As it embarks on what could be the most significant period of growth and development in its 10 year history, the City of Sammamish looks set to welcome a few new personalities onto its seven member council.

At The Reporter’s deadline after latest ballot figures were received from King County Elections at 4.30 p.m., Wednesday, it was still too early to say for sure but it looks like one long-time councilor, Jack Barry, will lose his position to first time candidate Tom Odell.

It appears that Odell’s solid campaigning will pay off. The retired Boeing director with 57.97 percent (3897) leads the incumbent Barry, who has 41.86 percent (2814).

Incumbent Mayor and 10 year councilor Don Gerend looks secure in position No. 5. He has 69.02 percent (4559), ahead of first time candidate Michael Rutt, who has 30.73 percent (2030).

There will be those who will count this loss as still some victory for the outsider Rutt, against one of the most established elected officials in the city.

Rutt’s was a campaign waged on ideology, and he will have made many friends in this, his first campaign.

Perhaps the biggest upset of the election might be the victory of former local television personality and serial fundraiser John Curley. With 53.95 percent (3744) of the counted ballots he leads the experienced Tom Vance, a city insider and current chair of the Planning Commission, who has 45.92 percent (3187).

Curley’s campaign was always going to be one based on the charm of the rogue. And it appears the Vance has been hurt by his association with a planning commission blamed for slow going on the Town Center and other developments.

In probably the most evenly matched race, second-time candidate John James leads the race for position No. 1 with 57.15 percent (3817), over Erica Tiliacos, with 42.6 percent (2845).

Tiliacos, a member of the Planning Commission, and James, a chairman of the Sammamish Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, are both well connected in the city, and their race was among the hardest to pick. James no doubt benefitted from his previous campaign experiences, when he narrowly lost to Nancy Whitten in 2007.

As of Wednesday evening, 7471 ballots or 28.48 percent, of the total 26230 ballots mailed out to registered voters had been counted. According to the latest figures, King County Elections were expecting ballots from 55 percent of registered voters in King County, outside Seattle. For Sammamish this means about 14,400 ballots.