SEATTLE (AP) - Dan Satterberg, a career prosecutor named to the high-visibility post of King County prosecutor after Norm Maleng died last spring, maintained a lead late Tuesday night against a challenge from one of his deputies, Bill Sherman.

The faceoff was one of scores of local races as Washington voters picked mayors, county officials, port commissioners and school board members.

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, 36, a Democrat viewed as a future candidate for governor, appeared to be breezing to re-election. His opponent was Republican Jack Turk, 50, a businessman and magician who performs as "Turk the Magic Genie."

House Speaker Pro Tem John Lovick, a retired Washington State Patrol sergeant, had a narrow lead in the race for Snohomish County sheriff over sheriff's Chief Tom Greene.

And in Spokane, City Councilwoman Mary Verner was leading the appointed incumbent mayor, Dennis Hession. Hession was appointed when Mayor Jim West was recalled after being embroiled in a sex scandal.

Satterberg led Sherman in the King County prosecutor's race, 54 percent to 46 percent.

The prosecutor's office is a partisan position, although Maleng managed successfully for years to project a nonpartisan image.

Sherman said he would follow that lead in running the office if he won, but also said he would direct more resources at environmental crimes and gun-law violations.

Satterberg, who was Maleng's chief of staff for 17 years and has been interim prosecutor since his death, said he, too, would maintain the political independence of the office. He said that if elected, he would push for a county charter change to make it officially nonpartisan.

In the Snohomish County executive race, Reardon was leading Tate with better than 65 percent of the vote.

Tate agreed to be drafted as a candidate by the county Republican Party after Sheriff Rick Bart unexpectedly dropped out of the race.

Reardon emphasized his fiscal conservatism. In his four years in office, the county has not raised the general property tax rate, and Reardon has proposed a 1 percent rollback in taxes in 2008.

Turk said he would emphasize transportation and economic development.

In the Snohomish County sheriff's race, Lovick had a lead of just 560 votes - 50.2 percent to 49.5 percent - in early returns.

Greene argued the job shouldn't be left to an outsider who he said would need to spend his first term learning how to be sheriff.

But Lovick said he believes it's time for new blood at the sheriff's office, which he said needs major changes.

In the Spokane mayoral contest, Verner was leading Hession 54 percent to 46 percent.

Hession portrayed himself as a seasoned executive who can make tough choices even when they're unpopular. Verner described herself as a strong leader who welcomes public debate.

The two clashed over topics including gambling in Spokane, and penalties for overbilling of the city by an ambulance company.

In Thurston County, voters were asked to approve a 0.3 percent sales tax hike. The measure would raise the tax from 8.4 cents to 8.7 cents per $1 spent in the county. It was being rejected 66 percent to 34 percent in early returns.

Of the $10 million to $12 million raised annually by the proposed tax increase, about two-thirds would go toward early childhood intervention programs. The rest would go to public safety and criminal justice projects.

King County residents voted on a six-year, $630 million funding package for Medic One and other emergency medical services. It was passing 80.9 percent to 19.1 percent late Tuesday night.

The levy would replace the current levy that will expire Dec. 31.

The measure seeks 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, meaning the owner of a $450,000 home would pay about $135 a year. Under the expiring levy, that same homeowner is paying about $93 this year.

King County voters also were asked to take the first step toward having an elected director of elections.

Management of the county elections office became an issue after its sloppy handling of ballots in Gov. Christine Gregoire's narrow victory three years ago.

If voters approved Initiative 25 on Tuesday's ballot, they would vote again in November 2008 on an amendment to the county charter that would put elections in the hands of an elected, rather than an appointed, official.

The first election of an elections director would be in February 2009.

The measure was passing late Tuesday, 59.8 percent to 40.2 percent.

Currently, the elections director is appointed by the county executive.

Supporters say the elections system would be improved by having a director who is directly accountable to the voters.

Opponents said the charter amendment would undermine the professionalism of the elections office.