Stamper, Smith, Dorey ahead in the polls after Primary Election

Preliminary voting results are in and, despite an anticipated low turnout for a Primary Election, several winners, some clear and some not-so-clear, have emerged among multiple hotly-contested races.

In the six-man tussle for Lewis County Commissioner, Silver Creek resident and White Pass Middle/High School Principal Gary Stamper led with 28.65 percent of voter support, while Chehalis resident Rich Bainbridge came in second with 19.64 percent. The other four contestants retained numbers in the tens and teens.

The race for Cowlitz County Commissioner, however, was far less definitive, though it is safe to say, as of the latest reports, challengers Mark Smith and Joe Gardner have edged out incumbent Jim Misner, both with around 27 percent to Misner's 24 percent.

And despite pointed rhetoric about frustrations with local property assessments, incumbent Lewis County Assessor Dianne Dorey is leading her opponents with 44.69 percent of votes, while county employee Candy Hallom is in second at 29.37 percent.

Meanwhile, a measure to approve a library levy in Castle Rock is passing with 65.73 percent support, and is intended to fund the city's public library through the end of 2015.

A breakdown of the most recent runoff results, as of press time on Monday, can be seen below:

US Congressional Representative, District 3

Jaime Herrera Beutler (R, Incumbent): 48.82%

Bob Dingethal (D, Challenger): 37.98%

Michael Delavar (R, Challenger): 13.2%

State Congressional Representative, District 19, Position 2

Brian Blake (D, Incumbent): 59.53%

Hugh Fleet (R, Challenger): 30.99%

James O'Hagan (I, Challenger): 9.49%

Lewis County Commissioner, Position 3

Gary Stamper (R, Challenger): 28.65%

Rich Bainbridge (R, Challenger): 19.64%

John Roe (R, Challenger): 15.49%

Michael Messmore (R, Challenger): 14.04%

Harry Bhagwandin (R, Challenger): 11.78%

Jerry Pratt (R, Challenger): 10.4%

Cowlitz County Commissioner, Position 3

Mark Smith (R, Challenger): 27.27%

Joe Gardner (I, Challenger): 27.06%

James Misner (I, Incumbent): 24.08%

Mike Kayser (D, Challenger): 21.36%

Lewis County Assessor

Dianne Dorey (R, Incumbent): 44.69%

Candy Hallom (R, Challenger): 29.37%

Martha Hunt (R, Challenger): 25.94%

Castle Rock Proposition 1 (Library Levy)

Yes: 65.73%

No: 34.27%

And in a possible preview of the November General Election, many partisan positions with only two candidates resulted in some definitive winners, who will have their names appear first on the General Election ballot. Overall, incumbents fared well, except for the office of Cowlitz County Prosecutor, where challenger Ryan Jurvakine is narrowly beating incumbent Sue Baur by 29 votes, or 0.16 percent, enough to automatically trigger a recount, according to state regulations.

State Congressional Representative, District 19, Position 1

Dean Takko (D, Incumbent): 70.96%

David A. Steenson (L, Challenger): 29.04%

Lewis County Sheriff

Rob Snaza (R, Challenger): 77.99%

Brian Green (I, Challenger): 22.01%

Cowlitz County Sheriff

Mark Nelson (D, Incumbent): 55.81%

Daren Ulman (I, Challenger): 43.83%

Cowlitz County Prosecutor

Ryan Jurvakine (I, Challenger): 49.89%

Sue Baur (D, Incumbent): 49.73%

Lewis County Auditor

Larry Grove (R, Incumbent): 70.05%

Jenifer Slemp (D, Challenger): 29.95%

These ballot results will remain unofficial until they are certified on Aug. 19, though Cowlitz County reports they have zero ballots left to county as of Monday, while Lewis County reportedly has 10 uncounted ballots left.