PORT ANGELES — Adam Bernbaum and Matthew Roberson will face off for one of the 24th Legislative District’s state House positions, and incumbent Steve Tharinger will face challenger Terry Roberts for the district’s other seat in Olympia.
For the district’s state Senate position, former Rep. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, will face challenger Marcia Kelbon, R-Quilcene.
In initial returns for House Position 1 on Tuesday night, Bernbaum, a Democrat, held a slight lead over Roberson, a Republican. Bernbaum had 7,469 votes, or 28.9 percent, to Roberson’s 7,025, or 27.2 percent.
Eric Pickens, a Democrat who serves on the Sequim School Board, was third with 4,462 votes, or 17.3 percent.
Nate Tyler, D-Neah Bay, was fourth with 3,554 votes, or 13.8 percent.
JR Streifel, a Republican, was fifth with 3,292 votes, or 12.8 percent.
Roberson had the edge in Clallam County with 3,909 votes, or 30.2 percent, over Bernbaum, who had 3,203 votes, or 24.8 percent.
Bernbaum was a decisive winner in Jefferson County with 2,839 votes, or 43.5 percent. Pickens came in second with 1,088 votes, or 16.7 percent, and Roberson was third with 1,081 votes, or 16.6 percent.
For Position 2, Tharinger, D-Port Townsend, held a considerable advantage with 15,704 overall votes, or 60.1 percent. Roberts, a Republican, had 6,695 votes, or 25.6 percent.
Hickory Grant, also a Republican, came in third with 3,699 votes, or 14.2 percent.
In Clallam County, Tharinger also had a large advantage with 7,661 votes, or 58.4 percent. Roberts was second with 3,433 votes, or 26. 2 percent.
In Jefferson County, Tharinger had 4,891 votes, or 74.1 percent, and Roberts had 1,219 votes, or 18.5 percent.
In the Senate race, Chapman picked up 14,304 total votes, or 54.6 percent, and Kelbon had 10,493 votes, or 40 percent.
James Russell, a Democrat, was third with 1,394 votes, or 5.3 percent.
In Clallam County, Chapman had 7,157 votes, or 54.4 percent, and Kelbon had 5,422 votes, or 41.2 percent.
In Jefferson County, Chapman had 4,496 votes, or 67.7 percent, and Kelbon had 1,851 votes, or 27.9 percent.
The general election is Nov. 5.