Voter turnout high in Columbia County

DAYTON—53.54-percent of all registered voters in Columbia County turned out for the August 4 primary election. 1,451 ballots have been counted, with 173 left to count.

Preliminary results show Marty Hall leading the incumbent Mike Talbott in the two-way race for county commissioner in District 2. Hall received 337 votes, and Talbott received 123 votes.

There were 24 write-in votes for county commissioner in District 1. The sole candidate, Ryan Rundell, will advance to the November General Election. Rundell was appointed to the board to fill the remainder of Norm Passmore’s term, which will expire at the end of the year. He is seeking his first four-year term.

Vic Bottomly was knocked out of the three-way race, with Scott Marinella and Brooke Burns, for Superior Court Judge in Asotin, Garfield, and Columbia Counties.

Marinella garnered the most votes in the multi-county race, with 974 votes. Burns received 291 votes.

Since ballots will continue to come in over the next several days, the election will be certified August 18.