Clallam County: Outcomes remain the same after third count of primary ballots

County voter turnout 45.6 percent

Outcomes remained the same as on Tuesday night although the numbers changed after a third count of primary election ballots on Thursday.

The state’s top-two primary election culls the candidates down to two for the Nov. 8 general election. The two who received the most votes will go on to the general election no matter what their party affiliation.

By Thursday, the Clallam County Auditor’s Office had counted 26,100 ballots out of the 57,258 given to registered voters, for a voter turnout of 45.58 percent. Some 2,700 were left to count. The next count of ballots will be today.

The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office had counted 12,056 ballots out of the 27,410 given to registered voters, for a voter turnout of 43.98 percent. The next count of ballots will be today

In Clallam County, the four-way nonpartisan race for the Clallam County Department of Community Development (DCD) director position has been narrowed to former DCD planner Bruce Emery, who had 7,590 votes, or 30.87 percent, and Cherie Kidd, former mayor of Port Angeles, who had 6,832 votes, or 27.79 percent.

Jesse Major — a public records analyst with the county, a former county code enforcement officer and a former reporter for the Peninsula Daily News — won 5,999 votes, or 24.4 percent.

Kevin Russell, a twice-former president of the North Peninsula Builders Association, had 3,930 votes, or 15.99 percent.

Clallam is the only county in the nation to have an elected DCD director.

In the state Legislative District 24 contest for Position 1, the general election lineup is narrowed to Rep. Mike Chapman, a Port Angeles Democrat, and Sue Forde of Sequim, chair of the county Republican party, with Matthew Rainwater of Port Angeles in third place.

Legislative District 24 covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County.

Overall numbers were 27,598 votes, or 57.87 percent, for Chapman; 13,614 votes, or 28.55 percent, for Forde; and 6,445 votes, or 13.51 percent, for Rainwater.

In Clallam County, numbers were 14,122 votes, or 54.52 percent, for Chapman; 8,496 votes, or 32.8 percent, for Forde and 3,268 votes, or 12.62 percent for Rainwater.

In Jefferson County, numbers were 8,631 or 72.75 percent, for Chapman; 2,403 votes, or 20.25 percent, for Forde; and 822 votes, or 6.93 percent, for Rainwater. There were eight write-in votes.

In Grays Harbor County, Chapman won 4,845 votes, or 48.83 percent, Forde won 2,715 votes, or 27.26 percent, and Rainwater won 2,355 votes, or 23.73 percent.

In the state Legislative District 24 contest for Position 2, the general election lineup is narrowed to Rep. Steve Tharinger of Port Townsend, a Democrat, and Republican Brian Pruiett of Carlsborg, with Democrat Darren Corcoran of Elma in third place.

Overall numbers were 24,614 votes, or 51.87 percent, for Tharinger; 19,621 votes, or 41.35 percent, for Pruiett; and 3,161 votes, or 6.66 percent for Corcoran.

In Clallam County, the numbers were 12,918 votes, or 50.14 percent, for Tharinger; 11,497 votes, or 44.62 percent, for Pruiett and 1,311 votes, or 5 percent for Corcoran.

In Jefferson County, the numbers were 7,225 votes, or 68.46 percent, for Tharinger; 2,739 votes, or 25.95 percent, for Pruiett and 579 votes, or 5.49 percent, for Corcoran.

In Grays Harbor County, Pruiett was to top vote-getter with 5,054 votes, or 50.3 percent. Tharinger won 3,799 votes, or 37.81 percent. Corcoran won 1,184 votes, or 11.78 percent.

The lineup in the 6th Congressional District race in November will be U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, a Gig Harbor Democrat, and Elizabeth Kreiselmaier, a Gig Harbor Republican.

In the statewide race for a six-year term for U.S. Senator, Democrat Patty Murray, who’s held the seat since 1993, will be challenged by Republican Tiffany Smiley.

For the two-year term for Washington Secretary of State, appointee Steve Hobbs, a Democrat, will face Republican Bob Hagglund.

The Clallam County commissioner District 3 seat between incumbent Bill Peach of Forks, a Republican, and Mike French, a Democrat who is serving on the Port Angeles City Council, will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

After Thursday’s count, Peach had 3,153 votes, or 51.57 percent, while French had 2,947 votes, or 48.2 percent.