By Dee Camp
Chronicle staff

     OKANOGAN - Patrick Plumb leads Joyce Fancher in the race for Tonasket mayor and incumbent Lee Webster is ahead of challenger David Smith in the contest for Brewster mayor, according to election night returns.
     Unofficial returns also show John Lomison and William A. Boosman running neck-and-neck for Twisp mayor.
     According to the Okanogan County Auditor's Office, 6,938 ballots were counted election night, Nov. 3, in all-mail balloting and reflect ballots returned by Nov. 2.
     That's a 34.12 percent turnout. An additional 2,222 ballots had been received but weren't included in the initial count, according to unofficial returns.
     Plumb, a former Tonasket councilman, garnered 120 votes, or 55.56 percent of the total, to Councilwoman Joyce Fancher's 96, or 44.44 percent.
     They are vying for the position being vacated by Patrick Walter, who chose not to run.
     In Brewster, Webster had 129 votes, 70.11 percent, and Smith received 55, 29.89 percent, in unofficial returns.
     Twisp voters are split, 106-106, on whether to name Lomison or Boosman to succeed Stephanie Hickman. She was defeated in the primary.
     Voters in Omak gave Nattalie Cariker a nearly two-to-one lead over Chris Thew in the race for longtime Councilwoman Donna Short's position. Short did not seek re-election.
     In election night returns, Cariker had 359 votes, 65.99 percent, to Thew's 185, 34.01 percent.
     On statewide ballot measures, Okanogan County voters took an opposite stand from voters statewide on Initiative 1033. In election night returns, county voters wanted to approve the Tim Eyman-sponsored tax limitation measure with 3,467 yes votes and 3,209 no votes.
     Statewide, the measure was failing in unofficial returns, with 428,354 voting yes and 533,476 voting no.
     Similarly, county voters went the opposite way on Referendum 71, concerning state-registered domestic partners. In unofficial returns, county voters cast 4,153 no votes to 2,545 yes votes.
     Statewide, the measure was passing on election night, with 506,936 yes votes to 484,567 no votes.
     Two local measures were on the ballot.
     Voters in Hospital District No. 4, North Valley, gave a $7.5 million bond issue request a 51.16 percent edge, with 1,062 yes votes. Another 1,014 voters said no in unofficial returns.
     Brewster voters said yes to a proposal to de-annex property from the city, with 100 saying yes and 69 voting no.
     Election night returns in other contested races:
     Brewster City Council, position No. 2 - John Scheller, 121; Mario Camacho, 63.
     Winthrop Town Council, position No. 2 - Joanne Uehara, 72; James Langdalen, 43.
     Omak School Board, position No. 1 - Wendell George, 778; Louella (Lou) Anderson, 609.
     Omak School Board, position No. 5 - Kathie Brown, 1,050; Cary L. Tonasket, 350.
     Curlew School Board, position No. 1 - Kim McElheran, 234; Jim Davidson, 176 (combined results from Okanogan and Ferry counties).
     Bridgeport School Board, position No. 5 - Tracy Zahn, 141; Stuart Dezellem, 89 (combined results from Okanogan and Douglas counties).
     Okanogan School Board, position No. 5 - Joyce Brummer, 275; Carla Spencer, 249.
     Brewster School Board, position No. 5 - Starr L. Hammons, 179; Edith E. Sattler (write-in candidate), 94.
     Chelan School Board, position No. 3 - Ken Brunner, 720; Mary Horlebein, 510 (combined results from Okanogan and Chelan counties).
     Republic School Board, position No. 1 - Ralph C. Ellingson, 704; Linette Richie, 264 (combined results from Okanogan and Ferry counties).
     Oroville School Board, position No. 5 - Timothy R. Whiteaker, 418; Casey Smith (write-in candidate), 71; Philip N. Barker (write-in candidate), 120.
     Fire District No. 8 (southeast reservation) - Larry Boyd, 19; Cris A. Kirchner, 15.
     Douglas-Okanogan Fire District No. 15 (Brewster, Bridgeport, Pateros, south Methow Valley) - Kyle Wilfong, 168; Timothy Baird, 103.