PORT TOWNSEND — The Nov. 3 general election is finally all over, and in the two closest county races, Ken McEdwards retained his Brinnon fire commissioner seat, while Richard Quinnell is the new Gardiner Cemetery District commissioner.
Jefferson County election results were certified Tuesday morning with no race close enough to spark an automatic recount.
One candidate who ran unopposed in the general election, Tony Hernandez, was sworn in Tuesday by Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser.
Hernandez, the former undersheriff, was appointed to the position after Mike Brasfield retired earlier this year, and will fill the remainder of his term.
In the official count, 14,224 voters cast a ballot of the 21,983 registered voters in Jefferson County for a turnout of 64.7 percent.
According to Washington state law, if candidates are separated by less than one-half of 1 percent, a recount is activated.
The results in both the Brinnon Fire District commissioner and Gardiner Cemetery District commissioner races, although close, fell above the threshold to activate a mandatory recount of ballots, making Tuesday’s results the final numbers.
McEdwards retained his Brinnon Fire District seat against challenger Mike Eastman by a margin of 11 votes. McEdwards received 311 votes, or 50.9 percent, to Eastman’s 300 votes, or 49.1 percent.
The candidates were separated by 2.2 percent variance in votes.
Quinnell took the Gardiner Cemetery commissioner seat with 71 votes, or 50.35 percent, to Robert McCauley’s 68 votes, or 48.23 percent. Two write in votes were cast in the election.
The candidates were separated by 1.7 percent variance in votes.
Final counts
Final tallies were reported in the other three contested elections.
Dave Thompson retained his Port of Port Townsend district 2 seat with 6,214 votes, or 57.97 percent, to challenger Bob Schuessler’s 4,431 votes, or 41.33 percent. There were 75 write in votes.
In the race for Port of Port Townsend district 3 seat, challenger Leif Erickson’s 6,124 votes, or 52.67 percent, were enough to defeat incumbent Herb Beck who received 5,447 votes, or 46.84 percent. There were 57 write in votes.
In the election for Jefferson Healthcare Hospital commissioner, challenger Mari Dressler took the seat with 5,478 votes, or 51.08 percent, to incumbent Kathy Hill’s 5,179 votes, or 48.29 percent. There were 68 write in votes.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
