“The Island County Canvassing Board meets today to certify the 2000 election, which produced only one major change locally. Except for 10th District Rep. Dave Anderson, all incumbents retained their seats.As of Tuesday morning, the Auditor’s Office had only 100 votes still to count. Loann Gullick, elections officer, said the Canvassing Board will have to deal with only about 60 absentee ballots that were either postmarked too late or were not signed. Only the board can decide to throw out the ballots. Board members will include Auditor Suzanne Sinclair, Commissioner Bill Thorn and Prosecutor Greg Banks.Once the election is certified locally the final results will be sent to the Secretary of State’s office, which has until Dec. 10 to certify the statewide election. Island County will likely have to participate in the recount in the razor-close U.S. Senate race between Slade Gorton and Maria Cantwell. In local races, 10th District Rep. Dave Anderson, D-Clinton, was ousted by his Republican challenger, Barry Sehlin, R-Oak Harbor. In Island County Sehlin received 15,509 votes to 14,093 for Anderson. District-wide, Sehlin led 26,594 to 24,396.In the other 10th District House race, incumbent Republican Kelly Barlean of Langley received 29,986 district-wide votes to easily beat Democrat John McCoy, who received 10,486 votes.For State Senate, incumbent Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, held off a spirited challenge by political newcomer Norma Smith, R-Clinton. Haugen won in both Island County and district-wide, but the margin was narrow. In Island County Haugen received15,494 votes to 14,879 for Smith, while district-wide the difference was 27,360 to 24,783.Island County Commissioner Mike Shelton, R-Langley, won re-election, garnering 18,385 votes to 10,441 for William Rowlands, D-Clinton. On North Whidbey, incumbent Republican Mac McDowell beat his challenger, Lynne Wilcox, 14,647 to 13,221.Voter turnout in Island County was very high as 83 percent of registered voters cast a ballot. The Auditor’s Office counted approximately 33,300 ballots. “