UPDATE: McDermott, McLaren both expand leads slightly against their challengers.

With nearly 28-percent of the results in, McDermott at 67-percent. Also, McLaren ahead of Sundquist, 51.5-percent vs. 48-percent.
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The just over 24-percent of the votes totaled, incumbent Joe McDermott is ahead of challenger Diana Toledo with a two to one margin in the King County Council District 8 race.

A big surprise to many, in West Seattle, retired school teacher Marty McLaren is ahead of incumbent Steve Sundquist by almost 2,000 votes for Seattle School Board District 6. The other three incumbents running for school board are ahead of their challengers.

Joe McDermott

Joe stood on a chair and thanked his supporters, and his family and partner, Michael Culpepper who attended the reception.

"The vote tonight shows a great confidence in the work I have done on the council," he told the West Seattle Herald. "I look forward to working on behalf of the entire Eighth Council District for a four year term. After the one year term last year I look forward working the full four years. I think I hit the ground running. I was invited to be a member of the four-member budget leadership team. We are bringing the (county) budget in front of the full council tomorrow. We're focusing on safety, housing, food, basic needs, and also making an investment in public defenders, knowing that they are underfunded."

"A very well deserved win," said King County Executive, Dow Constantine of McDermott. Constantine also attended the West 5 reception. Both live in West Seattle. "I think that Joe has been a great representative senator and County Council member. Part of what makes him really good is that he is from here, from his district. He knows his people and is really able to understand their needs. I look forward to working another four years with him."

Joe and Nette Mitter attended McDermott's reception. Joe Mitter chaired the 34th District Democrats right after Dow Constantine served, in the mid1990's. "Before he owned a home, he was our regular house sitter," Joe Mitter said of Joe McDermott. "We've been very good friends for a long time. Between Joe, and Dow before that, doing their series of elections, now we can settle down and let them focus and do their work."

Terri McDermott, Joe's mother said, "We are very proud of Joe. Joe's a good guy. Joe has a heart. And a lot of politicians don't. It really makes a difference."

"He got a lot of his political background from his mother, a history and social studies teacher at Blanchett," said Joe's father Jim. "He falls right in line with that. I think he's pretty down to earth."

"Joe's a stand-up guy," offered Jeff Upthegrove, Treasurer, 34th District. "He takes care of our district, and he dresses sharply. His shirt is always ironed. The 34th district is lucky to have Joe."

Marty McLaren

"I'm perhaps bemused," said McLaren at her reception. "I did not expect this outcome, or possible outcome. I was looking for at least two challengers to get on the board and didn't necessarily think I would be one of them. This is sobering. All I can think of is perhaps it is my experience as a teacher, and also the teachers lined up behind me. The Seattle Education Association endorsed me early in my campaign. I am not a bulldog but when I see something I'm usually able to name it.

"In the course of the campaign all of the incumbents have changed their position in talking about certain missteps in the past," she continued. "They were all defending certain decisions and now almost all have acknowledged making major mistakes along the way, so that will help. It's going to be an interesting process connecting with the other board members, and there is a lot of business to be dealt with. At least three incumbents did acknowledge that there are problems with the math curriculum."

Philip Schneider, a neighbor and friend for 18 years, said, "I'm so impressed with how Marty investigates an issue, and learns. She will do the research on various committees. She's just going to do so great in that job."

We wil update with new vote totals that are expected at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.