UPDATED: EMS levy appears headed for passage and candidate field is narrowed in primary election

With the two rounds of ballots counted from Tuesday's Primary election, East Pierce Fire and Rescue's EMS levy is well on its way to passage and the races for fire commissioner and Sumner city council are closer to being settled.

With two rounds of ballots counted from Tuesday’s Primary election, East Pierce Fire and Rescue’s EMS levy is well on its way to passage and the races for fire commissioner and Sumner city council are closer to being settled.

As of Wednesday night, the levy, which extends the fire district’s EMS levy capacity but is not a new tax, was cruising with 72.71 percent, collecting 9,078 votes to only 3,408 “no” votes.

The fire commissioner primary is a little tighter, but two of the candidates seem to be way out ahead of the pack. The race features three seated fire commissioners and one new candidate as the commission begins to contract to its normal size after years of expansion.

Due to the growth of the district in the past decade, the East Pierce Board of Commissioners has grown to 11 members – more than double the number prescribed by law (the board began the year with 12, but Commissioner Andrew Longstreth resigned this spring).

Leading after the first round of ballots is incumbent Ed Egan with 34.38 percent (3,402 votes) followed by newcomer Pat McElligott with 33.69 percent (3,334 votes). Rick Kilbourn sits in third (18.42 percent or 1,823 votes) followed by Victor Proulx (13.5 percent or 1,336 votes).

The only city council race on the primary ballot this week was in Sumner, where Councilmember Jon Swanson’s seat is up for election after he was appointed to the council earlier this year when Councilmember Matt Richardson was voted off the council for a series of unexcused absences.

So far Nancy Dumas is leading the three candidates for the position with 41.41 percent (653 votes) to Swanson’s 32.15 percent (507 votes).

It appears the two are headed for a November showdown as Richard Lawson collected only 26.44 percent (417 votes) in the three-way race.

Ballots continue to be counted with additional results to be released each day this week at 4 p.m. with certification set for Aug. 31

RESULTS UPDATED AS OF AUG. 17:

EMS:

YES: 72.71 percent or 9,078 votes

NO: 27.29 percent or 3,408 votes

FIRE COM:

Kilbourn 18.42 percent or 1,823 votes

Proulx 13.5 percent or 1,336 votes

McElligott 33.69 percent 3,334 votes

Egan 34.38 percent or 3,402 votes