Elmer City mayor's race too close to call

With just over 300 ballots in Okanogan County left to count, the mayoral race in Elmer City is the closest local race in last week’s election, hanging by one vote.

If the current count holds, there will be a turnover in the mayor’s office as challenger and sitting council member Gail Morin will have defeated current Mayor Mary Jo Carey, 43-42.

County elections officer Mila Jury said Tuesday that only the mayoral race in Pateros is closer, tied at 71 votes each for Gail Howe and write-in candidate Liberty Harrison.

Jury said the elections board will continue to accept mailed-in ballots until the day before official certification of the results on Nov. 26.

Carey had served two full terms as mayor and was trying for her third term.

Morin had served on the council a few years ago and was elected back to the council two years ago.

Morin has been active in the Coulee Dam wastewater treatment plant dispute and had lent support to an effort to delay the project and perhaps relocate the site. One of Morin’s goals was to get Coulee Dam to refigure how it charged Elmer City residents for sewer service. She would take over in January.

In the single Elmer City council race that was contested, incumbent Larry Holford retained his seat over challenger Joaquin Marchand, 53-27.