Reynolds leading Wise in Enumclaw mayoral race

Incumbent John Wise and challenger Liz Reynolds waged one of the most contentious battles for mayor Enumclaw has seen in recent years and, when Tuesday’s first round of results were posted, the tally wasn’t even close.

Numbers released by the King County Election Department showed Reynolds with 1,129 votes or 68 percent of the total. Wise had tallied 531 votes or 32 percent.

Wise is concluding his second term in office and was hoping for a third. Reynolds is finishing her first four-year term on the City Council.

Reynolds said she was “numb” when first learning of the lopsided margin.

“I just kept saying ‘wow’ and I’m still saying it,” Reynolds said after leaving an Election Night gathering of boosters.

She wasn’t ready to declare victory but admitted things looked good.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed,” she said. “It’s very optimistic.”

In the only other city race, Sean Krebs was being elected to the Position 7 seat on the council. He had gathered 64 percent of the vote, compared with Cleet Christianson’s 36 percent.

Krebs previously served two terms on the council, but lost four years ago when he challenged Wise for the mayor’s seat.

Running unopposed were incumbent councilmen Kevin Mahelona and Mike Ennis, as was former councilman Glen Jensen.

In Black Diamond, Howard Botts and Rebecca Olness were locked in a tight battle for mayor. Botts, the longtime incumbent, had 299 votes, but Olness, a member of the City Council, was leading slightly with 302.

In the race for the Position 2 seat on the council, incumbent Geoff Bowie is being ousted by challenger Crain Goodwin. Goodwin had 66 percent of Tuesday night’s vote and Bowie had 34 percent.

In a race for a vacant seat, William Saas was defeating Jim Kuzaro 54 percent to 46 percent.

In Buckley, incumbent councilwoman Cristi Boyle Barrett was leading challenger Marvin Sundstrom in the council Position 2 race. Boyle Barrett had garnered 180 votes to Sundstrom’s 168.

In the race for Position 7, Mark McNally was leading Bryan Howard with 53 percent of the vote.

In the lone Carbonado race, Joseph King had 44 votes to Sandi Carlson’s 40. They were vying for the Position 1 seat on the City Council.

In races for the White River School Board, District 3 incumbent Denise Vogel had 62 percent of the vote, leading Kim Demarest; in the District 4 race, Cassandra Pearson had 62 percent of the vote, leading Joe Dieringer; in District 1, Michael Jansen was unopposed.