PORT TOWNSEND — Democratic candidates for two Jefferson County commissioner seats showed strong early leads over Republican incumbents after polls closed Tuesday night.
With 31 precincts reporting and 10,242 of more than 10,691 (69.39 percent) mail-in ballots counted as of 9 p.m. Tuesday night, District 1 Democratic challenger Phil Johnson was leading incumbent Commissioner Dan Titterness by about 58 percent to 41 percent.
District 2 Democratic challenger David Sullivan held a lead over three-term Republican Commissioner Glen Huntingford by a margin of about 54 percent to 46 percent.
Results from 15 polling places were being counted at the busy and crowded County Auditor’s Office election center at the courthouse in Port Townsend on Tuesday night.
A total of about 2,600 mail-in ballots were left to be counted along with ballots from polling places, said Auditor Donna Eldridge.
The next ballot tally is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, Eldridge said. Final election results will be certified Nov. 17.