PORT TOWNSEND — Three Jefferson County elected officials who were elected to fill unexpired terms during the Nov. 4 general election were sworn into office Tuesday just after the election was certified.
Sheriff Dave Stanko, Treasurer Stacie Hoskins and Assessor Jeff Chapman received the oath of office from Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper in a two-and-a-half minute ceremony that was laced with humor.
“I’m going to swear you in all at once,” Harper said.
“So when I say ‘I, state your name,’ you don’t want to repeat that exactly.”
The Jefferson County Canvassing Board certified the election results, which were unchanged from prior counts.
The final voter turnout was 70.56 percent with 16,135 ballots out of 22,867 issued.
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.
The new elected officials were sworn in to fill unexpired terms of those who had resigned — Assessor Jack Westerman, Treasurer Judi Morris and Sheriff Tony Hernandez.
Chapman, who was selected to fill the office in December, is the only one currently serving.
Hoskins and Stanko will immediately assume the duties of their new offices.
Stanko said his first act as sheriff will be to swear in Joe Nole, the department’s chief criminal deputy who was serving as interim sheriff since Hernandez resigned, into the undersheriff position that has been vacant since 2009.
Stanko has lined up former King County Sheriff Sue Rohr for a training session and has donated the department’s Hummer to the Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office.
Stanko said he also will restructure the patrol system so that a field supervisor is on duty at all times.
Stanko, 66, a retired lieutenant from the Fullerton, California Police Department, defeated Wendy Davis in the general election.
Both Hoskins, 44, and Chapman, 62, were unopposed.
Hoskins said she will spend her first weeks on the job familiarizing herself with the staff and procedures.
Since Morris resigned in June, Janet Holbrook has run the office.
She now will return to the deputy treasurer position.
Hoskins previously served as planning director in the Department of Community Development. That position is now unfilled.
Stanko, Hoskins and Chapman will be sworn in for the full four-year terms at 9 a.m. Jan. 2 in Jefferson County Superior Court at the county courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend, along with County Commissioner Kathleen Kler, Prosecuting Attorney Mike Haas, District Court Judge Jill Landes, Auditor Roseanne Carroll and Superior Court Clerk Ruth Gordon.
In Clallam County, 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, Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand said Tuesday.
Results for the District 1 seat on the charter review panel differed by less than 1 half of one percent, which triggers an automatic machine recount, Rosand said.
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.
All other results in Clallam County were unchanged.
Mark Nichols was sworn in Tuesday as Clallam County prosecuting attorney.
All other Clallam County elected officers, excluding Charter Review Commission members, will be sworn in by Superior Court Judge Chris Melly at 9 a.m. Dec. 30 and begin serving Jan. 2.
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.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
Reporter Arwyn Rice contributed to this story.