Early Saturday morning, over 100 election workers gathered at the Pierce County Elections Center to initiate a hand recount of what has become one of the closest primary election races in Washington state history. The recount is a response to an exceptionally tight margin in the race for Commissioner of Public Lands, where Democrat Dave Upthegrove leads Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson by just 51 votes.
The hand recount employs a ‘batch audit’ process, where teams of two seasonal election workers unseal batches of approximately 250 completed ballots. They sort the ballots by candidate and count the number of votes each received. Each tally is verified by both workers, and when their counts align, a full-time elections staff member conducts a final triple-check to ensure accuracy.
Inside a secure area of the elections center, gloved workers quietly sorted through thousands of ballots, the room filled with the sound of paper being flipped and shuffled. Observers and staff moved around the space, maintaining a watchful eye over the recount process.
Linda Farmer, the county auditor, explained the meticulous nature of the recount, highlighting Washington’s status as a voter intent state. This means that election staff refer to guidelines from the Secretary of State’s office to determine the voter’s intended choice, even in cases where ballots may be marked ambiguously.
Members of the public are encouraged to observe the recount, which is taking place at the elections building located at 2501 S. 35th St. in Tacoma. Each candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands is permitted to appoint two observers, alongside representatives from each political party and the League of Women Voters, which represents Independent voters.
Farmer also addressed past security concerns following a suspicious package incident last November that led to an evacuation of the elections office. Fortunately, the package was later identified as containing baking soda. This year, she reported no security issues have arisen during the recount.
The recount is part of a statewide effort triggered by the razor-thin margin between the second and third place candidates in the Commissioner of Public Lands race. The second-place finisher will advance to face Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler in the general election on November 5, under Washington’s primary system, which allows the top two vote-getters to proceed regardless of party affiliation.
This recount marks the first statewide primary recount in Washington since 1960, with Pierce County set to recount all 213,192 ballots cast on August 6. Teams began the process on Saturday and will continue their work next week, with expectations to complete the recount by Monday, according to Derrick Nunnally, communications manager for the Pierce County Auditor’s Office. Other counties in the region are scheduled to commence their recounts next week, as the state closely monitors the historic election outcome.