Gov. Chris Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed have certified the returns for the November midterm election, which drew a near-record 71.24 percent across Washington.

The turnout came close to the all-time record for a midterm, 71.85 percent in 1970.  Reed, the state’s chief elections officer, praised the electorate for being so “engaged and enthused” at such a pivotal time in history.  Nearly 2.6 million ballots were tallied — a record for a midterm election.  Three counties broke the 80 percent mark — Columbia (84.79),  Jefferson (81.57) and San Juan (80.84), with other counties close behind.

About 99 percent of the vote was conducted by mail. About 29,000 Pierce County voters went to polling places.

Four successful ballot measures took effect with Thursday’s certification of the election: Initiative 1107, rolling back the tax on soda pop, candy and bottled water; I-1053, initiative activist Tim Eyman’s measure to re-impose a two-thirds requirement in both houses to raise taxes in Olympia; SJR8225, dealing with calculation of state bond debt; and HJR4220, reforming bail provisions for some cases.  The latter measure, a response to the slaying of four Lakewood police officers one year ago, passed by 85 percent, possibly a record for a ballot measure’s approval.

Five other ballot measures failed, including dueling initiatives to privatize state liquor sales, authorizing private carriers to offer workers’ compensation insurance coverage, adopting an income tax on high wage-earners, and creating an energy retrofit program for schools and other public buildings.

Also certified were congressional, legislative, and judicial races embracing more than one county.  Six counties are currently completing work on recounts, including three very close legislative races.  The respective counties will certify the final results.

In the hotly contested U.S. Senate race, Democratic incumbent Patty Murray defeated Republican challenger Dino Rossi by nearly 119,000 votes, by nearly 5 percentage points. In the closest U.S. House race, 2nd District incumbent Rick Larsen, a Democrat, edged Republican challenger John Koster by 6,519 votes, or about 51-49 percent.

In a high-profile Supreme Court race, Justice Richard Sanders was edged out of office by challenger Charlie Wiggins by about 13,000 votes, a margin of less than seven-tenths of 1 percent.

In legislative races, presuming recounts do not reverse the edge now held by Republican candidates, the Senate has gone from a 31-18 Democratic edge to a slimmer 27-22 Democratic majority.   House Democrats dropped from a 61-37 majority to a 56-42 edge.