Bellevue’s longtime city councilmembers held firm in the general election, but fill-ins Patsy Bonincontri and Mike Creighton appear to be out, according to results posted Thursday at the Reporter deadline.
Kevin Wallace lead Bonincontri 52 to 48 percent in the race for Position 4.
Bonincontri was appointed to the council after Connie Marshall stepped down last year. She was widely considered to be the swing vote when the council voted in February to recommend a light rail route along Bellevue Way and 112th Avenue Southeast.
A group of concerned residents and stakeholders met outside the council chambers after that vote and discussed backing someone to run against Bonincontri.
Wallace, a top executive from Bellevue-based Wallace Properties, has said he does not favor the preferred route along Bellevue Way and 112th Avenue Southeast. He also said a tunnel option through the heart of downtown would likely be financially unattainable, while a surface route there would be unacceptable.
Wallace is developing an East Link routing alternative that would run light rail along the abandoned BNSF rail line through South Bellevue and close to the I-405 expressway downtown.
In the three-way race for Position 7, Jennifer Robertson led the pack with 48 percent of the vote, as opposed to 40 percent for Creighton, and 12 percent for Betina Finley.
Creighton is a former mayor and council veteran filling in for the late Phil Noble, who died in June. Robertson is a past chair of the Bellevue Planning Commission and co-chair of the Bellevue Light Rail Best Practices Committee, while Finley serves on a parks steering committee and is chair of the Bellevue Arts Commission.
In the contest for Position 6, incumbent Don Davidson held a sizable lead, with 62 percent of the vote as opposed to 38 percent for challenger Michael Marchand.
Davidson has been with the council 22 of the last 25 years.
Another council fixture, Conrad Lee, appears to have held onto his position by defeating Planning Commission Chair Vicki Orrico 53 percent to 47 percent.
Orrico’s defeat was her second in two consecutive tries against Lee, who is finishing his fourth term with the council.
OTHER RACES
No changes are likely on the Bellevue School Board, as incumbent Paul D. Mills held a commanding lead over challenger Patti Mann for District 3.
Board President Chris Marks retained her spot another four years after running unopposed for District 5.
The biggest issue in that race was budget experience – the district is expecting another round of cuts next year after trimming $5 million from the budget in 2009 – and responsiveness to community concerns.
In the race for Port of Seattle Commissioner Position 3, Bellevue resident David Doud trailed Rob Holland 45 to 55 percent.
MEDINA CITY COUNCIL
Position 1
Katie Phelps: 57 percent
Pete Vall-Spinosa: 43 percent
Position 3
Doug Dicharry: unopposed winner
Position 5
Janie Lee: 57 percent
Roger Ngouenet: 43 percent
Position 7
Patrick Boyd: unopposed winner
NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL
Position 5
Rich Crispo: 64 percent
Karin Blakely: 35 percent
Position 6
Bill Erxleben: 64 percent
Kandy Schendel: 35 percent
Position 7
John D. Dulcich: 53 percent
Jean Garber: 47 percent.
