The race for Washington's 7th District seat in the state legislature remains undecided as candidates engage in a ballot chase to secure their positions.
According to the Washington Examiner, Republican candidate Patrick Bell is focusing his efforts on curing eligible ballots to close the gap with his Democratic opponent, Paul "Rocky" Dean.
As of the latest count, Bell trails Dean by 1,523 votes in the battle for second place. The top position has been secured by Hunter Abell, another Republican candidate, who has garnered 34.72% of the vote. The seat, which has been held by Republican Rep. Joel Kretz since 2004, is now open for new representation.
The process of ballot curing has become a crucial factor in this tight race. Ballot chasers are contacting voters whose ballots were submitted on time but rejected due to issues such as missing signatures or physical damage that obscures voter intent. This process allows voters to correct these flaws and have their votes counted.
Bell, a long-time Republican campaign volunteer and former staff member for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, has suspended his campaign activities to focus on this ballot curing effort. He believes that the trend of late counts has been mostly in his favor, having already closed the gap from an initial 8.7% on Primary Night to the current 3.56%.
Patrick Bell stated:
I'm suspending the campaign until certification on August 20th, to focus on curing eligible ballots of voters who cast Republican votes. There are 1,900 or so ballots left to count. I closed from an 8.7% gap on Primary Night. Late counts zig zagged, but mostly in my favor.
The close nature of this race highlights the importance of every vote. Washington state provides tools for voters to check the status of their ballots, ensuring transparency in the electoral process. Voters can use the VoteWA.gov website to verify if their ballot has been accepted for counting.
This system allows individuals to check the status of their own and family members' or friends' ballots by entering their full names and birth dates. However, it's important to note that the system only shows whether a ballot has been accepted for counting, not how an individual has voted.
Ballot chasers rely on additional data sources to cross-reference rejected ballots with the names of potential supporters. This targeted approach allows campaigns to focus their efforts on curing ballots that are likely to benefit their candidate.
The outcome of this race will determine who joins Hunter Abell in representing northeast Washington in Olympia. With Abell securing the top position, the battle for the second spot has intensified between Bell and Dean.
The close margin between these candidates underscores the competitive nature of the race and the potential impact of the ballot curing process. Each cured ballot could potentially shift the balance in this tight contest.
As the August 20th certification date approaches, both campaigns are likely to continue their efforts to ensure every eligible vote is counted. The final result will shape the representation of the 7th District in the state legislature.
The race for Washington's 7th District seat remains closely contested, with Patrick Bell trailing Paul "Rocky" Dean by a narrow margin for second place. The ongoing ballot curing process has become a critical factor in determining the final outcome. With approximately 1,900 ballots left to count and the certification date of August 20th approaching, both campaigns are intensifying their efforts to secure every possible vote. The final result will determine who joins Hunter Abell in representing northeast Washington in the state legislature.
