PORT TOWNSEND — The Port of Port Townsend will soon have its first female commissioner.
Jefferson County voters favored Pam Petranek over Chuck Fauls in preliminary election results on Tuesday.
Petranek, 59, received 71.5 percent of 7,735 votes in the District 1 position, while Fauls, 66, had 28.6 percent.
About 4,000 ballots remained to be counted in the county-wide vote, the auditor’s office said Wednesday.
Updated tallies are scheduled to be released at 4 p.m. Friday.
The election will be certified Nov. 26.
Petranek said her campaign was built on her foundation of working as an active citizen advocate for the past four years. This is the first time she has sought public office.
“Our campaign mission was about this unique place we live, our shared maritime culture, heritage, our environment, and living-wage jobs for this and future generations,” she said. “I had a strong and clear statement for why I’m running, along with a proven track record of community building and success with port issues.”
Fauls, a customer service worker for the port, said it was an eye-opening experience as a first-time candidate.
“The enthusiasm and intensity of people was a little bit of a surprise,” he said. “When you’re not really involved in the actual process, you may have a tendency to think people are indifferent to the whole process, but that really isn’t the case. Everyone I met was very involved and very engaged.”
Petranek worked with Gwendolyn Tracy and the Port Townsend Marine Trades Association to develop through a national consultant the economic impact of the marine trades throughout the county.
Petranek said she also was a co-leader of a yard-rate study, a six-month process that has since helped the port bring in revenue through the boatyard.
“It’s about uniting people, not just the campaign, but developing relationships and uniting people to work together,” she said.
“I’m truly just one of the community who has been supported by a lot of people.”
Fauls said during the campaign he would leave his position to be a commissioner full-time if he was elected.
“I’d still be working for the port, which is something I thoroughly enjoy, just a different job within the organization,” he said.
His position allows him to work with customers in different areas. Fauls said he works at Point Hudson during the summer months and at the Boat Haven Marina during the winter.
“Here at Point Hudson, people for the most part are on vacation, so you have a different type of engagement,” he said. “At Boat Haven, you have more permanent tenants and yard tenants. You have a little diversity in the people you meet and what you’re dealing with on a day-to-day basis.”
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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
