PORT TOWNSEND — Deborah Stinson defeated Jack Range for Port Townsend City Council by 20 votes, Herb Beck squeaked by Deborah Randall with a five-vote lead for Fire District No.3 commissioner in Quilcene, and the city of Port Townsend’s levy lid lift for fire and emergency services was approved by eight votes.
Those were the results this morning after the Jefferson County elections canvassing board reviewed and certified the results of the Nov. 8 general election, finalizing the results of the closest contests.
No recount will be necessary for the close races, elections officials said, because Stinson won her position by .51 percent and Beck won by .65 percent — both over the one-half of 1 percent margin threshold for triggering an automatic recount.
The city levy needed only a simple majority to pass, said Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge.
Stinson defeated Range by 1,979, or 50.04 percent, to Range’s 1,959, or 49.53 percent.
Beck won with 383 votes, or 49.80 percent to Randall’s 378, or 49.15 percent.
“No recount, so that’s good,” said a smiling Stinson, who breathed a sigh of relief.
Stinson and fellow Port Townsend City Council member-elect Robert Gray, who defeated Deputy Mayor George Randels in the Nov. 8 election, observed the final vote canvass at county Auditor Donna Eldridge’s office, which took about an hour beginning at 8:30 a.m.
They were the only candidates attending the canvassing board review.
In the final tally, Gray had 2,122 votes, or 58.07 percent, to Randels’ 1,505 votes, or 41.19 percent.
Both Stinson and Gray voiced satisfaction that the city levy lid lift passed.
The canvassing board rejected 96 ballots, including 37 without signatures, 45 that were postmarked late, two with questionable signatures and one with a registration issue.
The canvassing board includes Eldridge, Deputy Auditor/Elections Karen Cartmel, Jefferson County Commissioner Phil Johnson and county Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Alvarez.
“We think Jefferson County may be No. 1 [in the state] in turnout with 66.76 [percent], but we’re awaiting the results of other counties,” Eldridge said.
Of the county’s 31 voting precincts, ballots were mailed to 21,683 registered voters and 14,475 ballots were returned.
Clallam County had a 58.61 percent voter turnout, with 26,803 ballots returned from 45,734 mailed.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
