PORT TOWNSEND — Republican Jon Cooke and Democrat Greg Brotherton appear to be destined to spar in the November election for the Jefferson County commissioner District 3 seat in the first count of top-two primary ballots tonight.
They were among the four running for the seat now held by Democrat Kathleen Kler, who did not seek reelection. The top-two vote-getters in the primary will advance to the Nov. 6 general election.
Also, voters approved the $7.95 million Chimacum School District capital improvement levy, with 2,504 votes, or 57.68 percent, in favor, and 1,837, or 42.32 percent, opposed.
Tonight, 11,783 ballots were counted out of 25,109 provided to registered voters out for a 46.93 percent voter turnout.
More ballots will be counted by 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Cooke, chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, won 1,382 votes, or 37.45 percent, in the first round of ballot counting, while Brotherton of Quilcene, won 1,265 votes, or 34.28 percent.
Ryan McAllister, a Democrat, won 702 votes, or 19.02 percent, and Craig Durgan, who had filed as a Democrat, took 341 votes, or 9.24 percent.
The Chimacum School District levy will be used for the school district’s capital projects fund to make improvements to facilities, technology and safety. Passage requires a 50 percent plus one majority.
Beginning in 2019 and running through 2024, the estimated levy rate per $1,000 in assessed value will begin at $0.677 and decrease to $0.614. Each year the levy amount will be $1.325 million.
Some of the items on the district’s repair list include roofing the primary school, replacing flooring — including the multi-purpose room gym floor — renovating building exteriors, making upgrades to the HVAC systems, and improving the electrical and lighting systems.
Technology upgrades — including laptops, servers and communications systems — also are part of the plan.
In the primary for the 6th District congressional seat held by four-term incumbent Derek Kilmer, a Port Angeles native, Kilmer, a Democrat living in Gig Harbor, was on his way to the general election along with Republican Douglas Dightman of Shelton.
Districtwide, Kilmer had 73,604 votes, or 64.18 percent, to Dightman’s 37,161 votes or 32.04 percent.
Progressive Party candidate Tyler Myles Vega of Tacoma came in third with 3,912 votes, or 3.41 percent, districtwide.
In Jefferson County, Kilmer won 7,867 votes or 68.87 percent, while Dightman won 2,924 votes,or 25.6 percent.
In Clallam County, Kilmer won 11,074 votes, or 59.22 percent, while Dightman won 7,114 votes, or 38.04 percent.
Partisan races appeared on the primary ballot no matter how many candidates had filed for the seat. The races also will be on the general election ballot.
Challenger James M. Kennedy won more votes than incumbent Michael Haas for the county prosecuting attorney’s position. Kennedy has 5,220 votes, or 55.44 percent, to Haas’ 4,195 votes, or 44.66 percent.
Another challenger, Joe Nole, won more votes — by a large margin — than incumbent David Stanko for the county sheriff position. Nole, a Democrat, won 6.822 votes, or 61.8 percent, to Stanko’s 4,216 votes, or 38.2 percent. Stanko filed with no party preference.
Both races will be on the general election ballot.
Four-term incumbent 24th District state Rep. Steve Tharinger of Sequim, the Position 2 Democrat, had 21,804 votes, or 59.97 percent, to the 14,553 votes, or 40.03 percent, won by former Clallam County Commissioner Jim McEntire of Sequim, a Republican, districtwide in tonight’s initial count.
In Jefferson County, the totals were 7,802 votes, or 70.12 percent for Tharinger and 3,324 votes, or 29.88 percent, for McEntire.
In Clallam County, totals were 10,484 votes, or 56.28 percent, for Tharinger and 8,143 votes, or 43.72 percent, for McEntire.
One-term incumbent 24th District state Rep. Mike Chapman of Port Angeles, the Position 1 Democrat, had 22,585 votes, or 61.48 percent, compared to Republican challenger Jodi Wilke of Port Townsend, who had 14,150 votes, or 38.52 percent districtwide.
In Jefferson County, the totals were 7,914 votes, or 70.13 percent, for Chapman and 3,396 votes, or 29.87 percent, for Wilke.
In Clallam County, totals were 11,090 votes, or 59.16 percent, for Chapman and 7,656 votes, or 40.84 percent, for Wilke.
The 24th District includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and the northern half of Grays Harbor County.
Positions 1 and 2 are two-year seats.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell of Seattle, seeking her fourth six-year term, faced 28 candidates in the primary, including four other Democrats and 13 Republicans.
Cantwell took 570,120 votes, or 55.74 percent, to her closest challenger, Republican Susan Hutchison’s 244,925 votes, or 23.83 percent, in the initial count.
In Jefferson County, the totals were 7,410 votes, or 65.73 percent, for Cantwell, and 2,194 votes, or 19.46 percent, for Hutchison.
In Clallam County, the totals were 9,732, or 52.76 percent, for Cantwell while Hutchison won 5,209 votes, or 28.24 percent.
