Hawkins wins Chelan County Commissioner seat

Brad Hawkins

CHELAN COUNTY — State Senator Brad Hawkins has won the race for Chelan County Commissioner District 3, defeating challenger Flint Hartwig in a decisive victory. Latest results show Hawkins securing 64.8% of the vote (20,256 votes) compared to Hartwig's 34.3% (10,721 votes).

The latest margin makes Hawkins the presumptive winner of the seat, marking a transition from his current role in the State Senate to local government. Write-in candidates received 265 votes, representing less than 1% of the total ballots cast.

In District 1, incumbent Commissioner Kevin Overbay, running unopposed, was re-elected with 97.3% of the votes (23,239), with write-in candidates receiving 2.7% (633 votes).

"Thank you to my family and all of my supporters for their unwavering support throughout my campaign. I'm very grateful for such a positive result. Serving as our State Senator has been the privilege of my professional career, but I'm really looking forward to bringing my background and experiences to the county and focusing all of my efforts to help us here. Throughout my service, I've always worked hard to be collaborative, respect differences, treat people with kindness, and deliver results. I'll take this same approach as our next Chelan County Commissioner," Hawkins said in an email to Ward Media.

Hawkins will bring substantial legislative experience to the commission, having served as both a state representative and senator. He follows in the footsteps of his father, who previously served two terms as Chelan County Commissioner for the same district before retiring early to care for his ailing wife.

Hartwig, a business owner and real estate developer, has not responded to requests for comment on the election outcome.

The results represent the latest count from the Chelan County Elections Office, solidifying Hawkins' victory in one of the region's most significant local races this election cycle.