More election coverage inside, A4 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
WEDNESDAY, 11.04.2015
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EVERETT, WASHINGTON
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Roundup of local race results Sales tax boost to support Community Transit too close to call Granite Falls voters favoring city manager over strong mayor Initiative to outlaw sales related to wildlife trafficking passing Find a gallery of photos at www.heraldnet.com.
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Gipson facing major defeat
Democratic upheaval ■
Snohomish County exec trails challenger 56.9% to 41.9%
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Hard-fought race for County Council seat too close to call
The 5-term incumbent, who has been fending off sexual harassment claims, was solidly trailing Cocoon House leader Cassie Franklin. By Jerry Cornfield Herald Writer
EVERETT — Cocoon House leader Cassie Franklin on Tuesday was soundly beating enbattled five-term incumbent Councilman Ron Gipson, who spent much of the campaign fending off accusations of sexual harassment at his day job. Franklin, in her first bid for a council seat, garnered 66 percent to Gipson’s 33.4 percent in votes tallied Tuesday. “I’m absolutely thrilled,” said Franklin, the chief executive officer of the organization that provides services for homeless youth. “I’m very humbled by the support we’ve seen in this campaign.” In other City Council races, incumbents Scott Bader and Brenda Stonecipher also were winning handily. Bader led challenger Charlene Rawson, 57.4 percent to 42.1 percent, and Stonecipher collected 65 percent to challenger Erik Richerson’s 35 percent. Councilwoman Judy Tuohy was unopposed and won a full four-year term Tuesday. She joined the council in 2014 by defeating Richard Anderson in a special election. The Snohomish County Auditor’s Office plans to release updated election totals by 5 p.m. Wednesday. If Tuesday’s results hold, the Everett City Council will soon be without a Gipson family member for the first time in nearly half a century. Ron Gipson was elected in 1995, succeeding his father, Carl, who retired after 24 years on the council. This year the younger Gipson was seeking a sixth term. But he competed under the cloud of accusations related to his work
ANDY BRONSON / THE HERALD
Snohomish County Executive John Lovick reacts with his wife, Karen (left), and daughter Sabrina Combs at Schack Art Center on Tuesday in Everett.
By Noah Haglund Herald Writer
EVERETT — A civil war among Snohomish County Democrats ended Tuesday night with upheaval. Voters were backing County Councilman Dave Somers over incumbent County Executive John Lovick, election night ballot counts showed. Somers had 56.9 percent and Lovick had 41.9 percent. They were separated by 9,350 votes. The two candidates awaited the election results at separate parties around the corner from each other in downtown Everett. “I’m feeling very good, very positive,” said Somers, as he celebrated at the Vintage Cafe on Everett’s Hewitt Avenue. “I felt good over the past two weeks, but I was really prepared for it to be close or prepared to be behind.” Somers credited his apparent victory to the coalition he built between Democrats and Republicans, environmentalists and homebuilders.
IAN TERRY / THE HERALD
See DEMOCRATS, Page A5
Somers addresses a crowd of supporters Tuesday night in Everett after getting word that initial results put him well ahead of incumbent Lovick.
See COUNCIL, Page A5
Eyman anti-tax measure passing in early returns Associated Press
OLYMPIA — A measure seeking to lower the state sales tax unless lawmakers approve a constitutional amendment related to tax increases was leading in early returns Tuesday.
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Initiative 1366 is the latest effort by Tim Eyman to limit state lawmakers’ ability to raise taxes. It would decrease the 6.5 percent state sales tax to 5.5 percent unless the Legislature approves a constitutional amendment that would reinstate a two-thirds legislative majority requirement.
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Currently, taxes can be raised through a simple-majority vote of the Legislature. The measure was passing in most counties across the state but trailed in King County, the state’s most populous. The measure says that the sales tax cut would take effect
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April 15 unless the Legislature has approved the constitutional amendment. Any such amendment would face a daunting road to passage, given that many Democrats oppose a two-thirds rule and in order for a constitutional amendment to make it to the ballot, two thirds of the Legislature
The Buzz Amazon has opened a brick-andmortar bookstore in Seattle, proving that this Internet thing is just a fad. Page A2
must approve it. Republicans control the Senate, but with a 26-23 majority the party doesn’t have the votes required to pass such a measure. Democrats currently control the House with a 51-47 majority. See TAXES, Page A5
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