PORT ANGELES — Clallam County voters Tuesday were favoring a proposal to elect commissioners by district rather than countywide.
Meanwhile, a proposal to appoint the elected community development director was being rejected after the county auditor’s office tabulated the first batch of general election ballots.
Thousands of votes remained uncounted Tuesday in Clallam County races after many voters waited until Monday and Tuesday to return their ballots in the all-mail election.
As of Tuesday, Clallam County citizens had voted 8,004 to 4,732 — or 62.8 percent to 37.2 percent — to support Home Rule Charter Amendment No. 1 to elect the three commissioners only by voters of their respective district.
Citizens had voted 8,219 to 4,376 — or 65.3 percent to 34.7 percent — to reject charter Amendment No. 6, which would make the community development director appointed by the board of commissioners.
Clallam is the only county in the nation to have an elected community development director.
It is also one of seven of 39 counties in the state that operate under a home-rule charter, unlike most where procedures are dictated by the Legislature.
Fifteen citizens were elected last November to develop and propose charter amendments for voters to consider.
Here’s a rundown of how the other six charter amendments were faring Tuesday:
■ Amendment No. 2: “Frequency of charter review.”
If approved, a Charter Review Commission would be elected every five years rather than every eight years.
The measure was being approved 7,692 to 4,939, or 60.9 percent to 39.1 percent.
■ Amendment No. 3: “Transmission of initiatives to voters.”
This amendment would send qualified initiatives directly to the voters without prior consideration, adoption or rejection by the Board of County Commissioners.
The measure was being approved 8,053 to 4,577, or 63.8 percent to 36.2 percent.
■ Amendment No. 4: “Transmission of referenda to voters.”
This amendment would send qualified referenda directly to the voters without prior consideration, adoption or rejection by the Board of County Commissioners.
The measure was being approved 7,828 to 4,643, or 62.8 percent to 37.2 percent.
■ Amendment No. 5: “Signature gathering for initiatives.”
This amendment would increase the time for gathering signatures for initiatives from 90 days to 120 days.
The measure was being approved 7,314 to 5,404, or 57.5 percent to 42.5 percent.
■ Amendment No. 7: “Home rule charter interpretation.”
This amendment would require charter interpretations to afford Clallam County those powers conferred to charter counties under state law and Clallam County’s Home Rule Charter.
The measure was being approved 7,001 to 4,459, or 61.1 percent to 38.9 percent.
■ Amendment No. 8: “Charter review commissioners’ elected term.”
This amendment would cause the commissioners’ one-year term to begin Jan. 1 rather than the day of their election.
The measure was being approved 10,412 to 1,951, or 84.2 percent to 15.8 percent.
The Clallam County Auditor’s Office counted 13,761 ballots on Tuesday night out of 47,481 mailed to registered voters, for a voter turnout of 29 percent in the all-mail election, Auditor Shoona Riggs said.
Another 3,998 ballots were processed but not counted Tuesday and perhaps 2,000 to 3,000 more were placed in drop boxes and await processing, she said.
More ballots are likely to arrive in the mail.
The next ballot count will be by 4:30 p.m. Friday.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
