Counties have certified election returns for the 2011 General Election, with results from 1.94 million ballots. Secretary of State Sam Reed and Gov. Chris Gregoire will certify the election next Monday.

The state enjoyed a better-than-expected “turnout” of 52.95 percent, or 6 percentage points higher than forecast for the off-year election with no statewide contests such as governor, U.S. senator or president on the ballot.  Secretary Reed said Wednesday he was pleased with the turnout:

 

“This was our first statewide election conducted completely by mail, and there was a flurry of interest in our statewide ballot measures, including Tim Eyman’s initiative dealing with tolls and light rail and the Costco-sponsored liquor privatization proposal.  There was record spending on the liquor measure, including saturation advertising, and lots of people were talking about it.”

Eyman’s I-1125 was defeated 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent, with a margin of defeat of about 120,000, primarily in King County.  The liquor measure, I-1183, passed handily, 58.7 percent to 41.3 percent, carrying most counties.  A third initiative, I-1163, sponsored by Service Employees International Union, to require training of homecare workers, was even more popular, passing 65-35 and carrying all 39 counties.

San Juan County had the highest turnout, almost 70 percent (69.55 percent). Other counties also broke 60 percent, including Columbia, Garfield, Island, Jefferson, Lincoln, Pacific, and Pend Oreille. Others were close.  King had 52.11 percent, Spokane 56.5 and Snohomish 52.1.