Fly-In Director Separated From Opponent By Only 0.5%

The annual Arlington Fly-In, held each July in that city in Washington state, is one of the most successful events of its type in the US. This fall, voters will get to decide whether fly-in Director Barb Tolbert should become the city's new mayor.

Current Mayor Margaret Larson is retiring after two terms. Six candidates filed to replace her. They faced off in a vote-by-mail election Tuesday to thin the field for a runoff this fall. The top two candidates emerging from the count are Tolbert, who also serves on the city's airport board, and City Councilman Steve Baker. The margin between them is very tight.

The Everett Herald reports Baker led Tolbert by less than a single percentage point, 29 to 28.5. The next closest candidate got 17 percent of the vote. Only about one-in-five residents of the city of 17,000 participated in the primary.

Barb feels good about her chances in November. She tells the paper, "I'm optimistic about this race. Steve Baker and I are separated by a very close margin. I look forward to getting out and talking again with the citizens of Arlington. Moving forward with the people of this city will be an honor."

FMI: www.snoco.org/elections/results/ecurrent.htm