Voters in the south end of King County voters had just a few choices during Tuesday’s primary election.
In each race, the candidates with the top two vote totals earned the right to advance to November’s general election. Results are as of Monday night and will be considered unofficial until validated by election officials.
At the county level, Plateau voters helped set the stage for November’s race for King County executive. That battle will feature political newcomer Susan Hutchison and familiar face Dow Constantine. Hutchison was the clear winner in the eight-person race, grabbing 65,917 votes, or 37 percent of the total. Constantine received 39,536 voters or 22 percent.
The race is officially nonpartisan, but offers voters a clear distinction. Former television newscaster Hutchison eschews party labels but is aligned with Republican candidates and causes, while Constantine, currently a member of the Metropolitan King County Council, is a Democrat.
The race was filled with well-known names. State Sen. Fred Jarrett received slightly more than 12 percent of the vote, County Councilman Larry Phillips took just less than 12 percent and state Rep. Ross Hunter earned almost 11 percent of the total.
There also was a three-way race for the District 9 seat on the County Council, but there was no electoral drama. Incumbent Reagan Dunn received 14,221 votes or 72 percent of the total. Also advancing will be Beverly Harrison Tonda, who took 3,961 votes or 20 percent. Eliminated was Mark Greene, who received 1,534 votes or 8 percent.
On a local level, voters pared down a three-person field in the race for the Position 4 seat on the Black Diamond City Council.
Advancing to November will be William Sass and Jim Kuzaro. Sass received 176 votes, or 42 percent, and Kuzaro pulled in 163 votes, 38 percent. Eliminated was Paula Koch-Boyd, who received 80 votes, or 19 percent of the total. Write-in votes accounted for about 1 percent of the total.