Clemens wins seat on Port Ludlow fire board

Glenn T. Clemens beats incumbent for fire board

PORT LUDLOW — Challenger Glenn T. Clemens has wrested a seat on the Port Ludlow Fire District commission from incumbent Ron Helmonds.

After the second ballot count released at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Clemens led with 60.1 percent (1,092 votes) and Helmonds had 39.52 percent (718 of votes) for the Position 3 seat.

Clemens is a retired ship captain who worked 40 years in the maritime industry.

Helmond, a 17-year Port Ludlow resident, has served on the board for the Port Ludlow Fire and Rescue for 12 years.

A total of 1,817 votes were cast in their race.

The office is for a six-year term.

The next ballot count will be by 4 p.m. today.

Neither candidate responded to phone calls from the Peninsula Daily News requesting comment.

After the initial ballot count Tuesday night, Clemens had 60.19 percent, or 910 votes, while Helmonds had garnered 39.81 percent, or 602 votes.

The final certification of the election will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 23.

________

Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.