County, State Elections Officials Weigh In On Primary Today

It’s primary election day here in Washington state.

Local voters will decide on the top two candidates heading to the general election ballot in November for races from Chelan County Commissioner and county judges to State and U.S. Representatives.

Perhaps the contest getting the most attention is an open U.S. House seat Democrats hope to capture for the first time since the district east of Seattle was created in 1980. Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert is retiring after more than a decade.
Republican Dino Rossi, a former state senator who had unsuccessful runs for governor and U.S. Senate, is expected to advance along with one of three Democrats: pediatrician Kim Schrier, attorney Jason Rittereiser, and former federal public-health official Shannon Hader.
District 8 includes the eastern portions of King and Pierce counties and crosses the Cascade mountains to include Chelan and Kittitas counties, areas with a severe housing crunch, ag-heavy regions with water, land and export issues, and suburbs that have seen population growth due to Microsoft, Google and other technology companies.

The lone statewide race is for U.S. Senate. Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell faces more than two dozen challengers.

Dan Langager also talked with Secretary of State Kim Wyman about the primary this year.

The top two vote getters in each race advance to the general election, regardless of party. Ballots must be postmarked today or placed in an official drop box by 8 p.m.