It is humbling and most satisfying to see the voters choose for change in leadership at City Hall and the Port. For an incumbent to get less than 40% of the vote is a mandate for change. Ginny and Mark are getting less than 30%.

Ginny is gone. Her hopes for a better showing in the rest of the county are forlorn. If she cannot carry her district, she is out of there. Jim Jorgensen is an outstandingly qualified person for Port Commissioner. The other three candidates have already given their support to him. The powers that be behind Port politics have also quietly moved to back Jim. Ginny is out in the wind. Gone.

The mayor's race is different. Expect a lot of money to go into the general campaign. The conservatives - the BIA, the Republicans, the right side - have failed in every attempt to elect a mayor for over twenty years. This time they have a good candidate. And they have the support of many of us Independents, Libertarians and progressive Liberals. Foster may or may not support Brett, but those who voted for him will chose for themselves. Estimates from political operatives last night see 30% to 50% of Foster's votes going to Brett. Of course the vast majority of Russ Weston's supporters will vote for Brett. The feeling is even some of Sharon Crozier's votes will go to Brett. With that, we have a 50-50 race for mayor.

Even Terry Borneman is in trouble. If Sheri Ward wins the primary - and we may not know until Sep 26 - then Terry has a problem. Sheri is an activist who knows the issues and is supported by the very Liberals who supported Terry four years ago. Sheri can count on the conservative vote because she is a fiscal conservative. If Don Hansey wins the primary, then Terry can probably win. Don is way too far to the right for Bellingham. But - Terry has only 43% of the vote at this stage in the counting. For a Liberal incumbent from the Liberal 5th Ward of Bellingham, that says voters do not approve of his first four years. The rest of Bellingham is not as Liberal. With a good opponent, he will be turned out of office.