PORT ANGELES — Mike Doherty took a commanding lead today in his bid for another four-year term on the Clallam County commission.
The Democratic incumbent from Port Angeles led challenger Robin Poole of Beaver by 1,066 votes after the Clallam County Auditor’s Office tallied up another 3,980 ballots today.
Doherty’s 15,334 to 14,268 vote lead is a 51.8-percent margin.
None of the other county races changed significantly.
County Auditor Patty Rosand said another 2,406 ballots will be counted by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The 122 ballots that arrived on Monday will be counted by the Auditor’s Office on Wednesday.
Doherty, 67, has seemingly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in his run for a fourth term. Poole led by 176 votes on election night last Tuesday.
Doherty took a 36-vote lead on Wednesday before the margin widened to 451 on Friday.
In another close race for county office, Selinda Barkhuis of Port Angeles leads incumbent Clallam County Treasurer Judy Scott of Port Angeles 13,307 votes to 12,909, or 50.76 percent to 49.24 percent.
Scott chipped away at what had been a 51.1 percent margin for Barkhuis on Friday.
In other county races:
■ Incumbent Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Deb Kelly, a Port Angeles Republican, was ahead of Democratic challenger Larry Freedman, a Sequim attorney, 15,467 votes to 14,234, or 52.08 percent to 47.92 percent.
■ Sheila Roark Miller of Carlsborg led incumbent Clallam County Department of Community Development Director John Miller of Port Angeles 14,130 votes to 12,425, or 53.21 percent to 46.79 percent.
At the state level, Clallam County Commissioner Steve Tharinger, a Democrat from Sequim, leads Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Jim McEntire, a Port Angeles Republican, 29,606 votes to 26,895, or 52.40 percent to 47.60 percent, in the race for Position 2 in the 24th Legislative district.
McEntire, who conceded Saturday, garnered 51.84 percent of his support from Clallam County voters. Tharinger had 61.23 percent of the Jefferson
County vote.
The Position 2 seat in the state House is being vacated by retiring House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam.
The 24th Legislative District includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and the northern half of Grays Harbor County, not including Aberdeen.
Incumbent state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, leads Port Angeles Republican Dan Gase 31,963 votes to 25,020, or 56.09 percent to 43.91 percent, in the race for Position 1 in District 24.
Van De Wege has 50.2 percent of the support in Clallam County and 66.06 percent in Jefferson County.
Gase conceded Thursday.
The next ballot count in Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties will be Wednesday. The last ballot tabulation in those counties was Friday.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
