PORT ANGELES — Incumbent Phyllis Bernard led Ken Simpson in a non-partisan race for the District 3 seat on the Clallam Public Utility District’s board after initial results from Tuesday voting.
John Purvis, who ran unopposed for the District 2 position, received 99 percent of the vote (16,462 votes).
Bernard, 70, received 52.7 percent of the vote (11,994 votes). She was appointed by the board in April after the death of former PUD commissioner Jim Waddell, whose six-year unexpired term was up for election this year.
Bernard said she was greeted with a spontaneous round of applause when she arrived at the West End Business Association meeting in Forks on Wednesday morning after the election.
She said she felt the response was a recognition of her frequent visits to the area over the summer, and she intended to continue traveling there and advocating for communities on the West End.
“Many people had not seen their PUD commissioner before,” said Bernard, who also serves as an Olympic Medical Center Hospital District commissioner-at-large. “If there is a problem or an issue, I want to walk around and see it in person.”
Simpson, 59, received 47 percent of the vote (10,694 votes). He said he was still hopeful about the outcome and noted there were still 12,000 uncounted ballots.
“It’s a little early and obviously we’re down a little bit,” said Simpson, the president of Angeles Electric. “We’re waiting to see where things are at 5 o’clock (Wednesday, when updated numbers are announced).”
Simpson is the son of former Clallam PUD commissioner Ted Simpson. He was a candidate for Waddell’s seat when Bernard was chosen to fill out the remainder of Waddell’s unexpired term.
Purvis was appointed commissioner in April 2023 to fill the open seat left by Rick Paschall when he resigned from the board. Purvis stepped down as Clallam PUD’s assistant general manager to join the board. Paschall’s six-year unexpired term was up for election this year.
Ken Simpson.
