CHIMACUM — One candidate for the Chimacum School Board District 3 seat has clearly won a spot on the November general election ballot while two candidates are in a tight heat to be decided Friday.
Kristina Mayer, 66, received 53 percent of the vote with a total of 1,160 votes of the overall 2,159 primary election votes counted Tuesday night.
“I was obviously pleased that I would be advancing forward, and that I can keep working on the campaign and hopefully be successful in November,” said Mayer, who is the owner of KLMayer Consulting Group, LLC, in Chimacum.
“I have to keep my eye on the prize and the prize is to serve,” she said.
Candidates Gary Frogner, 66, and Steve Martin, 47, are in a tight race for the second spot on the general election ballot, with Frogner winning 422 (19.55 percent) votes and Martin getting 415 (19.22 percent) votes.
“I knew [Martin] before from his work in the little league and he actually coached my kid,” said Frogner, retired senior director of West Coast operations for Concurrent Technologies Corp., in Pennsylvania. “I think he or I would do a great job.
“All the candidates are qualified and dedicated for doing the best in our schools.”
The county will count more ballots in the election Friday and announce results by 4 p.m.
Candidates are vying to fill the seat being vacated by board chair Mike Gould, who did not run for reelection.
That count is expected to determine who will join Mayer on the Nov. 5 ballot. The vote will not be officially certified until Aug. 20.
“That was pretty surprising, being so close with [Frogner],” said Martin, the owner of NW Landworks, Inc., of Chimacum.
“I guess it’s up in the air until the next ballot count.
“[Frogner] is a good guy and if the vote stays with him, he would do a good job.”
Jeremy Perrott, a 21-year-old student, was eliminated with 7 percent of the votes.
“I was surprised how close Mr. Martin and Mr. Frogner were and by how much of a lead Mrs. Mayer had,” Perrott said.
“I think they’re all qualified candidates and Chimacum School District will do fine in their hands, regardless as to who wins the general election.”
The District 3 position will be replacing the current Chimacum School Board Chairman Mike Gould, who chose not to run for reelection.
Frogner and Martin were both surprised by the amount of voters who turned up for the primary.
Overall for the two measures on the Jefferson County ballot, there was a 30.5 percent voter turnout. Of the total 6, 798 votes, 122 were challenged and uncounted due to them having either no or an unreadable/questionable signature.
Voters who have a challenged ballot have until 4:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19 to resolve the challenge and have their vote count.
The Canvassing Board will meet at 12:30 p.m. Aug. 19 to review and decide on the challenged ballots, and will meet again the next day at 1 p.m. to certify the election.
This position is one of three for the Chimacum School Board that is on the November ballot. It was included on the primary ballot to cull down the general election contenders from four to two.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5 or at [email protected].
