EMS levy wins approval

Although there may be a handful of votes left to count, the outcome of this year’s Mukilteo races is over.

In unofficial results, Proposition 1, a proposal to return Mukilteo’s EMS Levy to the $0.50 rate that voters passed in 2010 has won approval, winning about 55% of the vote.

Proponents pointed out that levy rates have steadily fallen over the years as property values have increased. That has limited the fire department to roughly the same amount of revenue, plus the 1% annual increase allowed under state law. The levy rate has fallen to $0.27 since its 2010 approval.

They noted that 78% of all emergency calls in Mukilteo are EMS-related. It’s the most used program the department offers when it comes to emergency services.

In other contests, voters elected Mayor Joe Marine to another term in a close race with Councilmember Steve Schmalz. Marine currently leads with just over 51% of the vote to Schmalz who garnered just under 49%. Out of 6,657 votes counted so far, Marine leads Schmalz 3,398 to 3,232.

In three City Council races, voters picked two former councilmembers and a newcomer.

Former Mayor and Councilmember Don Doran had the easy win, running unopposed for Council Position 3.

Former Councilmember Bob Champion is returning as well, winning 58% of the vote for Council Position 1 over Ilona Van Duser, who garnered about 42%.

And rookie James Sterba took Council Position 2 over Carolyn “Dode” Carlson, 55% to 45%.

In evidence of an apathetic community, three candidates for other Mukilteo offices ran unopposed. They are:

Jeff Clarke, who won a seat for Commissioner Position 1 in the Mukilteo Water/Wastewater District;

Karl Hausmann, winning a Mukilteo School District board of directors seat in District 2;

Charles Hauck, who was reelected to his District 4 seat in the Mukilteo School District.

Turnout in the City of Mukilteo: Out of 15,151 registered voters, turnout was 44.78%.

In the Mukilteo School District, which encompasses all of Mukilteo as well as unincorporated areas of Picnic Point and South Everett, there are 60,693 registered voters; turnout was 31.02%.

In all of Snohomish County, there are 541,442 registered voters. Overall turnout was just under 35%.