PORT ANGELES — Larry Little, Edna Petersen, Patrick Downie and Brooke Nelson were leading Tuesday in their quests for seats on the City Council during the first ballot count in this year’s general election.
Two council races — between Petersen and Max Mania for Position 2, and between Nelson and incumbent Betsy Wharton for Position 4 — were too close to call, while Downie appeared headed for victory over Harry Bell for Position 3, and Little had a large lead over Cody Blevins for Position 1.
The Clallam County Auditor’s Office counted all of the 3,847 ballots that it had received from Port Angeles voters as of 10:30 a.m. Monday.
Not one candidate was ahead by more than 200 votes, and with at least 4,500 ballots turned in to date from all over Clallam County that have not been counted, none of the candidates are claiming victory.
Although Port Angeles residents make up about a quarter of the county’s electorate, how many of those ballots came from Port Angeles was unknown Tuesday.
Next count Friday
The additional ballots, along with any others that arrive today or Thursday, will be counted Friday.
A total of 11,028 ballots were mailed to Port Angeles voters and about 35 percent had been returned as of Monday morning.
Countywide, 16,610 ballots, or about 36 percent of all the 45,739 ballots mailed for the general election, were counted Tuesday.
The additional ballots that were collected Tuesday but have not been counted — an estimated 4,500 ballots — put the estimated number of voters who participated in Clallam County’s general election to at least 20,660 and voter turnout to more than 46 percent.
Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand said she expects another 4,000 ballots to arrive via mail today.
If the prediction holds true, that would bring voter turnout to about 55 percent with 24,660 participating voters by Thursday.
Votes will be counted again Friday.
Whomever comes out on top in the four City Council races will join the seven-member council in January when they begin their first four-year term.
Wharton-Nelson race
Down by 13 votes, the one incumbent in the City Council races, Wharton — who serves as deputy mayor — said she was prepared for any result.
“There’s no way to predict it,” she said. “There’s always surprise.
“It is what it is, and I think it will be interesting to see what happens the next time they release votes.”
The race between Wharton, 49, and Nelson, 37, was the closest of all the four City Council races.
Nelson received 1,761 votes, or 50.19 percent.
Wharton got 1,748 votes, or 49.81 percent.
If Nelson wins, the City Council will consist only of first-term representatives in January.
The City Council members who are not up for re-election — Dan Di Guilio, Cherie Kidd and Don Perry — are each serving their first term.
When asked if she expects to come out on top when the election is certified, Wharton said she did not want to “venture a guess.”
She said she had no comment on why she thinks the race is so close.
Nelson, a Realtor, was unavailable for comment because she is still grieving over the loss of her six-year-old son, Theodin Nelson, and mother, Mary Wyman, in a car wreck last month, her campaign spokesman, Dylan Honnold said.
Her campaign did not allow a Peninsula Daily News photographer to enter a campaign party to take a picture of the candidate Tuesday night after the preliminary results were announced.
But Honnold said Nelson’s campaign is “very pleased” with the results.
“It’s almost a dead heat, but we are very confident,” he said, “and we appreciate the support that the voters have shown.”
Petersen-Mania
Former City Council member Petersen received 1,789 votes, or 50.15 percent, while Mania, garnered 1,778 votes, or 49.85 percent.
Petersen, 69, who served on the council as an appointee from 2006 to 2008, was smiling over the results but had few words when asked about the closeness of the race.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said, adding that she believes she will remain on top but wasn’t ready to claim victory.
Petersen attributed her lead to her supporters.
“The people that have helped me are absolutely wonderful and amazing,” she said.
Mania, 41, said the race was far from decided and added that he expected it to be close.
“I figured Edna’s got the history, and I’ve got the experience,” he said, clarifying that he thinks he has the work and creative experience that the council needs.
“We’ll see which one comes out on top.”
When asked if he expects to win when the election is certified, Mania said: “I am hopeful, that yes, that common sense will prevail.”
Petersen is the owner of Necessities and Temptations gift shop, a Clallam County Business Incubator board member and was co-chair of “Our Community at Work — Painting Downtown.”
Mania is a grocery clerk and a board member of the Port Angeles Community Players, Friends of the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center and Port Angeles Arts Council.
The winner of that race will replace City Council member Larry Williams, a real estate agent who has served on the council since 1998, for Position 2.
Downie-Bell
The biggest lead that came out of Tuesday’s count went to Patrick Downie who had 1,697 votes, or about 53 percent.
His opponent, Harry Bell, had 1,502 votes, or about 47 percent.
“Obviously it’s a good start, and I’m pleased in that regard, but it’s never over until it’s over,” said Downie after scanning the returns with his supporters and his opponent.
“I think all the candidate races are close. Some of them are exceptionally close. We’ll wait to the final count and be prepared to bring out a bottle of root beer or a crying towel.”
Downie, 67, is the program coordinator for Catholic Community Services/Volunteer Services. He is also a former city Planning Commission chairman.
“Harry and I have run a very civil, courteous and respectful campaign,” Downie added.
“I’m appreciative of that. I’m confident that whatever the final results will be, either one of us will continue to be actively engaged in the community.”
Bell, 64, is chief forester for Green Crow, a timberland and wood products company based in Port Angeles.
“It’s a pretty small sample yet,” Bell said at the Clallam County Courthouse, where the election results were released.
“That said, my opponent, Patrick Downie, is a good candidate. If I lose the election, I have gained a friend.”
Bell echoed his opponent’s sentiments by saying the campaign was clean, civil and friendly.
“It was a lot of fun,” Bell said.
Both are running for Position 3, which is now held by former Mayor Karen Rogers, who has served on the council since 2001.
Little-Blevins
Larry Little was leading Cody Blevins by 120 votes — 51.77 percent to 48.23 percent — in the race for City Council Position 1, which will be vacated by Mayor Gary Braun.
Braun has served on the council since 2002 and previously from 1992-1999.
“We don’t really know yet,” Little said of the outcome. “They’re all tight races.”
Little reserved further comment until the rest of the ballots are counted.
The 55-year-old is a retired general practice dentist and the current executive director of Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics and the Port Angeles Marathon Association.
Little was attending a conference in Seattle on developing future health care policy for the state on Tuesday. He was invited by the state Department of Health as a board member of the Washington Free Clinic Association.
Blevins, 28, is a technical sales representative and installation specialist for Hi-Tech Electronics in Port Angeles.
“I’m still feeling pretty good,” Blevins said, after scanning the results with his supporters at the courthouse. “It’s not over yet.”
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
