Friday’s updated voting results shape up two key Bellingham, Whatcom races
Social-justice activist Kristina Michele Martens held her lead over financial adviser Russ Whidbee and is the apparent winner in the race for the Bellingham City Council at-large seat after a third day of results in Washington state’s vote-by-mail election.
Ballot results released Thursday, Nov. 4, showed Martens leading Whidbee by 53% to 47% and more than 1,600 votes. On Friday afternoon, Nov. 5, with fewer than 100 ballots left to count, her lead held 53% to 46%.
“I’m still catching my breath about the entire campaign season,” Martens told The Bellingham Herald in a text message after Thursday’s results were released.
“I would say that I am truly honored to have had so many people believe that I am the person who will bring about the changes they deserve and are so desperate for,” she said. “We need people in office who want to figure out the root of why all of our systems are failing us, not to just keep throwing money at the problem. Americans deserve politicians who are willing to hear and respect diverse opinions and recognize that at the heart of all of these issues is the systemic racism that this country was founded on and start working to correct. So that liberty and justice is for everyone, not just those with enough money or the ‘correct’ skin color.”
Whidbee led by 51% to 48% after the first results were released on election night, but Martens took a 51% to 49% lead after Wednesday’s results.
“I’m on a roller-coaster,” Whidbee told The Bellingham Herald on Thursday afternoon before the results were released.
“It’s flipping and flopping back and forth. We’re all biting our fingernails,” he said.
Whidbee said he was “humbled” by supporters who made it a close race.
In the Aug. 2 primary, Martens had 55% of the vote to Whidbee’s 32%. Tonia Boze was third with 13% and failed to qualify for the general election in the “top two” primary.
Martens raised $66,600 for her campaign, more than any other City Council candidate, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Whidbee raised $40,102.
The late ballot returns didn’t change other top races in Whatcom County.
In another closely watched race, Whatcom County Councilman Barry Buchanan of Bellingham apparently has won a third four-year term for one of two at-large seats over Kamal Bhachu of Blaine.
“Kamal called (and) graciously congratulated me,” Buchanan told The Herald in a text message. “We talked about the things you learn and experience during a campaign and we are meeting for coffee next week. (It was a) great conversation.”
Buchanan led by 54% to 46%, a margin of nearly 6,000 votes, after Friday’s count.
Although the council is nonpartisan, political ideology often plays a role during election time and can make a difference in certain countywide issues.
Buchanan, who is serving as council chairman, was elected to the council in 2013 and re-elected in 2017.
Buchanan and Bachu were the top two finishers among four candidates in the Aug. 3 primary.
An updated ballot count is scheduled for around 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, according to the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. Final results will be certified Nov. 23.
Whatcom County had 156,982 registered voters through 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, with 76,221 ballots had been returned and accepted, a rate of 49%, according to the state Secretary of State’s Office.
This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 5:09 PM.
