Vasavada leads all port candidates in total votes after Tuesday ballot count
Six Port of Olympia candidates will advance to the November general election, but some primary races were still too close to call after the first count of ballots was released Tuesday night by the Thurston County Auditor’s Office.
The Port of Olympia has three races up for grabs: The District 1 seat, currently held by commissioner Joe Downing who decided not to run for re-election, plus two new voter-approved seats: District 4 and District 5.
District 1
This race features two newcomers to politics, plus veteran port official Bill McGregor, who previously served on the commission for 15 years.
But on Tuesday night, McGregor was trailing Jasmine Vasavada, director of policy and legislation at the state Department of Commerce, with 3,798 votes to her 5,066 votes.
Vasavada led all port candidates in total votes after the first count.
After knocking on doors during the primary campaign, Vasavada said people are ready to embrace a green marine terminal, broadband technology and prevailing wage and living-wage jobs.
“A lot of them are not happy with the status-quo at the port,” she said. “Voters are ready for a change.”
McGregor said he was satisfied with Tuesday’s results.
“I just wanted a fairly strong showing,” he said. “I need to work on some things and get out into the community a little bit more.”
Skye Campbell-Ragsdale, who works in invasive species removal, was a distant third with 590 votes.
District 4
The District 4 race attracted four candidates: Bill Moomau, retired; Rose Chiu Gundersen, vice president of operations and retail services at the Washington Retail Association; Joanna Manson, who works for the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Maggie Sanders, who said she was working full-time on her campaign.
Gundersen led the way with 2,522 votes on Tuesday, but it was close among the three remaining candidates. Sanders has 1,837 votes, followed by Manson with 1,686 votes and Moomau at 1,678.
“I have a lot of work to do and I’m not letting up,” said Gundersen. “That’s my conviction. I’m ready to work hard to win the whole county and I want to continue to be authentic.”
District 5
Sarah Tonge, an IT professional, had an early lead with 3,330 votes. She was followed by small business owner Troy Kirby with 2,668 votes.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Tonge, “and I’m ready to do this work and ready to move into the general election.”
What resonated with voters? She feels it was her fresh perspective on the port, particularly as it relates to technology and how it might revitalize things there.
Kirby, who said he was focused on protecting union wage jobs, said he was impressed with all the District 5 candidates.
“All four candidates were composed and I’m impressed with all of them and how they conducted themselves without being divisive,” he said. “It was a good night.”
Martin McElliott, who works for the state Department of Natural Resources, was at 704 votes, and Nick Adams, who previously announced that he has suspended his campaign, attracted 455 votes.
This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 8:57 PM.
