PORT ANGELES — It took eight days, but Erik Rohrer pulled ahead of John Black on Tuesday by 27 votes in the last large tally of Clallam County’s general election ballots in the race for West End District Court 2 judge.
But “maybe about 100” more ballots will be tallied today, county Elections Manager Becky Pettigrew said Wednesday afternoon after the latest tally in Tuesday’s all-mail election was posted at www.clallam.net.
Those ballots will include online ballots that must be transferred to regular ballots before being tallied, she said.
They also will consist of existing ballots with questionable signatures that have to be matched with resubmitted signatures to verify their authenticity.
All other races maintained their earlier outcomes, although vote counts changed after the fourth count of ballots on Wednesday.
Rohrer, a sitting county Superior Court judge, was ahead of Black, a Beaver lawyer, 1,422 votes to Black’s 1,395, or 50.48 percent to 49.52 percent, in a race confined to District 2, west of Lake Crescent to Forks and Neah Bay.
In another close race, county Public Utility District 1, commissioner District 3 challenger Jim Waddell remained ahead of 33-year incumbent Ted Simpson by 326 votes, 12,956-12,630 votes, or 50.64 percent to 49.36 percent.
The Auditor’s Office tabulated 1,783 ballots Wednesday for a total of 39,905 counted.
There were 52,674 ballots mailed out to voters countywide for a 76 percent turnout.
The county Canvassing Board will certify the election results Nov. 27.
In other races, Republican Port Angeles-West End District 3 county Commissioner Bill Peach defeated Democrat and former county Commissioner Mike Doherty.
Republican county Prosecuting Attorney-Coroner Mark Nichols of Port Angeles defeated former county Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis, Department of Community Development Director Mary Ellen Winborn of Port Angeles defeated Julie Gardiner of Port Angeles, and Sheriff Bill Benedict of Sequim defeated James (Jim) McLaughlin of Port Angeles.
Dave Neupert of Port Angeles defeated Suzanne Hayden of Port Angeles for the Port Angeles-area District Court 1 position being vacated by incumbent Rick Porter, who did not seek re-election.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.