PORT ANGELES — Incumbents held leads in contested races for Clallam County commissioner, prosecuting attorney, sheriff and director of community development after the first count of general election ballots tonight.
The Clallam County Auditor’s Office counted 23,440 ballots out of the 52,674 ballots issued to registered voters for a voter turnout of 44.5 percent.
Estimated left to count are 7,000 ballots. The next count of ballots in the all-mail election will be by 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Bill Peach, 63, a Beaver Republican, appeared likely to keep his Clallam County commissioner seat for a second term against former commissioner Mike Doherty Jr., 75, a Port Angeles Democrat. The district extends from west Port Angeles to Neah Bay.
State Rep. Mike Chapman, representing the 24th Legislative District examines Election Night returns along with his wife, Bobbi, Tuesday at the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Prosecuting attorney Mark Nichols, 46, was leading challenger Selinda Barkhuis, 56, in the initial count. Nichols, a Port Angeles Republican, is seeking a second term. Barkhuis is former Clallam County treasurer who lives in Port Angeles. She filed with no party preference.
Sheriff Bill Benedict, 68, of Sequim, kept his seat against challenger Jim McLaughlin, 61, of Port Angeles.
Director of Community Development Mary Ellen Winborn, 58, of Port Angeles, retained her seat against challenger Julie Gardiner, 61, of Sequim.
Dave Neupert, 63, was leading Suzanne Hayden, 62, for the District Court 1 judgeship. The two Port Angeles attorneys are vying for the judgeship vacated by Rick Porter over the district which stretches from Blyn to west of Lake Crescent.
John Black, 67, was slightly ahead of Erik Rohrer, 60, in the vote count for the District Court 2 judgeship. Both residents of the Forks area are vying for the seat vacated by John Doherty. The district extends from west of Lake Crescent to Neah Bay.
Challenger Jim Waddell, 65, was slightly ahead of longtime incumbent Ted Simpson, 76, in the race for the District 3 seat of the Clallam County Public Utility District. Simpson has served for 33 years representing the district that extends to the West End. The entire county votes with the exception of Port Angeles, in the election.
A proposal to renew sales and use tax levy for the Sequim Transportation Benefit District was approved. The measure required a simple majority of 50 percent plus one vote to pass.
Two propositions for expansion of the Sequim Library at 630 N. Sequim Ave., were on the ballot. Voters approved Proposition 1, which creates the Sequim Library Capital Facilities Area tax district with about the same boundaries as the Sequim School District. But they missed the 60 percent supermajority for passage of Proposition 2, the funding mechanism, which allows issuance of up to $12.4 million in general obligation bonds. Turnout was 50.9 percent.
Clallam County Fire District 3’s levy lid lift proposal was approved. It required a majority vote of 50 percent plus one for passage.
In the Legislative District 24 Position 1 race, Mike Chapman, 55, a Port Angeles Democrat, held onto his seat for a second term against challenger Jodi Wilke, 59, a Port Townsend Republican.
The Position 2 seat incumbent — Steve Tharinger, 69, a Port Townsend Democrat — was leading by a large margin district wide in his bid for a fifth term against challenger Jim McEntire, 68, a Sequim Republican.
In the race for Congressional District 6 seat, incumbent Derek Kilmer, 44, a Gig Harbor Democrat, trounced challenger Douglas Dightman, 48, a Shelton Republican in his bid for a fourth term. District 6 includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, 60, an Edmonds Democrat, also led by a large margin challenger Susan Hutchison, 64, a Seattle Republican.
State initiatives that appeared to be on their way to approval were Initiative 940, which would require law enforcement officers to receive violence de-escalation, mental health and first aid training; Initiative 1634, which would prohibit new or increased local taxes, fees or assessments on raw or processed food or beverages unless they were effective by Jan.15 of this year or were generally applicable; and Initiative 1639, a gun control measure.
Losing was the carbon fee measure Initiative 1631.
Incumbant Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols, left, celebrates an Election Night lead with his brother, Rob Nichols, at the courthouse in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)