The Islands’ Sounder newspaper calls Paulsen winner of 2nd district County Council race

With somewhere in the range of 2,100 to 3,000 ballots expected left to be counted in the coming days — depending on how many ballots arrive in the U.S. Mail — Islands’ Sounder’s editor Colleen Smith Summers has called the 2nd district County Council race for Justin Paulsen.

Paulsen’s lead of 53 percent to Rick Hughes‘ 47 percent has held constant through two batches of returns — some 9,100 votes already counted.

SanJuans.Today/CNL2 analysis indicates a highly unlikely swing of 13 percent of the outstanding votes would need to go to Hughes and against Paulsen. There is no reason known to expect such a sharp charge in the remaining ballots.