Final results for the August 5 primary election show clear winners headed to the November general election and one upset at county council.
The election is a top-two primary, meaning the two candidates with the most votes advance to the November 4 general election, regardless of party affiliation. Races that did not have more than two candidates were not on August ballots and will move automatically to the November election.
About 43,640 ballots were counted across Whatcom County by August 18, constituting 31.5 percent of currently registered voters.
Point Roberts Hospital District
In the race for Point Roberts Public Hospital Commissioner Position 2, Allison Calder placed first with 105 votes (22.9%), followed by Alyssa Clark with 104 votes (22.7%), Alison Strombom with 98 votes (21.4%), Jen Olson Kurcz with 89 votes (19.4%), and Solomon Loop with 58 votes (12.7%). There were three write-in votes for a total vote count of 457 votes.
Whatcom County Council
The Whatcom County Council District 2 race, which represents north Bellingham, saw Elizabeth Boyle come out ahead with 54.2 percent (5,475 votes). Maya Morales was second ahead of Mike Cullum with 2,449 votes (24.2%) compared to Cullum’s 2,126 votes (21.1%).
The race for Whatcom County Council District 3, representing east county, saw newcomers Jessica Rienstra and Kyle Christensen win over incumbent Tyler Byrd. Rienstra received 5,569 votes (49.6%), while Christensen followed with 2,555 votes (22.7%) with Byrd trailing with 20.5 percent (2,299 votes). Another contestant, Daniel Probst, received 6.8 percent (768 votes). There were 35 write-in votes.
Whatcom County Library System levy
Proposition 2025-02, a ballot measure to restore the Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) property tax to $0.42 per $1,000 of assessed home value, passed with 56.7 percent of returned ballots, or 18,753 voters, approving the levy lid lift.
This will be the first property tax rate increase from the library district since 2009. The library system levy rate had dropped to $0.26 as assessed home values rose and state law limiting a one percent annual increase on levy collection.
For an owner of a house valued at $600,000, the increase will cost an additional $8 per month, or $96 annually, to their property tax payment, according to WCLS.
Results were certified August 19.
(Nolan Baker and Pat Grubb contributed to the reporting of this article.)
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