Early election results for East Pierce County, including mayoral race and fire levy
Residents of East Pierce County got to vote on an East Pierce Fire & Rescue levy lid lift. They also chose candidates and incumbents running for mayoral, council and school board seats. Here are some of the results as of Tuesday, Nov. 2.
The next round of results will drop on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. About 17 percent of over 555,000 registered voters in Pierce County cast their ballot as of Tuesday evening. The county will certify results on Nov. 23.
East Pierce Fire & Rescue Proposition No. 1 - Multi-Year Levy Lid Lift
East Pierce Fire & Rescue Proposition No. 1 had 5,761 votes or about 48.1 percent of the vote.
This proposition would increase the regular fire levy by 14 cents, The News Tribune reported. Residents living in a median-priced home would pay $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value instead of $1.36.
Homeowners would pay $56.25 per month or $675 per year in property taxes if the levy passes. Homeowners currently pay $51 per month or $612 per year, The News Tribune reported.
The levy would also allow the fire district to increase their taxes up to 6 percent per year for the next three years, The News Tribune reported. Current state law limits districts to increase taxes by 1 percent per year.
The levy would help the fire district keep up with the increased demand for services as the population in East Pierce County grows. It would also help fund operational costs and maintain staffing, proponents told The News Tribune.
The levy failed after the August 2021 election. The Voters’ Pamphlet did not have a statement against the ballot measure.
Bonney Lake Mayor
Michael McCullough leads with 1,294 votes or 53.4 percent of the vote. Neil Johnson Jr. received 1,122 votes or about 46.3 percent of the vote.
“A lot of people around me are congratulating me,” McCullough said. “I’m still holding my breath.”
Johnson said he is “surprised” at the preliminary election results, but things happen. A lot of ballots still need to be counted, so there might be a rebound tomorrow, he said.
“It’s disappointing,” Johnson said. “I’ve been doing this for a while. I have the city in a good spot.”
McCullough is a public defender for the King County Department of Public Defense, The News Tribune reported. Previously, he worked at the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office. He settled in Bonney Lake in 2007.
Johnson has been the city’s mayor since 2006. He also works as a sales manager at Rotary Offset Press, a commercial printer based in Kent, The News Tribune reported. Previously, he was a city councilmember.
Results for other East Pierce County elections such as those in Eatonville, Orting, Milton and Sumner can be found on The News Tribune’s results page.
This story was originally published November 2, 2021 at 8:43 PM.
