Jefferson County voters supporting school district measures, fire lid lifts

Published 8:50 pm Tuesday, February 10, 2026

PORT TOWNSEND — A bond, two levy lid lifts and a replacement levy all appeared to be successful for Port Townsend and Brinnon school districts and for East Jefferson Fire Rescue.

While results will not be certified until Feb. 20, unofficial returns showed wide margins of support for each measure.

Port Townsend

The Port Townsend School District’s 20-year, $99.25 million construction and renovation bond was passing with 70.31 percent of voters — 4,222 ballots — in favor and 29.69 percent, or 1,783 ballots, opposed. A total of 6,005 votes had been counted on the measure as of Wednesday. It needed at least a 60 percent supermajority to pass.

Of 13 school bonds statewide on Tuesday’s special election ballot, seven were on track to pass. Port Townsend’s bond was showing the widest margin of support among them, according to a D.A. Davidson results-tracking document.

“We are so grateful that the community recognized the need for our students and approved the proposed plan for the high school campus refresh that includes a new home for OCEAN,” Superintendent Linda Rosenbury said. “This is going to mean that students for decades to come will have access to more modern, safer, accessible learning environments.”

If certified, the bond would fund construction improvements and additions to the Port Townsend High School campus and renovation of the Gael Stuart building to serve as the new OCEAN K-12 school.

Planned upgrades include redesigning the high school campus to create single, controlled entry points and reduce unsecured access; seismic retrofits or replacements to meet modern safety standards; upgrades to aging HVAC systems, insulation and windows; and improvements to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The measure also would relocate OCEAN K-12 from its temporary facility and move district offices.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for our school district to really create a space that is purpose-built for our alternative learning needs in our district,” OCEAN K-12 Principal Sarah Rubenstein said.

Brinnon

In the Brinnon School District, a two-year replacement Education, Programs & Operations levy was headed for approval with 72.65 percent in support — 255 votes — and 27.35 percent, or 96 votes, opposed. A total of 351 votes had been counted.

Superintendent Patricia Beathard said she expects that some ballots remain to be counted but views the results so far as a vote of confidence from the community.

“I appreciate that. That is them telling us that we’re doing good work,” she said. “We’re very thankful to our community for their support.”

If approved, the levy would authorize collection of $403,769 in 2027 and $427,309 in 2028, with an estimated tax rate of about $0.78 per $1,000 of assessed property value in both years. The funding would support teaching, school supplies, student activities, transportation, and facility maintenance and operations, replacing a levy set to expire this year.

“Our child nutrition program is not fully funded, so (the levy) allows us to continue to provide hot meals for our kids every day,” Beathard said. “We’re not fully funded for positions like custodial or maintenance or the kitchen support or classroom support, so it funds things like that for us.”

The funds also would pay for field trips and required flood insurance in Brinnon, she added.

East Jefferson Fire Rescue

East Jefferson Fire Rescue voters were approving two levy lid lifts.

“We’re incredibly thankful for the support of the community, every day as well as (Tuesday), for supporting these two financial steps that we needed to take to keep up with the cost of running fire service,” said Robert Wittenberg, EJFR’s community risk manager.

If certified, the levy lid lifts would allow for ongoing training as well as equipment maintenance and replacement in order to maintain current service levels, Wittenberg said.

Proposition 1, which would increase the regular levy rate from $1.24 to $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed property value, was passing with 75.05 percent support — 7,392 votes — compared with 24.95 percent, or 2,457 votes, opposed. A total of 9,849 votes had been counted.

Proposition 2, an emergency services levy lid lift increasing the rate from $0.48 to $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, was ahead with 78.17 percent support — 7,665 votes — to 21.83 percent, or 2,140 votes, opposed. A total of 9,805 votes had been counted.

Wittenberg noted that 85 percent to 90 percent of EJFR’s calls are for emergency medical services.

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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.