As ballots continue to trickle in, a rural Eastern Washington legislative race has become a razor-thin contest between Mesa rancher Steve Hailey and Colfax farmer Joe Schmick.
Late Thursday night, Hailey had 3,668 votes to Schmick’s 3,644, a lead of just 24 votes out of more than 11,000 GOP ballots counted so far. The two were the leaders among four Republicans running to replace 9th Legislative District Rep. Don Cox, R-Colfax.
Hailey’s polling best in Adams, Franklin and Garfield counties. Schmick’s stronghold is Whitman County.
The numbers will change again this afternoon, when the district’s six counties will tally the next batch of ballots. Washington, unlike many states, counts ballots so long as they’re postmarked by the election day.
The usual signoff: stay tuned...

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