Prepaid postage, a crowded U.S. Senate race and female and first-time candidates were a few things to watch in the Aug. 7 primary election results, the first wave of which was posted at 8:04 p.m. Tuesday.

Washington votes by mail and ballots can be postmarked as late as Election Day, meaning results could change in the following days. Washington also uses a top-two primary; all candidates run on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation and the top two finishers advance to the general election.

About 316,460 ballots were counted and 30,318 still needed to be processed in King County as of Tuesday’s results. On Wednesday, 361,707 ballots were counted, with 40,525 in the queue.

Incumbents, Democrats and women did well in initial returns.

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell drew 28 challengers, and received 66.67 percent of the vote in King County. She will face Republican Susan Hutchison, who received 19.61 percent, in the Nov. 6 general election. Statewide, Cantwell received 55.26 percent of the vote as of Aug. 8, and Hutchison tallied 23.94 percent.

In the 1st Congressional District, Democrat and incumbent Suzan DelBene was leading her challengers, receiving 60.21 percent of the vote. She will face Republican Jeffrey Beeler, who received 25.06 percent, in the general election, while Robert Mair, Adam Pilskog and Scott Stafne will exit the race.

On the legislative side, Republican Dale Fonk signed up to challenge incumbent and Democrat Manka Dhingra for state senator in the 45th District and received 36.17 percent of the vote to Dhingra’s 63.83 percent. Also in the 45th, Democrat Larry Springer was leading Republican Amber Krabach 67.77 percent to 32.23 percent for state representative, Position 2, while Democrat Roger Goodman was leading Republican Michael Curtis 67.69 percent to 32.31 percent for Position 1.

Democrat Sen. Patty Kuderer is running to retain her seat in the 48th District after being appointed to the Senate last year. She was challenged by Democrat and former state senator Rodney Tom and Independent Bill Hirt. Kuderer was leading with 59.26 percent, followed by Tom with 29.82 percent and Hirt with 10.92 percent.

The outcome of those two senate races in the general election could help determine the balance of power in Olympia. Dhingra’s victory over Jinyoung Englund last year gave Democrats a one-vote majority in that chamber. Tom said that he will not caucus with Democrats and instead form an “independent centrist caucus,” if he wins.

Also in the 48th, Democrat and former Bellevue City Council member Vandana Slatter ran unopposed for state representative, Position 1, while Democrats Cindi Bright and Amy Walen, the current mayor of Kirkland, faced off for Position 2. Walen was leading 77.16 percent to 22.84 percent, according to initial results.

Rep. Derek Stanford is running to retain Position 1 in the 1st Legislative District, and received 70.33 percent of the vote, followed by Republican Josh Colver with 22.86 percent and Colin McMahon with 6.81 percent. Also in the 1st, Libertarian Matt Seymour and Republican Debra Blodgett signed up to run against Position 2 incumbent and Democrat Rep. Shelley Kloba. Kloba was leading with 66.4 percent of the vote, to Blodgett’s 28.2 percent and Seymour’s 5.4 percent.

King County Prop. 1, a property tax levy for automated fingerprint identification system services, was passing, receiving 56.09 percent of the vote.

See www.kingcounty.gov/elections for more results. King County Elections will post updates at 4:30 p.m. each week day until the final certified results are posted on Aug. 21.