PORT ANGELES — Judging by Tuesday night’s primary results, the North Olympic Peninsula appears on its way to having residents occupy all three seats in the 24th District’s state legislative delegation.
Early results of district-wide balloting show the Nov. 8 general election line-up to be candidates from Clallam and Jefferson counties.
Legislative District 24 covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and about a third of Grays Harbor County.
Votes will be tallied again Friday in the three counties.
Four-term Democratic Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman of Port Angeles won 10,382 votes, or 46 percent, of the votes district-wide in the initial count of ballots Tuesday.
Port Ludlow Republican George Vrable has won the other position on the November ballot with 8,659 votes, or 37 percent.
Hoquiam Democrat Tammy Ramsay won 3,999 votes, or 18 percent of the votes cast.
“I’m not necessarily surprised, just pleasantly surprised and very appreciative to move forward,” Chapman said Wednesday.
“I’m just going to work hard and keep talking about what my goals are and folks can decide to support me or not.”
Chapman said in coming weeks leading to the Nov. 8 general election that he will concentrate his door-belling energies primarily on Grays Harbor County, where Vrable bested him, and Jefferson County, Clallam’s neighbor.
Vrable said Wednesday he feels good about advancing to the general election.
“As far as my chances go, you are not talking to a longtime politician,” he said.
“I have a feeling for what I want for our country, our state, our district, and I believe in what I say, and I believe in our country.”
Chapman won the top number of votes in Clallam County, with 5,020 votes, or 49 percent, to Vrable’s 4,019 votes, or 39 percent, and Ramsay’s 1,280 votes, or 12 percent.
He also took 50 percent of the vote in Jefferson County, where he won 3,813 votes, to Vrable’s 2,285 votes, or 30 percent, and Ramsay’s 1,550 votes, or 20 percent.
Vrable took the top number of votes in Ramsay’s home turf of Grays Harbor County.
There, Vrable had 2,057 votes, or 43 percent, to Chapman’s 1,549 votes, or 32 percent and Ramsay’s 1,169 votes, or 24 percent.
The two other 24th District races had only two candidates each who will automatically advance to the general election.
In the Position 2 House race, former Democratic Clallam County Commissioner and incumbent state Rep. Steve Tharinger of Sequim’s district-wide total was 14,022, or 62 percent while GOP-independent party candidate John D. Alger of Sequim garnered 8,603 votes, or 38 percent.
In Clallam County, Tharinger had 5,840 votes, or 58 percent to Alger’s 4,243 votes, or 42 percent.
Tharinger had the largest number of votes in the race in Jefferson County with 5,532 votes, or 71 percent, to Alger’s 2,229 votes, or 29 percent, and Grays Harbor County with 2,650, or 55 percent, to Alger’s 2,131 votes, or 45 percent.
In the 24th District state Senate race, Democrat Kevin Van De Wege of Sequim had an almost identical-to-Tharinger 14,122 votes, or 62 percent, to Danille Turissini of Port Ludlow’s 8,659 votes, or 38 percent.
Van De Wege also was the top vote-getter in Clallam County, with 5,882 votes, or 58 percent, to Turissini’s 4,206 votes, or 42 percent; in Jefferson County with 5,523 votes, or 70 percent, to Turissini’s 2,365 votes, or 30 percent; and in Grays Harbor County, with 2,717 votes, or 57 percent, to Turissini’s 2,088 votes, or 43 percent.
