EVERETT, Wash. — The race for Everett mayor has come down to the wire, with Cassie Franklin holding a narrow lead over Scott Murphy as initial election results were released Tuesday night.

The contest between incumbent Franklin and challenger Murphy has been among the most closely watched in western Washington, following an August primary decided by just 65 votes .

If Franklin prevails, it would mark a third term for the former nonprofit CEO, who has overseen Everett’s response to the city’s long-standing budget deficit and efforts to expand shelter capacity. Murphy, a former city council member and businessman, centered his campaign on public safety, fiscal restraint and addressing the city’s “retail exodus.”

The winner will inherit a city still wrestling with financial and soc

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