Bellingham businesswoman Carly James for District 2 was a bit of a squeaker, with James 96 votes ahead on election night. a lead that has since widened to 35,951 for James to Bell’s 34,409 votes. The race was the only contested one for the port and followed a year of controversial decisions on development and removal of leadership positions from port commissions that drew public criticism.
The other port race, District 1, was uncontested with incumbent Michael Shepard receiving a tepid 50,377 votes compared to the 70,492 votes cast for the Bell/James contest. Write-in ballots tallied 942, or 1.9 percent.
Blaine school board
The Blaine school board will soon have new faces with the election of Bob Feaster in District 3 and Chelsey Belarmino in District 5.
Feaster, an experienced educator, came out ahead in his race against cybersecurity engineer Jim Shaver, winning 61.0 percent to 38.3 percent. Feaster has 35 years’ experience in public education that includes serving as an assistant superintendent. He is the interim coordinator for the district’s Family Service Center.
Belarmino, a preschool and kindergarten teacher, ran unopposed for the District 5 position.
Whatcom County Council
Whatcom County Council will also have new input in the coming year with two of the four council races bringing new members.
The At-Large Position A seat, which represents the entire county, saw incumbent Barry Buchanan win another term against community activist Misty Flowers, who has previous vied for the seat. Buchanan received 63.1 percent of votes, while Flowers earned 36.7 percent.
Incumbent Kaylee Galloway ran unopposed for her District 1 seat. As for the other two contested county council races, Elizabeth Boyle won District 2 with 71.1 percent against Maya Morales, and Jessica Rienstra won District 3. Rienstra received 56.8 percent support, while opponent Kyle Christensen had 43.1 percent.
Whatcom County measures
The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission, a 15-member group that convenes every 10 years to review the county code, put forward 12 propositions on county government, some of which passed and others that were nixed by voters.
• Proposition 1, authorizing county councilmembers to hire legislative aides, was rejected by 62.8 percent.
• Proposition 2, establishing a Whatcom County Office of the Ombuds to investigate complaints and inquiries into county government, was rejected at the first ballot count by 52 percent.
• Proposition 3, creating performance audits, was approved by a whooping 85 percent.
• Proposition 4, clarifying the powers and duties of county elected officials, was also passed with an overwhelming 92 percent of support.
• Proposition 5, amending Whatcom County’s redistricting process to better comply with state law and require a public hearing, was approved with 79 percent.
• Proposition 6, adjusting the calculation of signatures required to place a referendum on ballots, was rejected with 53.2 percent of voters against it.
• Proposition 7, prohibiting the county government from interfering with initiatives or charter amendments, passed with 60.6 percent in support.
• Proposition 8, requiring more public disclosure requirements upon the county executive prior to approving budgets, was approved with 93.4 percent of support.
• Proposition 9, which added accountability to financial reporting requirements, was approved with 93.3 percent support.
• Proposition 10, creating rules of procedure for charter review commission meetings, passed by 84.1 percent.
• Proposition 11, adjusting the calculation of signatures required to place a charter amendment on ballots, was rejected as it had 59.0 percent of voters against it.
• Proposition 12, requiring the county executive to publish an analysis of how new legislation could affect land supply and construction costs, passed by 87 percent.
State Joint Resolution 8201
The lone state measure, Senate Joint Resolution No. 8201, was approved with 56.8 percent of state voters in support and 43.2 percent against.
The measure would approve a constitutional amendment that the state legislature proposed allowing taxpayer money in the state’s long-term care fund to be invested.
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