PORT ANGELES — Lee Whetham, Port Angeles labor leader and plumber, held a commanding lead in the race for the City Council position left vacant by Max Mania in August after the first round of Clallam County general election results were released Tuesday night.
Whetham had secured 1,869 votes, or 65.5 percent, of the 2,854 city resident ballots, for the Position 2 seat after the Clallam County Auditor’s Office counted 15,348 ballots, or 32.8 percent of the 46,668 general election ballots mailed to registered voters countywide.
Opponent Peter Ripley, online newsletter publisher and advocate for those with disabilities, was trailing with 985 votes, or 34.5 percent of the vote.
Ballots that arrived Tuesday or that come in Wednesday through Friday are expected to be tabulated and reported by 4:30 p.m. Friday, said Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand.
The Auditor’s Office had about 5,000 ballots on hand but not counted Tuesday night, with more expected to come in the mail this week.
“I’d like to thank the voters of Port Angeles for their support, and I’m looking forward to this opportunity to represent them,” Whetham, 53, said in a Tuesday evening interview.
“And I’m ready to go to work.”
Ripley, 53, said in a Tuesday evening interview he was happy with the way he ran his campaign and that he would not have changed anything.
“I don’t think I would do anything different,” Ripley said. “And I want to thank those who voted for me and their confidence in my abilities.”
Ripley congratulated Whetham on a well-run campaign.
“I wish him the best,” Ripley said.
Whetham said one of his first priorities once seated on the City Council will be implementing a requirement to hire a certain percentage of local apprentices for city public works contracts.
“With the help of others on the council, we can have local workers hired on these projects,” he said.
Civic Field
Whetham said his second priority would be persuading his fellow council members to spearhead another levy campaign to renovate Civic Field.
“I believe revamping Civic Field properly will allow year-round use,” Whetham said.
Whetham also thanked Ripley for a well-run race.
“I’d like to congratulate my opponent Mr. Peter Ripley,” Whetham said.
“He did run a good race.”
This year’s general election marks Ripley’s fifth run for a Port Angeles City Council, and Ripley said he’s not sure yet if he’ll run again.
“Will I run again, I don’t know,” Ripley said.
“That’s up in the air, but it’s very unlikely, though.”
Mania resigned from the position Aug. 3 after emailing a resignation letter to City Manager Dan McKeen and the six other City Council members.
The remaining City Council members in September unanimously appointed Dane Gase, a Port Angeles real estate broker, to fill Mania’s seat until either Ripley or Whetham is elected to the position.
Gase is running unopposed for the City Council position now held by Brooke Nelson, who is not running for reelection.
He will step down from the Position 2 seat when the general election results are certified Nov. 26.
The two other City Council seats on the ballot this year are those held by Brad Collins and Patrick Downie. Both are running unopposed for re-election.
Port Angeles City Council members are elected for four-year terms and get paid between $650 and $550 per month for their service on the council.
Council members approve ordinances and resolution, set city utility rates and approve the city budget, which in 2013 was $124.3 million.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
