Sheatler wins Democratic write-in vote for controller’s race
Sparks rematch against Phillips, who defeated her in Republican primary
Heather Sheatler is getting another bite at the apple.
The acting controller in Washington County, who lost last week’s Republican primary to Pat Phillips, received enough write-in votes from Democrats to force a rematch in the fall.
Sheatler received 1,215 write-in votes in the Democratic primary on May 20 – well above the 250 she needed to get on the ballot for the November general election – out of more than 1,800 write-ins cast in that party’s uncontested race for controller.
But Sheatler ran as a Republican in the primary and finished behind Phillips, who received 3,982 votes compared to her 3,532. Fellow Republican candidates Brenda Davis and Tony Jacob DeLost finished a distant third and fourth, respectively.
That means the controller’s race will be competitive for the Nov. 4 election with Phillips running on the Republican ticket and Sheatler representing the Democrats. Sheatler has served as the county’s acting controller since Oct. 1 after April Sloane, who was elected controller in 2021, pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty charges and agreed to resign from her row office position in September.
Meanwhile, Washington County Sheriff Tony Andronas, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, also secured the uncontested Democratic nomination after receiving 352 write-in votes. However, Washington County Recorder of Deeds Carrie Perrell, who also ran uncontested for reelection in the Republican primary, only received 123 write-in votes from Democrats – below the 250 vote threshold – although she still won’t have a challenger in the general election.
The county’s elections staff counted write-in votes for countywide races Tuesday and moved on to local government and school board races Wednesday with the expectation that that process would be completed by Thursday.
The primary election results are expected to be certified by the Washington County elections board next week.