UPDATE: Duenkel surges into Auditor's race lead

2022 GENERAL ELECTION

Justin Johnson | Nov 10, 20220

Gordon Weeks

Incumbent Mason County Auditor Paddy McGuire, left, and challenger Steve Duenkel chat briefly Tuesday night in the ballot processing room while waiting for election results.

Gordon Weeks

Republican auditor candidate Steve Duenkel looks over election results at the county election office after Tuesday's 8 p.m. first count. Duenkel trails incumbent Democrat Paddy McGuire by 547 votes after the initial count. A second count was scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday after the Journal's print deadline.

WEB UPDATE: Steve Duenkel took a seven-vote lead in the Mason County auditor's race after Wednesday's second ballot count.

Wednesday's tally saw 3,630 additional votes counted in the race, allowing Duenkel to wipe out a 547-vote lead by incumbent Paddy McGuire's after Tuesday's initial count.

According to the Secretary of State's website, approximately 3,000 ballots remain to be counted.

McGuire leads first count

The closely watched and at times contentious race for Mason County auditor saw incumbent Democrat Paddy McGuire with a 547-vote lead over Republican challenger Steve Duenkel after Tuesday's first ballot count.

Of the 21,112 votes reported cast in the race, McGuire received 10,823 votes (51.26%) and Duenkel had 10,276 (48.67%). There were 13 write-in votes.

"There are still a lot of ballots to count," McGuire wrote in a Tuesday night email to the Journal. "I love my job and am pleased to have the support to be ahead."

The Secretary of State's election results website reported an estimated 4,390 ballots were left to count in Mason

County after Tuesday's initial count, which McGuire clarified was the number of ballots on hand that are uncounted. It didn't include ballots that remained in county drop boxes or those yet to be delivered to the Auditor's Office in the mail.

A second ballot count was scheduled for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, after the Shelton-Mason County Journal's press deadline. A story with updated results will be available today on the Journal's website, http://www.masoncounty.com.

In the Aug. 2 primary, McGuire led by 680 votes in the election night count before Duenkel cut that deficit in half during subsequent counts. McGuire ultimately prevailed by 308.

"I am encouraged by today's election results," Duenkel wrote in a Tuesday night email to the Journal. "It's possible the trend is similar to the primary. This race comes down to what the people of Mason County want.

"I trust God is in the middle of it all. Regardless of the outcome, He gets the glory. I am thankful for the opportunity to run for Mason County auditor and to the people who put their confidence in me."