PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County had the second highest voter participation of any county in the state in the Nov. 8 general election.
High voter turnout isn’t unusual for Jefferson County, said Betty Johnson, elections coordinator.
“Historically for every election, not just the presidential elections but all elections, we have high turnout,” Johnson said.
“Smaller counties and smaller communities tend to do better. Just more involvement and more conversations, I guess.”
Jefferson saw 86.21 percent of registered voters come out to cast their ballots for the general election. First place was achieved by San Juan County, which boasted an 88.35 percent voter turnout this year.
Jefferson County is larger than San Juan County, with 24,557 registered voters to San Juan’s 12,798, according to the Washington secretary of state.
Other high-ranking counties were Whitman with 84.74 percent, Lincoln with 83.95 percent and Columbia with 83.74 percent voter turnout.
Clallam County’s voter turnout was 80.12 percent.
Statewide, voter turnout was under 80 percent, coming in at 78.76 percent, according to the secretary of state website’s final tally, which was certified Wednesday.
In the 2012 presidential election, Jefferson County saw an 88.35 percent voter turnout and a huge 91.27 percent turnout in 2008, according to Johnson.
In the primary election, Jefferson came in first in the state, with a 48.04 percent voter turnout.
San Juan County came in second with just over 46 percent.
“We’re always up there in first or second,” Johnson said.
Jefferson County certified its final tally Tuesday. No election outcomes were changed.
Kate Dean will be the county commissioner for District 1 with 66.11 percent of the vote.
Jeff Randall won the race for public utility district commissioner with 62 percent over incumbent Barney Burke’s 38 percent.
The Brinnon Parks and Recreation tax levy failed. It needed a 60 percent supermajority to pass but only 45.61 percent of voters voted in favor of the levy.
In the 24th Legislative District races, Democrats swept the field with Kevin Van De Wege, D- Sequim; Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles; and Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, all winning with more than 65 percent of the vote.
Jefferson County voters also favored Hillary Clinton over President-elect Donald Trump. Clinton got 62.42 percent of the vote in Jefferson County compared to Trump’s 29.77 percent.
Trump took Clallam County with 47.63 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 44.8 percent.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
