The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Hewitt Tops Nettles For Senate

Dozier Beats Blackman For Commissioner

Talbott Edges Out Bensel For Commissioner

WAITSBURG - Mike Talbott edged out a narrow victory over Tom Bensel for Columbia County Commissioner District 1 Position 1. Talbott came out on top of the General Election last Tuesday by a margin of only 117 votes.

One hundred thirty-eight ballots are estimated left to be counted on Nov. 9, which could impact this close race.

Talbott came out ahead last Tuesday night with 1,029 votes, 52.45 percent of the votes. Bensel received 912 votes, or 46.48 percent.

"Both candidates worked hard, both campaigns were well done," Talbott said. "I'm just thankful I'm the one who came out on top."

Talbott will begin his term as a commissioner on Jan. 1, replacing current position 2 commissioner Dick Jones who is retiring.

Talbott currently works as a farmer in Dayton. He said he was grateful for the help he received from "a lot of really good people who supported me."

His next step is to study the issues before the county commissioners in more depth, "see where everything is at" and "learn a lot" before making any major policy deci- sions.

"I'm not going in with any preconceived ideas," Talbott said.

Bensel said the tight elec- tion was "interesting," but that the close race has been a consistent theme throughout the election.

"It's been that way the whole election," Bensel said. "(The vote) has been hang- ing by a thread the whole way through. We'll see what happens (when the votes are certified)."

Bensel currently manages a company focused on wind energy and with Puget Sound Energy.

In the Primary Election, Talbott led the commissioner candidates for the seat with 171 votes, 40.62 percent of the 1,132 total votes cast in Columbia County with 421 total votes cast for commis- sioner candidates. Bensel trailed closely behind with 143 votes, 33.97 percent.

Anne Higgins was elimi- nated from the commissioner race after the primary, re- ceiving 107 votes, or 25.42 percent.

Walla Walla County

Commissioner

The first-term Walla Wal- la County Commissioner Perry Dozier was re-elected to Seat 2 last Tuesday night over Chris Blackman. Dozier earned 6,750 votes, or 63.34 percent, and Blackman earned 3,906 votes, or 36.66 percent.

Dozier had been at the Walla Walla County Court- house to hear the results with his family Tuesday night.

"I'm pretty happy," Dozier said after he found out the good news. "I'm very ap- preciative to be able to get the votes to continue another term."

In the Primary Election last August, just about 320 votes made the difference in the Walla Walla County Commissioners' race for seat 2 between candidates Frank Brown and Chris Black- man. But, it was enough to give Blackman the edge to compete against Dozier in the General Election. Dozier came out on top in August as well with 1,323 votes, or 53.3 percent.

Dozier is a wheat farmer who lives in Waitsburg, and Blackman is a school teacher who resides in Walla Walla.

Blackman was positive Tuesday after she learned the results and told the Times she enjoyed cam- paigning and doorbelling so much she intends to run for an elected position again in the future.

"It was a wonderful expe- rience," Blackman said. "It's something I look forward to doing again."

For Dozier, the work won't get easier any time soon. The county commissioners are working on finishing up the 2013 proposed budget and he is striving to make it balance.

Going into his second term, he said he'll have a close eye on the General Election results because that will im- pact the budget at the county level. But, he's just going to keep moving forward, no mat- ter who is elected.

"We're committed to keep- ing this county a very strong county," Dozier said.

District 16 Senate Seat Lifelong Waitsburg res- ident and Waitsburg City Councilman Scott Nettles was defeated last Tuesday night in the race for the District 16 State Senate Seat against long-term Senator Mike Hewitt from Walla Walla. Hewitt earned 17,919 votes, or 70.38 percent, and Nettles earned 7,540 votes, or 29.62 percent. In the August Primary, Nettles reaped in 4,495 votes in District 16 in the primaries, or 30.31 percent. Hewitt earned 10,333 votes, or 69.69 percent. Nettles at the time said he was "happily sur- prised" with the amount of votes he earned in the primary against the 12-year Senator from Walla Walla.

Perry Dozier

Prescott Parks and Recreation District Proposition 1 As of Tuesday night, the proposition to fund Prescott parks and the pool for another year surpassed the required supermajority. Be- tween voters in Columbia and Walla Walla counties, 137 voted yes for the pool, or 67 percent, and 67 voted no, or 32 percent. Walla Walla County staff members will next count bal- lots on Nov. 8 and the election will be certified on Nov. 27. The Times will publish the full election results in the Nov. 15 issue.

Columbia County Commissioner Position 1 Columbia County commissioner District 1 Position 1 incumbent Dwight Robanske ran unopposed and will continue his position as a commissioner.

District 16 State Representative Legislative District 16 Position 2 state representative incumbent Terry Nealey ran unopposed and will continue his position as representative. Nealey, who has lived in Day- ton since 1976, has been at the helm of the district since 2009. The votes in Columbia County will next be tabulated next on Nov. 9 and the elec- tion will be certified on Nov. 27. In the governor's race, Jay Inslee is leading with 841,140 votes, or 51.39 percent. Rob McKenna earned 795,715 votes, or 48.61 percent.