Relatively low turnout for general election

As of November 3, the day after Election Day, 63,899 ballots had been counted with another 11,000 or so left to go. Turnout was relatively low with just 40.7 percent of registered voters returning their ballots. This is about half of the nearly 81 percent of registered voters in Whatcom County returned their ballots in the November 2020 election.

The ballot measures made for an interesting race, with the Birch Bay library in question while it looks like North Whatcom Fire and Rescue will have to look for additional funding sources after voters rejected its levy.

Proposition 2021-14 would establish a Birch Bay library capital facility area that will raise taxes by 11 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to pay for the Birch Bay Vogt Community Library. Voters approved the levy 58.5 percent (1,587 votes) for and 41.5 percent (1,124 votes) against. However, over 60 percent of voters need to approve it and over 40 percent of people who voted in the last general election need to vote.

Christine Perkins, Whatcom County Library System executive director, said the library measure is short on ballots but hopeful as the results are updated. Perkins roughly estimated the library would need about 350 more votes, and a significant number of those would need to be in support of the levy.

“We’re so close,” she said. “We’re really cautiously optimistic that the voters will see this through.”

Preliminary results show voters rejected proposition 2021-9, which aimed to increase the North Whatcom Fire and Rescue levy by 30 cents per $1,000 to $1.45 per $1,000 of assessed value to fund additional firefighters and purchase new equipment. The levy failed with 59 percent (4,827 votes) against and 40 percent (3,346 votes) in favor of the levy. The fire district added the levy to the November ballot after it was rejected in the August primary.

The final results of the election will be certified Tuesday, November 23.

Below are the results from Point Roberts and Whatcom County’s competitive races as of 8 p.m. November 4. There was only one contested race in Point Roberts:

• Point Roberts Hospital District Position 1: Sara Oggel received 86 votes (53.7 percent), beating Bill Meursing, who received 73 votes (45.6 percent).
• Blaine school board, District 3: Erika Creydt received 2,523 votes (50.8 percent), beating Bob Feaster, who received 2,425 votes (48.9 percent).
• Blaine school board, District 5: Laura McKinney received 3,994 votes (81.2 percent), winning over Rocky Butler, who received 911 votes (18.5 percent).
• Whatcom County Council District 1: Kaylee Galloway received 5,592 votes (56.4 percent), beating Eddy Ury, who received 4,185 votes (42.2 percent).
• Whatcom County Council District 2: Todd Donovan received 9,127 votes (9.1percent), ahead of Kelley O’Connor, who received 1,075 votes (42.2 percent).
• Whatcom County Council District 3: Tyler Byrd received 6,665 votes (53.4 percent), versus Rebecca Lewis, who received 5,777 votes (46.3 percent).
• Whatcom County Council At-Large Position A: Barry Buchanan received 32,815 votes (53.6 percent), ahead of Kamal Bhachu, who received 28,019 votes (45.8 percent).
• Port of Bellingham, District 1: Michael Shepard received 33,413 votes (55.4 percent), over John Huntley, who received 26,714 votes (44.3 percent).
• Port of Bellingham, District 2: Ken Bell received 32,940 votes (54.4 percent), beating Kelly Krieger, who received 26,880 votes (44.4 percent).

The preliminary November 2 results may change. To view updated results, visit co.whatcom.wa.us/1732/current-election.