PORT LUDLOW — Incumbent Ron Helmonds and challenger Glenn Clemens will face off in the Nov. 2 general election for the Position 3 seat on the Port Ludlow Fire Commission board after a second count of primary election ballots was completed Wednesday.
Helmonds received a total of 37.04 percent — 530 votes — while Clemens received 35.57 percent — 509 votes. Mike Feely came in third with 27.39 percent — 392 votes — and will not continue on to the general election, if results stand.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office will have a third ballot count released by Thursday at 4 p.m. It estimates 1,137 ballots left to be counted.
Helmonds is in his last year of his second full six-year term since 2010 on the fire commission and is seeking a third six-year term.
Helmonds did not respond to phone calls or email sent by the Peninsula Daily News requesting comment on the election results.
Clemens is happy with the results of the primary election, especially with Tuesday night’s initial results showing only a 12-vote difference between him and Helmonds.
“For me, running against the incumbent, I feel like that’s very good,” Clemens said. “My only goal really is to support the fire department, and whatever it takes to do that, I’m willing to put it all in there.
“I really want to support the department. We have fantastic people up there, so I’m in it to win it, and being in second place right now just makes me work all that much harder to succeed in supporting our great fire department.”
After Wednesday’s count, Helmonds had a 21-vote lead on Clemens.
Feely was gracious in accepting the results of the election Wednesday morning.
“I’m pretty happy with the results,” he said. “Of course, I would’ve liked to have gotten into second place.
“I just hope the other two candidates do well. I’ve been around Shine and Port Ludlow most of my life, but I’m not as well known.”
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.