PORT TOWNSEND — Incumbents Ron Stephens and Joe Baisch appeared assured of keeping their seats on the Brinnon School Board after the initial vote of ballots on Election Day.
Ron Stephens, 76, won 182 votes, or 58.15 percent, in his bid to retain his Position 2 seat while challenger Cortney Beck, 29, received 131 votes, or 41.85 percent.
Joe Baisch, 71, Position 3 incumbent, received 181 votes, or 52.92 percent, while challenger Jolene Elkins, 50, earned 161 votes, or 47.08 percent.
Joe Baisch
Mary Fickett, running unopposed for Position 1 since Laura Beck withdrew, won 167 votes, or 54.93 percent.
Beck, whose name remained on the ballot, received 137 votes, or 45.07 percent.
The next count of votes will be Friday.
Stephens, officer in charge of the Brinnon Post Office, is happy with the results so far for the election.
“I feel good,” Stephens said. “I feel like I accomplished what I need to do.”
Cortney Beck, a Quilcene Middle School teacher, was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Elkins, office manager of Windermere Hood Canal Real Estate, was at home playing with her grandson when she saw the that she was trailing in the election.
“It’s still kind of close, so I’m going to wait until the November 8 count,” Elkins said. “It looks like it will go to Joe.
“I wasn’t running against Joe; I was running for the school board. Joe is a great guy and would do well.
“I will run again because I think we have a great school system and I want to be part of that.”
Baisch, owner of Mount Jupiter Water System Management and substitute teacher, was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
The winners of the elections will be sworn in at a board meeting following the elections certification on Nov. 26.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.