Girmay Zahilay very slightly extended his lead Wednesday over Claudia Balducci in the race to be the next King County executive, and the first new elected leader the county has had in 16 years.

Zahilay led with 50.6% of the vote after Wednesday’s tallies, compared with 48.2% to Balducci.

On election night, Zahilay had led 50.1% to 48.4%.

Ballots will continue to be counted in the coming days.

The results bring Zahilay a step closer to becoming the first immigrant and refugee to lead Washington’s largest county — and the nation’s 12th largest — at a time when the federal government under President Donald Trump has shown nearly unprecedented enmity toward immigrants and refugees.

“When I’ve been at people’s doors or on the phone or at events in front of our constituents, what I’m hearin

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