With presidential nominees for both Democrats and Republicans already seemingly settled, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump won Washington’s March 12 primary by a landslide as Grays Harbor voters backed each candidate with a slightly wider margin than the state results.
In Grays Harbor, 88% of Democrats voted for Biden to appear on the November general election ballot, compared to 86% statewide, while Trump won 79% of the Harbor’s Republican vote with 74% statewide.
The Washington primary pushed Trump over the threshold of delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination. Four other candidates who appeared on the ballot already dropped out of the race, most recently former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who ended her campaign last week, and received 22% of the Washington vote and 17% in Grays Harbor.
Biden reached the delegate threshold earlier on Tuesday after winning a primary in Georgia. Two other candidates, U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, who ended his campaign last week, and author Marianne Williamson received between 3% and 4% of the Democratic vote in Grays Harbor.
An “uncommitted delegates” option also appeared on the Democratic ballot. The Associated Press reported the uncommitted vote was a protest by activists and religious leaders in Washington who say Biden hasn’t done enough to stop Israel’s war against Hamas. The uncommitted vote received 7.5% statewide and 3.5% in Grays Harbor.
A little more than 11,150 ballots were counted as of Tuesday evening in Grays Harbor County — about a 23% turnout. The Grays Harbor County Auditor’s Office estimates 3,200 ballots are still left to count, which would lift turnout close to 30%.
The primary ballot required voters to pick a party preference by voting either in the Democratic or Republican primary race. As of Tuesday, the auditor’s office had tabulated 6,516 Republican ballots and 4,625 Democrat ballots.
Results of a second ballot count are expected to be released Thursday afternoon, according to the auditor’s office.
Contact reporter Clayton Franke at 406-552-3917 or clayton.franke@thedailyworld.com.
