PORT TOWNSEND — A second vote count today widened the margin in the Jefferson County sheriff’s race enough to determine the winners of Tuesday’s “top two” primary who will advance to the Nov. 4 general election, according to the auditor.
After counting 1,816 votes that were not included in Tuesday night’s tally, Auditor Donna Eldridge predicted that David Stanko would advance to the general election “because there aren’t enough votes left to close the gap.”
The latest vote count has Wendy Davis, 47, in the lead with 4,381 votes, or 40.19 percent, followed by Stanko, 66, with 3,427 votes, or 31.44 percent.
Ken Przygocki, 63, is in third place with 3,048 votes, or 27.96 percent.
Davis and Stanko are Democrats. Przygocki stated no party preference.
After Wednesday’s count, the auditor had received 11,455 votes out of 22,878 cast, a Jefferson County voter participation level of 50.07 percent.
Eldridge said there are 35 votes in hand that have not been counted and expects about 150 votes to arrive before the next count, scheduled for noon Friday.
Eldridge said she expedited the count because the sheriff’s race was so close “and the candidates need to get ready for [this weekend’s Jefferson County] fair.”
The second vote count also indicated that Kathleen Kler and Dan Toepper were the top two candidates in the District 3 county commissioners contest and will move on to the general election.
Kler, 64, a Quilcene Democrat, had 1,627 votes, or 45.41 percent, followed by Toepper, 54, of Port Ludlow, who filed with no party preference, with 787 votes, or 21.96 percent.
Disqualified candidates are Alexander “Andy” Borgeson, 45, a Port Ludlow independent, who took 530 votes, or 17.24 percent, and Joe Baisch, 66, of Brinnon, who also filed with no party preference and received 455 votes, or 14.8 percent.
The top two vote-getters will advance to a final showdown in the Nov. 4 general election.