PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County election outcomes were unchanged after a third count of primary election votes today that determined voter turnout in Tuesday’s election to be a little more than 50 percent.
The Jefferson County Auditor counted an additional 80 ballots, bringing the total number of ballots returned to 11,539 out of 22,876 issued in Tuesday’s top-two primary.
That’s a voter turnout of 50.44 percent.
In the sheriff’s race, Wendy Davis, 47, of Port Ludlow and David Stanko, 66, of Cape George, will face off in the Nov. 4 general election, with candidate Ken Przygocki, 63, of Chimacum eliminated.
Davis won 4,413 votes, or 40.23 percent, while Stanko had 3,450 votes, or 31.45 percent. Both are Democrats.
Przygocki won 3,060 votes, or 27.90 percent. He had filed with no party preference.
Incumbent Tony Hernandez is not running for reelection.
Eight write-in votes were received in the primary elimination contest, which was countywide.
Voters countywide will choose between Kathleen Kler, 64, of Quilcene, and Daniel Toepper, 54, of Port Ludlow, for the Jefferson County commissioner District 3 race in the general election.
The primary race was among only the 7,497 registered voters of the district, 3,897 of whom returned ballots, for a 51.98 percent voter turnout.
Kler, a Democrat, won 1,645 votes, or 45.48 percent, and Toepper, who filed with no party preference, had 794 votes, or 21.95 percent.
Alexander Borgeson, 45, a Port Ludlow Independent, took 622 votes, or 17.20 percent.
Joe Baisch, 66, of Brinnon, who filed with no party preference, won 544 votes, or 15.04 percent.
Incumbent John Austin is not running for reelection.
Twelve write-in votes were received.
Kenneth Collins, 68, of Nordland, and Anthony F. (Tony) De Leo, 65, of Port Hadlock, will vie for the District 2 seat on the Jefferson County Public Utility District commission, with incumbent Ken A. McMillen, 81, of Port Hadlock, eliminated.
Only the 7,488 registered voters in District 2 were provided ballots in the primary contest. Of those, 3,737 were returned, for a voter turnout of 49.91 percent.
Collins garnered 1,413 votes, or 44.57 percent, while De Leo won 945 votes, or 29.81 percent.
McMillen won 794 votes, or 25.05 percent.
Eighteen write-in votes were received.
A levy for the Brinnon Fire Department was approved with 332 votes, or 59.18 percent, while 229, or 40.82 opposed it.
Only the 969 registered voters in the Brinnon Fire District were mailed ballots. Of those, 584 voted, for a voter turnout of 60.27 percent.
The measure will raise the Brinnon property tax levy to $1.25 per $1,000 assessed property value — an increase of 52 cents over the current 73-cent levy — to maintain and replace aging equipment.
The measure will increase taxes on a property assessed at $200,000 to $103.56 per year.
The primary election made no decisions in the prosecuting attorney and county auditor races, but showed instead who had the greatest amount of support.
Both races will be decided in the November general election.
Port Townsend Democrat Michael Haas, 53, out-polled the incumbent, Prosecuting Attoney Scott Rosekrans, 64, also of Port Townsend, in Tuesday’s election.
Haas had 5,020 votes, or 56.83 percent, while Rosekrans won 3,704 votes, or 41.93 percent. Both are Democrats.
There were 109 write-in votes cast.
In the county auditor “beauty race,” Judy Maves-Klatt, 52, won 4,702 votes, or 53.69 percent while Rose Ann Carroll, 63, garnered 3,932 votes or 44.90 percent.
Both are Democrats running to fill the seat that will be vacated by Donna Eldridge.
Write-in votes totaled 124.
No more counts are scheduled until the election is certified Aug. 19.
In races with three or more candidates, the top-two primary election narrowed the fields in general election races to the two candidates who received the most votes.
All partisan races, even those with two or fewer candidates, were on the primary ballot but those with two or less will be decided in November.
Nonpartisan races with fewer than three candidates did not appear on the ballot.
In the 6th Congressional race, incumbent Derek Kilmer, 40, a Gig Harbor Democrat and a native of Port Angeles, will be challenged in his bid for a second term by Marty McClendon, 47, a Gig Harbor Republican.
As of 5 p.m. today, Kilmer won 82,119 votes, or 58.72 percent, to McClendon’s 48,010 votes, or 34.33 percent districtwide.
Washington’s 6th Congressional District includes Jefferson and Clallam counties, as well as the counties of Grays Harbor, Mason, Thurston and Kitsap.
Douglas Milholland, 65, of Port Townsend, a member of the Green Party, had 4,882 votes, or 3.49 percent, and W. Greybeard McPherson, 75 of Port Angeles, who filed with no party preference, had 4,844 votes, or 3.46 percent.
In the 24th Legislative District, Position 2 race, incumbent Steve Tharinger, 65, a Sequim Democrat, will be challenged for a third term by Thomas W. Greisamer, 73, a Republican from Moclips.
Tharinger won 19,895, or 57.09 percent, while Greisamer had 12,308 votes, or 35.32 percent districtwide as of as of 5 p.m. today.
The 24th District covers Jefferson and Clallam counties and part of Grays Harbor County.
Sequim neurologist, Stafford A. Conway, 42, a Libertarian, won 2,644 votes, or 7.59 percent.
Kevin Van De Wege D-Sequim, is unopposed in his bid to be reelected to a 24th Legislative District seat and will appear on the November ballot.
Nonpartisan races that will appear on the November ballot in Jefferson County include those for district judge, state Supreme Court positions and a Court of Appeals seat.
None were on the primary ballot.
District Judge Jill Landes is challenged by Cheryl Potebnya, former Jefferson County deputy prosecutor.
Running unopposed this election cycle were Assessor Jeff Chapman, 62, who was appointed to fill Westerman’s unexpired term and is facing the voters for the first time; Superior Court Clerk Ruth Gordon, 60, who is seeking a third term; and Stacie Prada Hoskins, 43, county Department of Community Development planning director, for treasurer.
