(The Center Square) – The Washington State Republican Party is officially challenging the results of the primary results in the race for state lands commissioner.
The Office of the Secretary of State certified results of a hand recount on Wednesday, giving King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove a 49-vote edge over Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson for the second-place finish in last month’s primary to face former Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler in the Nov. 5 general election.
That followed all 39 counties conducting a hand recount of primary ballots following the initial machine count that maintained Upthegrove’s razor-thin margin.
Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh texted The Center Square a copy of the Thursday afternoon filing in Snohomish County Superior Court challenging King County’s method of curing ballots ahead of the initial certification of ballots from the primary.
Curing of ballots involves party officials contacting voters whose ballots were rejected for signature issues or other ballot irregularities.