Lytton takes early lead

Tuesday's very preliminary vote count for the 3 counties included in the 40th district place Republican Mike Newman in second place, but Democrat Tom Pasma and Republican Dusty Gulleson are close on his heels. The vote count is so preliminary, Lytton could be displaced in the top-two primary.

The Secretary of State's Web site had a major problem which delayed the first vote counts.

Lytton took 27 percent of the 21,567 votes counted in Skagit, Whatcom and San Juan counties, with Newman taking 17 percent, Pasma 15 percent and Gulleson also at 15 percent, but a few votes shy of Pasma.

In the 40th District, Position 2 race, incumbent Jeff Morris, a Democrat, had 53 percent of the vote, with Republican Swapp with 40 percent and Green Party candidate Howard Pellett with 7 percent.

The next vote counts aren't expected until Wednesday afternoon.