Clallam County Sheriff Joe Martin will face opponent Soeren Poulsen in the November general election, according to Tuesday’s initial election returns.

Martin carried a strong lead Tuesday night with 2,718 votes, or 59 percent, while Poulsen earned 1,723 votes, or 37.4 percent.

Perennial sheriff’s candidate Lonnie Steele was trailing Martin and Poulsen in third place, with 165 votes, or 3.6 percent.

“It’s encouraging,” said Martin, who gathered in the Clallam County Courthouse basement for the 8 p.m. results with about a dozen people, including supporters wearing blue “Joe Martin” polo shirts.

Martin pledged to run a positive campaign into the Nov. 2 general election.

“I’m really hoping to do better than this in the general,” he told reporters.

Poulsen, who was in Tacoma this week to testify as a computer expert in a federal child pornography trial, said by telephone he was hoping to do better — but respects voters’ decisions.

“I’d like to focus on the future and be extremely positive about the election, and hope for a better result in the general,” he said.