Incoming Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols takes the oath of office from Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand on Tuesday at the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles. — Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News

Incoming Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols takes the oath of office from Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand on Tuesday at the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles. — Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News

Clallam Charter Review Commission race to go to a recount after election certification

PORT ANGELES — A machine recount will be scheduled for the race between Ted Miller and Jerry Sinn for a spot on Clallam County’s 15-member Charter Review Commission.

All other results in both Clallam and Jefferson counties remained unchanged from earlier counts when the Nov. 4 general election was certified Tuesday.

Mark Nichols was sworn in Tuesday as Clallam County prosecuting attorney, while in Jefferson County, Dave Stanko was sworn in as sheriff, Stacie Hoskins as treasurer and Jeff Chapman as assessor.

All were sworn in to fill unexpired terms.

In Clallam County, Nichols will be sworn in for a four-year term, along with other elected officials — excluding Charter Review Commission members and Sheriff Bill Benedict — by Superior Court Judge Chris Melly at 9 a.m. Dec. 30 and begin serving Jan. 2.

Charter review panel members will be sworn in at their first meeting. Benedict will be sworn in Jan. 7.

Stanko, Hoskins and Chapman will be sworn in for full four-year terms at 9 a.m. Jan. 2 in Jefferson County Superior Court, 1820 Jefferson St., along with other elected officials.

The race between Miller and Sinn for a District 1 seat on the Charter Review commission has come down to less than 1 half of one percent, which triggers an automatic machine recount, Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand said Tuesday.

Miller came in fifth with 3,386 votes or 8.73 percent, while Sinn was in sixth place with 3,357 votes or 8.66 percent.

The top five vote-getters from each of the three county districts will be seated on the Charter Review Commission, which will begin examining the county’s charter — its constitution — in January.

The date of the machine recount of the close charter review panel race will be decided by the canvassing board, which consists of Rosand, county Commissioner Mike Chapman and Kristina Nelson-Gross, civil deputy prosecuting attorney.

William Payne, former prosecuting attorney, appointed Nelson-Gross to serve on the canvassing board because he was running a campaign.

Candidates will be notified of the recount date when it is set, Rosand said.

The final ballot count in Clallam County was 29,172 ballots out of 46,915 issued to registered voters, for a voter turnout of 62.18 percent.

In Jefferson County, the voter turnout was 70.56 percent with 16,135 ballots out of 22,867 issued.

The top five candidates from each of the three county districts will be seated on the Charter Review Commission.

Nichols, who served as chief deputy prosecutor Deb Kelly, former prosecuting attorney, took over from Payne, who was appointed to the position in January after Kelly resigned.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman is expected to certify final statewide results on Dec. 2.

________

Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.

Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant contributed to this story.

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