Official vote count secures Putnam’s dual nomination
A count of all write-in and absentee ballots from the May 19 primary election by the Washington County canvass board confirmed political newcomer Scott Putnam will most likely be the next mayor of Washington.
Putnam won the Democratic nomination in the primary and also received 110 votes as a Republican write-in candidate, according to the elections office, while Davis had 92 write-in votes. A write-in candidate needed at least 100 votes to secure the Republican nomination.
Putnam said he plans to keep busy in the months leading up to the general election this fall.
”I think the next seven months are just going to be doing as much homework as I can and learning the inner workings of the city government and just making sure I’m ready to hit the ground running,” he said.
Putnam said he wants to work with police Chief Chris Luppino to learn more about the police department’s operations, and he also plans to review the existing budget and other city contracts.
If Davis had received just 19 more votes on the Republican ballot, the pair would have been preparing to square off again in the general election.
Davis said she still has big plans for the city in the coming months, but she bemoaned the loss of her first re-election campaign.
”There’s no way to sugarcoat it,” she said. “The city of Washington got the good old boys’ network back.”
Battling for one of two seats on City Council, former mayor and current Councilman Ken Westcott “garnered sufficient write-ins to be qualified” on the Democratic ballot in the general election, said Washington County elections director Larry Spahr.
Westcott received 159 write-in votes, while David Gatling had 115 votes.
Monda Williams, who was running unopposed on the Democratic ticket, received the other Democratic nomination with 672 votes in the primary election. Georgia Ballentyne, who also was unopposed on the Republican ticket, received the nomination with 182 votes.
Councilman Terry Faust said he is considering running as an independent in the general election.
Spahr noted any election results can be challenged up to five days after they are officially signed.