PORT ANGELES — Mike Chapman and Marcia Kelbon will face off in November for the Legislative District 24 state senator position.
A third candidate, James Russell, D-Port Angeles, will not advance, according to the first count of primary election ballots Tuesday night.
A little less than half of the ballots remained to be counted. Clallam County had an estimated 9,000 ballots on hand to be processed, Jefferson County had about 4,500 ballots remaining and Grays Harbor County had about 3,500 ballots remaining.
Chapman, D-Port Angeles, who has served the district as a state representative, led with 54.58 percent of the vote, or 14,304 votes. He said the initial results were “a great start.”
“It’s pretty indicative of how primaries have been going on the North Olympic Peninsula since 2016,” he said.
“As we go into the general [election], we’re going to keep talking about the issues that are important to the district,” he said, citing housing, public infrastructure and transportation as forefront issues.
Chapman was leading in both Clallam and Jefferson counties. As of Tuesday, he received 54.41 percent of Clallam’s vote and 67.74 percent of Jefferson’s vote.
As he gears up for the Nov. 5 election, he said he’s focused on connecting with and listening to voters.
“Campaigns give you a chance to slow down and listen, outside of the cauldron of Olympia,” Chapman said. “That’s how I’ve always approached the period between the primary and the general.”
Chapman congratulated everyone who ran, whether or not they are advancing to the general election.
“Running for public office is a great honor, and it’s a lot of work,” he said.
Kelbon, R-Quilcene, was second after Tuesday night with 40.04 percent of the total vote, or 10,493 votes. She has worked as an attorney, engineer, businesswoman and elected fire commissioner.
Kelbon said that, so far, it “looks promising,” but results are “too early to tell” because of how many votes remain to be counted.
However, she said she wasn’t surprised that initial results reveal a face-off between her and Chapman.
“There were only two candidates that really campaigned,” Kelbon said.
She said Russell “still made a good statement.”
Kelbon was leading in Grays Harbor County, receiving 50.16 percent its vote as of Tuesday night.
Kelbon said she’s “definitely looking for a greater turnout in the general.”
“I’m glad for the people that voted, and hoping that more people will step up and let their voices be known,” she said.
Voter turnout for the primaries was at 23.4 percent for Clallam County, 24.42 percent for Jefferson County and 19.59 percent for Grays Harbor County.
Russell received 5.32 percent of the total vote, or 1,394 votes.
Russell said in an email interview that, no matter the election outcome, “we must go strongly and immediately to a truly new way of doing all political and social business.”
He said it is “critical that we promptly and immediately act to develop, apply, and try very different and new approaches” to the problems the district faces.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
Marcia Kelbon.
