Emily Fitzgerald / For Nisqually Valley News
The Thurston County Auditor’s Office swore nearly 70 local elected officials into office on Tuesday as the Thurston County Canvassing Board certified the Nov. 4 general election.
One race, between Port of Olympia Commissioner District 2 candidates Bob Iyall and Jerry Toompas, required a machine recount before the results were finalized.
State law requires a machine recount if the vote difference is less than 2,000 votes and percentage difference is less than .50%.
In this race, the total vote difference between the candidates was 190 and the percentage difference was .24%, according to the Thurston County Auditor’s Office.
Prior to the recount, the results show challenger Toompas leading incumbent Iyall.
The recount started at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. The results of the recount will be certified at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5.
Aside from that Port of Olympia race, all official results for the Nov. 4 election in Thurston County can be found online at https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20251104/thurston/.
Elected officials were invited to a ceremony hosted by the Thurston County Auditor’s Office at South Puget Sound Community College on Tuesday to be formally sworn into office.
“Local government has the greatest impact on our daily lives,” Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said to a crowd of current and former elected officials gathered for Tuesday’s ceremony.
“Our responsibility is to listen to all voices, seek common ground and to make decisions that serve the public good.”
Reciting a poem by his grandfather, state Supreme Court Justice Steven González spoke to the elected officials about the importance of informed voting decisions, and of considering other points of view.
“I urge you to listen to one another, to strive for civility in that conversation,” González said.
Rabbi Seth Goldstein of the Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia provided the invocation.
“As you work together on the councils and commissions of this county, may you both be firm in your convictions and humble in your opinions. May you listen and learn from one another and see compromise as a sign of strength. May you treat each other and those you serve with respect and compassion. And may we all work together to bring blessing to this place that we call home,” Goldstein said.
