Recount Confirms Razor-Close Results in Benton Commissioner Race

When the margin is 1 percent or less, there's an automatic recount.

Bill Jenkin edges past Barry Bush in Commissioner's race 

Following a recount and certification day in Benton County, as well as the rest of the state,   the November opponents for Benton County Commissioner Seat -2- are set.

Bill Jenkin retained his razor-slim 33-vote win over Barry Bush in the race to see who challenges Michael Alvarez in November.

With Commissioner Shon Small not seeking re-election, three candidates emerged. Alvarez, Jenkin, and Bush.  After all the votes were tallied, Jenkin's 33-vote margin for second over Bush was subject to an automatic recount.

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After the recount was finished, the slim margin remained. Washington state's jungle primary advances the top 2 candidates in every race decided by voters--regardless of their party affiliation. Alvarez cruised to the number one spot with 7,559 votes or over 47 percent, while Jenkin tallied 4,145 to Bush's 4,112.

It's interesting to note there were 177 write-in candidate votes or 1.11 percent of the vote. These could have easily swung the election between Jenkin and Bush.

This was the second-closest voting race in recent memory in our region, the narrowest being the defeat of the Riverview School District levy in Finley earlier in February, where it was defeated by 11 votes. That levy was re-run in April and lost again by an even wider margin of 42 votes.