Mallahan gains on McGinn in latest ballot count

Joe Mallahan was gaining on Mike McGinn in the latest returns just released this afternoon in the race for Seattle mayor.

With about 20,000 more votes tallied by King County Elections in the mayor's race, McGinn was leading by 462.

In Tuesday night's results, McGinn had led by 910 votes of 85,081 votes counted in the mayor's race.

While Mallahan joked about a recount at his Election Night party, McGinn supporters, gathered for their candidate's celebration at a Capitol Hill bar, passed out cellphones and began calling undecided voters.

The McGinn campaign posted volunteers in five QFC parking lots around town to collect last-minute ballots and drive them to a post office open for late-night drop-offs. Campaign volunteer Aaron Pickus said they delivered 200 ballots to the post office just before midnight Tuesday.

Those ballots would not have been among those counted today. McGinn was not available for comment this afternoon. He didn't answer his cellphone, and Pickus said he was taking a break from the campaign to spend time with his family.

Mallahan, speaking at a campaign office at 14th and Yesler, punched the new numbers into his Blackberry.

"We're hopeful," he said. "Given only 20,000 counted, I'm very pleased we halved the gap."

McGinn, 49, is an attorney and former leader of the local Sierra Club branch. He quit his job three years ago to start a public-interest nonprofit called Great City.

Mallahan, 47, a T-mobile vice president, was virtually unknown in political circles when he entered the race six months ago. He contributed $230,000 to his campaign.

After he and McGinn defeated incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels in the primary, unions, business leaders and firefighters put their support behind Mallahan, pouring thousands into his campaign.

McGinn ran a low-budget, volunteer-driven campaign.

The next results will be released Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com. Staff reporter Jim Brunner contributed to this report.