When the second and final ballot count from the Aug. 1 primary election in Spokane was done two days later, nothing changed much in the races for Medical Lake mayor and city council.
In final tallies for mayor, Shirley Maike improved her numbers in the vote column to 350 from 286 and will move on to the Nov. 7 general election to face Mikeal Suniga who topped Laura Parsons 230–201.
“Support of my campaign team and those who personally know me,” were keys to Maike’s win, she wrote in an email. She also said name recognition from yard signs and billboards were an element in the victory.
Maike indicated there were not going to be any changes going forward.
In the race for Council Position 2, John Merrick lost a little in the percentages of votes with the final of 45.86 percent — down from Tuesday’s 48.48 — but earned an easy victory over his November opponent, Elizabeth Rosenbeck who lost her initial 18-vote edge, but still topped Monica Manza, 209–201.
The race for Position 4 was the outlier of the races with Tony Harbolt and Don Kennedy taking part in the closest of the 1-2 battles. Harbolt expanded his lead from just two votes on election night to 36 with the final release, winning 328–292 (43.04–38.32).
Ted Olson added 90 votes for a total of 349 (46.35 percent) after the second release of ballots and meets Gary Plumlee in the general for Position 5. Plumlee kept his 16-vote cushion (206–190) over Michael Deeley.
Olson also responded to a series of email questions regarding the election, noting, the idea of citizens being “Hungry for change,” as one of the elements in his topping the vote getters in his race.
“I am new to the political field,” he added, but “well known as a person who gets involved.”
The second release of 5,000 ballots on Aug. 3 did do one thing, however, as it bumped turnout from an initial 17.06 percent to 22.03.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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