Retired Jefferson County firefighter Herb Beck had a slight lead in the race for a Quilcene Fire District commission seat in early returns Tuesday night.
Beck had won 330 votes, or 50.3 percent, while his opponent, firefighter-paramedic Deborah C. Randall, had 326 votes, or 49.7 percent.
“What can I say? It’s so close,” Beck said when he was told of the numbers.
“Four votes? It’s anybody’s game.”
Beck, 73, not only served for three decades as a volunteer with Jefferson’s Fire District No. 2, he was also a Port of Port Townsend commissioner for 36 years.
“I was hoping I would know tonight,” said Randall, who is the only fire district commissioner not facing recall action.
She serves with Commissioners Mike Whittaker and David Ward. A Kitsap County judge ruled last month that a recall action can proceed against Whittaker and Ward, a ruling that could be appealed.
Randall said she and Beck agree on a central issue: that their fire district has not been well-run and that the commissioners, as Beck said, must “help put it back together.”
Jefferson County’s next ballot count is set to be finished by Thursday at noon.
Other county results
Other results from the 21,683 Jefferson ballots counted by 8 p.m. Tuesday are:
■ Katie Williams, a 42-year-old stay-at-home mother, led the race for Quilcene School Board District 3 director with 396 votes, or 74.16 percent, over the 129 votes, or 24.16 percent, garnered by Mary Gail Falk, a 55-year-old substitute teacher and farmer.
■ Gena Lont, a 38-year-old accounts payable clerk at Olympic Community Action Programs, was leading the race for the at-large position on the Quilcene School Board with 348 votes, or 56.13 percent, over the 265 votes, or 42.74 percent, won by incumbent Lorna Ward.
A retired Quilcene Schools vocational goods-services supervisor, Ward has served on the Quilcene board for 18 years.
The Quilcene School District covers Coyle, Thorndyke, Leland and Quilcene, with 1,258 voters as of Oct. 3.
■ Raelene Rossart, a 43-year-old rebar detailer, leads the race for Port Ludlow Fire District No. 3 commissioner with 1,343 votes, or 63.74 percent, over the 760, or 36.07 percent, of ballots cast for Jim Betteley, the 51-year-old principal and director of special services for the Quilcene School District.
The nonpartisan fire commissioner position has a six-year term and compensation of $104 per meeting up to $9,984 annually; the district covers all or part of Port Ludlow, Coyle, Center and Shine and had 39 employees and a budget of $2.6 million this year.
■ For Coyle Water District 3, Beverly Bautista was ahead in the race for Position 1, with 29 votes, or 64.44 percent, over Michael Hayward’s 16 votes, or 35.56 percent. This position has a six-year term.
■ In the race for Position 2 on the Coyle Water District board — a two-year unexpired term — Tim McKee was leading with 27 votes, or 60 percent, over Ed Walstead’s 18 votes, or 40 percent.
■ For Coyle Water District Board Position 3, a four-year unexpired term, James W. Simonen was in the lead with 26 votes, or 59.09 percent, over Troy Breitenfeldt’s 16 votes, or 36.36 percent.
The commissioners receive $50 per meeting, up to $2,000 annually; they serve the community of Coyle, which has 57 voters.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
