Politics
Nafisa Fai Edges Ahead in Washington County Chair Race as Thousands of Ballots Remain Uncounted
One week after Election Day, Commissioner Nafisa Fai has taken a 363-vote lead over Commissioner Pam Treece in the race for Washington County Chair, a contest that could make Fai the first person of color to lead the county's board. Thousands of challenged ballots remain uncounted, and results won't be certified until Nov. 30.
One week after Election Day, the contest for Washington County Commission Chair has flipped, with Commissioner Nafisa Fai edging ahead of fellow Commissioner Pam Treece by a razor-thin margin.
Results released Nov. 10 show Fai with 49.6% of the vote to Treece's 49.45% â a difference of just 363 votes. It is the first time the tally has shown Fai in the lead; initial returns on Election Day had Treece ahead with 51% to Fai's 48%.
If the current results hold, Fai would become the first person of color to lead the county's board of commissioners.
The county was not originally scheduled to release new numbers Tuesday but chose to do so "in recognition of the public interest surrounding several close races." Officials cautioned that the count does not include thousands of ballots challenged over signature issues, a verification process that can take several weeks. The next update is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday, and the results will not be certified as official until Nov. 30.
In the race for the commission's District 4 seat, Hillsboro City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair holds a narrow lead over former Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway, with 50.7% to Callaway's 48.5%.
The close county races come amid a broader wave of victories for a coalition of progressive candidates aligned with Fai, Sinclair and the Washington County Democratic Party. That bloc swept races for the Hillsboro City Council and notched wins in Tigard, Forest Grove and Tualatin.
Campaigns for the progressives, including Sinclair and Fai, were fueled by opposition to data centers and the tax breaks tech companies have historically received to build them in Washington County â a set of concerns that appears to have resonated with voters across the county.