SEATTLE (AP) — A campaign to set a $15 minimum wage in the city of SeaTac is poised for
victory.KingCounty officials are expected to certify the election Tuesday aftercounting some straggling
votes that likely won’t change the outcome. Themeasure involving workers in and around Seattle-Tacoma
InternationalAirport has steadily expanded its lead in recent days and held a 77-voteadvantage after
Monday’s vote count.Gary Smith, a spokesman foropposition group Common Sense SeaTac, said the campaign
hasn’t made afinal decision about whether to seek a recount."Our feeling stillis that, in the
scheme of things, this is a very close race — and thepublic is clearly is divided on it," Smith
said.Washington has the nation’s highest state minimum wage at $9.19 an hour; the federal minimum wage
is $7.25 an hour.Thecampaign for the SeaTac measure drew some $1.8 million in spending inthe small city,
with national labor groups supporting the effort andnational business groups opposing it.Supporters
gained ground inrecent days as both campaigns combed through a county list of ballotswith signature
issues. Some of the ballots were rehabbed by havingvoters send affidavits back to election officials to
verify theiridentity.Heather Weiner, a spokeswoman for the campaign tosupport the initiative, said
voters can be difficult to reach since somework multiple jobs.Smith said the opposition campaign
hadexpected the supporters would gain ground during the ballot-rehabprocess. Weiner said many of the
people casting ballots in favor of theminimum wage hike were first-time voters or immigrant voters who
may notbe as familiar with the mail-in ballot process.Proponents havesaid the plan in SeaTac will
support the local economy and particularlyhelp thousands of workers who could use the money. Opponents
expressedconcern about the impacts on businesses and the cost of enforcing themeasure.Copyright 2013 The
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