Hawkins maintains strong lead in county commissioner primary race

CHELAN – State Senator Brad Hawkins has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the primary race for Chelan County Commissioner District 3, securing a commanding lead that positions him strongly for the November 5 general election.

As of the latest count on August 9, with 22,630 countywide votes tallied and only an estimated 225 remaining, Hawkins leads the four-way field with an impressive 58.95% of the vote. Hartwig trails significantly with 873 votes, accounting for 15.33% of the total. This strong showing in the primary narrows the field to two candidates for the general election, where all Chelan County voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots.

Hawkins, who is vying for the seat being vacated by Chelan's Tiffany Gering, expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support. "I'm very grateful for the support of the District 3 voters," Hawkins stated. "People have been very encouraging since I announced my run for County Commissioner, and I'm so glad it has translated so positively in the nearly final vote count."

Looking ahead to the general election, Hawkins expressed his commitment to engaging with voters across the county. "As we take this campaign countywide, I look forward to continuing to connect with all communities in Chelan County to ensure that I am as prepared as possible for this position," he said.

Hawkins concluded with a promise of continued effort, stating, "I'm so thankful for the strong support that I received in this primary, and I'll be working hard to earn every vote I can in Chelan County as we look ahead to November's election."

Election officials anticipate the next ballot count to be released on August 20 at 2:30 p.m.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media.