Election night results hold in local races

One week after the Nov. 7 election, with nearly 100% of ballots now counted, the initial results showing voters preferred Camas-Washougal incumbents have held true.

As of Nov. 14, election results show all of the incumbents running for reelection in Camas and Washougal mayoral, city council and school board races have easily retained their seats.

Clark County Elections estimated Nov. 13 that the county has fewer than 500 ballots remaining to be counted. Voter turnout for the general and special election was a little under 27% as of the last ballot count on Nov. 13.

Election results shifted slightly in Camas-Washougal races over the past week, but not enough to unseat an incumbent or upset the race between John Svilarich and Stephen Dabasinskas for the Camas City Council’s open at-large seat.

As of Nov. 14, Svilarich had nearly 58% of the vote (4,106) to Dabasinskas’ 42% (3,014) – very similar to the election night results, which showed Svilarich leading 57.7% to 41.88%.

Likewise, in Camas’ mayoral race, Mayor Steve Hogan leads his opponent, Randal Friedman, 73% to 27% as of Nov. 14, just slightly lower than the 75-25 lead the mayor held on election night.

Other Camas City Council results also held throughout the week, despite an influx of ballots that nearly doubled the total votes counted Nov. 7. As of Nov. 14, Camas Councilwoman Bonnie Carter still leads her challenger, Ry Luikens, 62-38; and Councilman John Nohr had increased his lead over his opponent, Gary Perman, by a percentage point, garnering 55% of the vote to Perman’s 45%.

The Camas School Board races — which were unopposed until two write-in candidates made a pitch to unseat Board members Tracey Malone and Bamini Pathmanathan — also held up since election night, with all three incumbents, Malone, Pathmanathan and Connie Hennessey, early holding on to their seats after earning 89%, 87% and 97% of the votes, respectively.

In Washougal, Mayor David Stuebe held his substantial lead over challenger Gabriel Stone, and had garnered 89% of the vote as of Nov. 14.

Washougal City Council and Washougal School Board candidates all ran unopposed in the Nov. 7 general election, and faced no significant write-in opposition.

Washougal voters also supported a renewal of that City’s emergency medical services (EMS) levy. As of Nov. 14, Washougal’s Proposition No. 11, which will fund the EMS levy through 2029, had more than 80% voter approval, with just 766 votes out of 3,837 opposing the levy renewal.

The county will update election results again at 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, and will certify the election Nov. 28.