Ranked Choice Voting

Pierce County executive candidate Shawn Bunney (R-Bonney Lake) increased his vote totals across the board in the latest ranked choice vote tabulation completed Friday night, but still trails RCV leader Pat McCarthy (D-Tacoma) by just under 3400 votes out of nearly 300,000 cast.

With McCarthy and Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) splitting the Democratic vote, 26-23 percent, Bunney, the sole Republican in the race, leads in first choice ballots with just over 35 percent of the vote.

After dropping independent Mike Lonergan from the competition, Bunney’s count shoots up to 41 percent, but after Goings is eliminated and his second-choice votes are distributed, McCarthy takes a 50.65 to 49.35 percent lead over Bunney.

A Wednesday night vote update from Pierce County elections shows Shawn Bunney (R-Bonney Lake) still leading the Pierce County executive race in the first round of voting.

Bunney currently has 35.2 percent of the vote, compared to 26.3 percent for Pat McCarthy (D-Tacoma), 23.2 percent for Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) and 15.2 percent for independent candidate Mike Longergan. 

What matters, though, is the ranked choice results. At the last count from a week ago, Bunney was ahead after round one but with Lonergan and then Goings eliminated and their secondary votes re-distributed, McCarthy was the first to break the 50 percent barrier. 

Pierce County will run the ranked choice votes again on Friday, November 14. Bunney has received a slightly higher percentage of late breaking votes. Tomorrow will help to show if it is enough for him to overtake McCarthy.

Pierce County Councilman Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) was part of the first batch of candidates to experience Pierce County's new ranked choice voting system, and now that results are in he has his doubts.

Goings, who appears headed for a second round dismissal from the RCV rolls, worries that the Democrats will wind up unfairly out in the cold after all the rankings are done.

Below is an excerpt from a letter he sent to supporters Monday morning.

With just under 100,000 votes counted in the Pierce County executive race, Pat McCarthy (D-Tacoma) appears to be headed to victory.

The election, which is using ranked choice voting for the first time in county history, showed Shawn Bunney (R-Bonney Lake) leading after the first round of votes with 32 percent, but after Mike Loner an (I-Tacoma) and Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) were eliminated within the RCV rules, and their second place votes disbursed , McCarthy took a 55-45 lead over Bunney.

All of this is subject to change as more votes are counted.

Pierce County Councilmember Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) added yet another endorsement to his list of backers. The campaign announced today that the 25th Legislative District Democrats, from Puyallup, Fife, Milton and Edgewood, issued a sole endorsement to Goings at their monthly meeting last week.

"The 25th Democrats are proud to give our sole endorsement to Calvin Goings. His leadership in the private sector and his hands on experience dealing with the key issues facing Pierce County are critical to our future," said Lauren Adler, Chair of the 25th District Democrats.