Jefferson County is tops in the state in voter turnout.
At least until certification day, Nov. 23.
“Right now, we’re number one,” said Donna Eldridge, Jefferson County Auditor, today after her office counted 393 outstanding ballots from the Nov. 2 general election.
Jefferson County’s voter turnout now stands at 81.29 percent, with 17,679 ballots returned out of 21,749 mailed.
Its closest contender for top spot in voter participation is the much smaller Columbia County in the southeastern part of the state.
As of today, Columbia, which has 2,590 registered voters, had counted 2080 ballots — or 80.31 percent voter turnout — with the next count scheduled Nov. 23 .
Jefferson County’s next count also will be that day. The auditor’s office has four more ballots in hand.
Others may come in, and some of the 73 ballots with missing or illegible signatures may be fixed by voters, who have been contacted, and counted that day as well.
Columbia County has listed 150 more ballots to count.
Clallam County has a 74.4 percent turnout — 33,927 ballots returned from 45,611 mailed — after 2,529 ballots were counted Tuesday.
Jefferson County traditionally has ranked among the highest voter turnouts in the state.
“Our voters just get out and vote,” Eldridge said. “The parties work it. The candidates work it.
“Every vote counts.”
None of the outcomes reported for three contested county races or the single local ballot measure changed with today’s count.
■ County Commissioner District 3 incumbent John Austin, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Jim Boyer by 9,708 votes, or 57.81 percent, to 7,085 votes, or 42.19 percent.
■ Chief Deputy Criminal Prosecutor Scott Rosekrans of Port Townsend, a Democrat, defeated Port Townsend Attorney Paul Richmond, who stated no party preference, for the prosecuting attorney-coroner position, winning 9,869 votes, or 62.11 percent, to Richmond’s 6,021 votes, or 37.89 percent.
■ Incumbent District Court Judge Jill Landes of Port Townsend won another term by defeating challenger John Wood, a Port Townsend attorney by 7,956 votes, or 54.36 percent, to 6,681 votes, or 45.64 percent.
■ Proposition 1, which increased county sales tax three cents on every $10 purchase, was approved with 9,218 votes, or 56.27 percent, in favor and 7,165 votes, or 43.73 percent, against.
Jefferson County officials elected by acclamation — without opposition — were Eldridge, Assessor Jack Westerman III, Treasurer Judi Morris, Superior Court Clerk Ruth Gordon, Sheriff Tony Hernandez and Jefferson County Public Utility District Commissioner Barney Burke.
Incumbent 24th District incumbent Position 1 Democrat Kevin Van De Wege, 36, of Sequim, maintained his win over Republican challenger Dan Gase, 57, of Port Angeles, as did 24th District Position 2 candidate Steve Tharinger, 61, of Sequim, a Clallam County commissioner, over Republican Jim McEntire, 60, also of Sequim.
Gase and McEntire have conceded to their respective opponents.
The 24th District consists of Clallam and Jefferson counties and the northern half of Grays Harbor County not including Aberdeen.
The districtwide count showed that Van De Wege won 34,818 votes, or 56.16 percent, to Gase’s 27,182 vote, or 43.84 percent.
The districtwide count was 32,143 votes, or 52.29 percent for Tharinger, and 29,328 votes, or 47.71 percent for McEntire.
Van De Wege took Jefferson, Clallam and Grays Harbor counties, with 11,270 votes, or 66.12 percent in Jefferson County; 16,630 votes, or 50.51 percent, in Clallam County; and 6,918 votes, or 57.5 percent in Grays Harbor County.
Gase took 5,776 votes, or 33,88 percent in Jefferson County; 16,293 votes, or 49.49 percent, in Clallam County; and 5,113 votes, or 42.5 percent in Grays Harbor County.
Tharinger’s biggest support was in Jefferson County, where he took 10,304 votes, or 61.23 percent, to McEntire’s 6,525 votes, or 38.77 percent.
Tharinger lost Clallam County, where he had 15,757 votes, or 48.18 percent, to McEntire’s 16,950 votes, or 51.82 percent.
But Tharinger prevailed in Grays Habor County, taking 6,082 votes, or 50.96 percent to McEntire’s 5,853 votes, or 49.04 percent.
