PORT TOWNSEND — Republican challenger Jim Boyer held a commanding lead over incumbent Democratic Jefferson County Commissioner John Austin after Tuesday night’s first wave of primary results.
Boyer, a 64-year-old Port Ludlow resident and home-building contractor, was well ahead of Austin with 1,788 votes, or 47.11 percent.
With more votes still to be counted, Diane Johnson, the other Democratic contender in the District 3 primary race, was 137 votes behind Austin in the top-two primary race, which will advance the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of their party affiliation, to the Nov. 2 general election.
A 69-year-old Port Ludlow resident and retired psychologist, Austin tallied 1,072 votes, or 28.25 percent, and Johnson came in last with 935 votes, or 24.64 percent.
Ballots were mailed only to registered voters in District 3.
“It’s a little bit of a surprise,” Boyer said of his strong lead, “but it’s good to know that the message is being heard from the people in the third district.”
Boyer said he now plans to take District 3 South County message to Districts 1 and 2 northward, including Port Townsend.
“We need to take care of our budget, improve our economy and give serious consideration to our children,” Boyer said.
Austin, who during his first four-year term was a champion for expanding and preserving county park land and supported the controversial shoreline master program, said he was “a little surprised” by Boyer’s strong performance but planned to step up door-to-door campaigning in commissioner districts 1 and 2 where be believes he will have strong Democratic support.
Reacting to Boyer’s lead, Austin said:
“I think the economy the way it is and the fear generated about the [shoreline master program] that a number of people are frightened and sometime a frightened electorate may consider a new slate.”
Tri-Area psychotherapist Johnson, a longtime Jefferson County resident, said she believed she still had a chance to take the second position from Austin with votes left to be tallied.
“It’s not highly likely, but it’s possible,” Johnson said.
If the results don’t change and she is dropped from the race, the Democrat Johnson said she would throw her support behind Boyer, the Republican.
“If it stays the same through Thursday,” when more votes are counted, “then I will campaign for Boyer, because he and I see things basically the same,” Johnson said.
“We are both running against John Austin.”
The results tallied only District 3 ballots cast on or before Tuesday, when 3,934 ballots were counted in the district — 51.9 percent of the 7,578 ballots mailed out July 28.
Countywide, 10,335 ballots, or 47.61 percent of the 21,704 ballots mailed, were counted Tuesday.
The next count will be Thursday afternoon. Auditor Donna Eldridge estimated an additional 1,600 votes countywide will be counted and that the county would show at least a 55 percent voter participation — 2 points fewer than what she had hoped.
District 3 covers Southeast Jefferson County — Port Ludlow, Gardiner, Quilcene, Brinnon, then westerly to the Pacific Coast and includes the Hoh, Kalaloch and Queets communities.
The job pays $63,926 a year and provides a travel allowance of 50 cent a mile, plus county medical, optical and retirement benefits.
Duties include approval of a $52.8 million annual budget with a general fund operating budget of $15.6 million that covers 287 county employees.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.