Early results were mixed between incumbents and challengers in Jefferson County school district races after the initial count of general election ballots.
In the Port Townsend School District, incumbent Jennifer James-Wilson led challenger Rita E. Beebe-Caldwell with 3,024 votes, or 67.2 percent, to 1,476 votes, or 32.8 percent, for Position 1 on the School Board.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s office mailed 11,296 ballots to Port Townsend School District voters, and 6,000, or 53.12 percent, had been returned as of Tuesday.
James-Wilson, 55, of Port Townsend, has held the seat since 2010.
Beebe-Caldwell, 65, of Port Townsend, is retired from Port Townsend Paper Corp. and the Department of Defense and has served on the Port Townsend School Board in the past.
School Board members serve four-year terms with no monetary compensation.
The board oversees a 2013-14 enrollment of about 1,300 students, and a budget of $15.8 million.
Chimacum School District
Challenger Sarah Sawyer narrowly led incumbent Ted Friedrich with 1,333 votes, or 52.46 percent, to 1,208 votes, or 47.54 percent, for Position 1 on the Chimacum School Board.
The Auditor’s Office mailed 8,654 ballots to Chimacum School District voters, and 4,158, or 48.05 percent, of them had been returned as of Tuesday.
Friedrich, 58, of Port Hadlock has held the seat since 2001. He is the Port Townsend Paper Corp.’s power and recovery superintendent.
Sawyer, 40, of Chimacum is a civil legal assistant at the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
School Board members serve four-year terms and are eligible for $114 per day of service up to 96 days or $10,040 annually.
The board oversees a 2013-14 enrollment of about 1,100 students and a budget of $13 million.
Brinnon School District
Shirley L. Towne led Ronald Stephens with 230 votes, or 69.28 percent, to 102 votes, or 30.72 percent, for Position 1 on the Brinnon School Board.
The Auditor’s Office mailed 984 ballots to Brinnon School District voters, and 499, or 50.72 percent, of ballots had been returned as of Tuesday.
Stephens, 70, is a postal clerk. Towne, 54, is a financial management analyst.
The winning candidate will fill the seat being vacated by Wendy Ryan Hogan.
School Board members serve four-year terms.
The board oversees a 2013-14 enrollment of about 35 students, and a budget of $1 million.
Queets-Clearwater School District
Incumbent Sarah S. Charles led challenger Betty Boome with 15 votes, or 57.69 percent, to 11 votes, or 42.31 percent, for Position 2 on the Queets-Clearwater School Board.
The Auditor’s Office mailed 109 ballots to Queets-Clearwater School District voters, and 30, or 27.52 percent, of ballots had been returned as of Tuesday.
Both candidates will receive a seat on the board, said district business manager Jody Potter.
The board’s Position 5 was vacated in August and will be filled by the candidate who loses the election, Potter said.
The Queets-Clearwater School Board oversees a 2013-14 enrollment of 22 students, and a budget of $1 million.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
