Democratic women take over Island County

It looks like history was made in Island County on election day with two big upsets.

In a county that’s never had a female county commissioner or an all-Democratic board of commissioners, two Democratic women are leading in races for two separate commissioner seats.

Oak Harbor resident Angie Homola is ahead of incumbent Island County Commissioner Mac McDowell, a Republican, by 14,749 to 13,900 votes. That’s a margin of 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent with 31,201 ballots counted and an estimated 6,500 left to tally.

Helen Price Johnson is outpacing Phil Bakke, the appointed county commissioner, by more than seven percent. Price Johnson won 15,550 votes while Bakke had 13,484 ballots cast in his favor.

If the women’s leads hold, all three commissioners will be Democrats. They will join Commissioner John Dean of Camano Island.

Homola and McDowell are Oak Harbor residents vying for a district that represents much of North Whidbey. Price Johnson and Bakke are competing in a district that covers South and Central Whidbey.

In another possible upset, Democrat Tim Knue is ahead of appointed state Rep. Norma Smith in the District 10 race by 20,141 to 19,550.

But Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, has a solid lead over Democratic rival Patricia Terry of Camano Island. Bailey earned 20,963 votes and Terry has 18,434.

In other big race, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano, is ahead of Republican Linda Haddon, an Oak Harbor resident, by a healthy margin of 54 percent to 46 percent. In District 10, Haugen has 21,901 votes and Haddon has 18,439.

Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider, who was appointed early this year, appears to be safe from a challenge by fellow Republican Jim Palmer. Crider is ahead by 13,870 to 11,670.

Three local measures also went down in flames. A proposal to form a Public Utility District on the island is losing badly with 15,045 voters casting ballots against it and only 7,554 in favor.

A request by the Port of Coupeville to increase its property tax levy was also shot down by 3,439 “no” votes and 1,362 “yes” votes.

The proposed North Whidbey Fire and Rescue property tax levy lift was turned down by a margin of 4,156 to 2,074 votes.

The majority of Island County voters favored Barack Obama, the next president of the United States. Nearly 54 percent of those who voted for a president cast a ballot for Obama.