Franklin Connection - Serving Franklin County, WA

PASCO - A current Franklin County commissioner was dominating a former commissioner in the race for the District No. 3 seat after the first day of counting in the Tuesday, Aug. 2, primary election.

Incumbent Commission Chairman Clint Didier of Eltopia held a 294-vote lead over former commissioner Rick Miller at the end of counting Tuesday.

Didier received 1,986 votes, or 53.63%, to Miller's 1,692, or 45.69%.

Both Didier and Miller are headed to the Nov. 8 general election.

Sheriff's race

Meanwhile, in the race for Franklin County Sheriff, incumbent Jim D. Raymond is dominating challenger Chris Turner.

At the end of counting Tuesday, Raymond had 6,004 votes, or 70.93%. Turner was a distant second with 2,396 votes, or 28.3%.

Both will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

Franklin County still could have thousands of ballots to count. Election officials mailed 42,659 ballots to registered voters; only 9,700 were returned and counted, so far.

Late-arriving ballots postmarked by Tuesday, Aug. 2, will continue to be counted, with final primary election results scheduled to be certified Aug. 16.