PORT TOWNSEND — Despite early vote totals in Tuesday’s all-mail election that place incumbent Jefferson Healthcare Commissioner Charles “Chuck” Russell 719 votes behind his opponent, Kees Kolff, he has not conceded the race because of the numbers still outstanding.
“From what I can tell Kees won Port Townsend, but I’m hoping to pull ahead when votes from the county are tabulated,” he said Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, Russell, who is seeking a fourth six-year term, attended a hospital board meeting where he said that he remained optimistic that the totals would shift in his favor once all ballots are counted.
Betty Johnson, Jefferson County elections supervisor, said that the general election numbers could change.
“Nothing is impossible,” she said.
With 2,318 new ballots arriving Wednesday and others expected to arrive today, outcomes could change.
The next count of ballots — those postmarked Tuesday that come in the mail later in the week — is planned about noon Friday but Johnson said that could be moved to today.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office counted 10,148 ballots on Tuesday night for a voter turnout of 44.17 percent.
As of Wednesday, the office had received 12,485 votes out of 23,021 mailed, for a voter turnout of 54.2 percent.
That number reflects the lowest percentage of the last six off-year general elections in Jefferson County, according to a document on the Washington Secretary of State’s website.
After the first count on Tuesday, Kolff, 70, led the hospital commissioner race with 4,844 votes, or 53.77 percent, over Russell, 73, who earned 4,125 votes, or 45.79 percent.
“We’ve raised the attention of the community,” said Kolff on Tuesday night.
“We will need to support the physicians and the staff in ways that they can work efficiently and stay connected with the latest healthcare practices.”
Kolff said if the hospital can keep the current medical staff happy, it will help to recruit new medical personnel.
Russell, a Nordland resident, was hospitalized during the campaign after a Sept. 23 wreck on state Highway 104 in which a Bainbridge Island man was killed.
Karen Russell, Chuck Russell’s wife, said he suffered a broken arm and broken ribs. He was treated first at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and then at Jefferson Healthcare.
After Russell was injured, Kolff put a hold on campaigning, returning only after Russell affirmed he was still in the race.
“I did the best I could do, but would have done better if I hadn’t had the wreck,” Russell said.
“I feel much better now,” he said. “I’m still in pain but can wake up without screaming and crying.”
Kolff said that the wreck had no bearing on the election utcome.
Hospital Position 4 seat
Another hospital board incumbent, Mari Dressler, 69, could be returned to the Position 4 seat for a second term.
She was challenged by Paul Stafford, 48, owner of William James Bookseller in Port Townsend.
In early counts, Dressler earned 5,390 votes, 64.4 percent, over Stafford’s 2,955 votes, 35.3 percent for a vote margin of 2,435.
“I’m very pleased that the community has supported me during my six years in office,” Dressler said.
“I see us continuing in the same manner, making improvements and offering new services, hopefully keeping the community as healthy as we can.”
Port of Port Townsend
The lead in the Port of Port Townsend’s District 1 commissioner race could also shift if enough votes come in to erase Diana Talley’s 495-vote deficit, although Talley conceded the race Tuesday night.
“We really did change the conversation and a lot more people have taken an interest in the port,” Talley said of her campaign.
“The campaign has altered public perceptions about fiscal responsibility, transparency and environmental issues.”
Incumbent commissioner Steve Tucker earned 4,529 votes, or 52.89 percent, ahead of Talley’s 4,034 votes, or 47.11 percent.
Tucker is the former owner of Auto Works. Talley, who had never run for public office before, is the owner of Taku Marine.
Tucker, currently the longest serving member of the board and its chair, said that he will be more knowledgeable about issues during his second term than the first.
“I have a better idea about what we can do and what’s possible,” Tucker said Tuesday night.
“No one pops out of the womb knowing how to do this stuff.”
Clear leads
The two Port Townsend City Council races are not likely to change since each winner prevailed with more than 70 percent of the total vote in Tuesday’s count.
For Position 6, Boiler Room executive director Amy Smith, 33, garnered 2,015 votes, or 71.53 percent, well ahead of former downtown business owner Paul Rice, 33, who won 788 votes, or 27.97 percent for a 1,227-vote margin.
In the Position 7 race, attorney David Faber, 32, was ahead with 1,835 votes, or 71.48 percent, over Port of Port Townsend maintenance worker Travis Keena, 39, who had 717 votes, or 27.93 percent; a 1,118 vote margin.
Faber said that his first priorities will be to study transit and housing issues and move to provide services that are lacking in those areas.
Smith said she will spend much of her first months in the office learning about the job, but has said that providing low-income housing options is one of the primary community needs.
Unopposed for re-election were Position 3’s Deborah Stinson, 59, earning 2028 votes, or 98.4 percent, and Position 4’s Robert Gray, 67, who got 1,932 votes, or 97.87 percent, of the votes counted Tuesday.
Johnson said that the heaviest ballot return is traditionally Election Day along with the preceding Monday and following Wednesday.
Some ballots could come in on Thursday but would all need to be postmarked on or before Tuesday, Johnson said.
On Wednesday, Johnson and the auditor’s staff were opening and sorting new ballots with plans to enter them into the tabulation machine as soon as that task is completed.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
