No lead changes emerge from primary’s second unofficial count.

OKANOGAN – Unofficial results from Okanogan County’s August 2 Primary Election show Three Rivers Hospital’s (TRH) one-year property tax levy headed for approval by a comfortable margin in the early report of voting figures from the Okanogan County Auditor’s office.

The unofficial count of votes from 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 10, show the following results:

• The third annual TRH levy request (Public Hospital District No. 1) is passing in both Douglas and Okanogan counties, The wider margin is in Okanogan County where 2,488 votes (70 percent) approve and 1,140 (30 percent) oppose. The margin is much closer in Douglas County where 239 votes (50.42 percent) approve and 235 (49.58 percent) oppose. The Douglas County figures were last updated on August 2. The county’s next update is scheduled for August 16.

The levy will fund operations for the hospital’s emergency department through 2023. Like its two predecessors the new levy will raise 33 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. As an example, a home valued at $200,000 will contribute $66.

• Okanogan County Sheriff: Incumbent Anthony Hawley and challenger Paul Budrow lead the three-candidate field following the second unofficial vote count. Hawley has 4,466 votes (41.09 percent) to Budrow’s 4,144 (38.12 percent). Challenger Kevin Newport trails with 2,260 (20.79 percent).

• Okanogan County Commissioner, District 3: Tonasket Republican Lloyd Caton Jr. leads fellow Republican Jon Neal of Oroville. Caton has 1,560 (37.20 percent) to Neal’s 1,445 (34.46 percent). Both are running for the vacancy left by Jim DeTro who held the post fort 12 years but did not file for re-election.

• Okanogan County Coroner: Rojean (Jeannie) Hughes of Tonasket was the only candidate to file for the four-year term. Hughes received 83.59 percent of the vote compared to 16.41 percent for incumbent David Rodriguez who did not file for re-election but ran as a write-in candidate. Both will advance to the November general election.

Several offices were unopposed including:

• Assessor – Larry Gilman

• Auditor – Cari Hall

• Clerk – Susan Speiker

• Prosecuting attorney – Albert Lin

• Treasurer – Pam Johnson

• Superior Court judge – Robert Grim

• District Court judge – Charles Short

• Public Utility District, No. 1 – Chris Kroupa

The race for U.S. Congressional District 4, which includes Okanogan County along with Adams, Benton, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Klickitat, and Yakima counties, is close for the two top contenders, Republican incumbent Dan Newhouse, and Yakima Democrat Doug White. Newhouse has widened his lead from 140 votes in the first unofficial count to 404 in the August 10 count.

White leads Newhouse in both Okanogan and Douglas counties by 578 votes according to the combined figures from both counties but trails in the overall total.

With about 500 votes remaining the next count by the Okanogan County Auditor’s office was scheduled for August 15.

The top two candidates to emerge from their respective primary races advance to the general election ballot on Nov. 8.