PORT TOWNSEND — David Stanko will be the new Jefferson County sheriff, and Rose Ann Carroll will be the new county auditor.
After a third ballot count of newly arrived mail ballots on Thursday afternoon, Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge said that the two close races are resolved.
Stanko was declared victor in the sheriff’s race, tallying 7,480 votes, or 50.54 percent, over Wendy Davis’ 7,198 votes, or 48.63 percent.
Carroll had 6,501 votes, or 50.06 percent, over Judy Maves-Klatt’s 6,347 votes, or 48.87 percent.
Eldridge said that all votes on hand had been counted and predicted that as many as 50 valid votes could arrive on Friday,
Those would not be enough to change election outcomes. Stanko has 282 votes over Davis; Carroll, 154 votes over Maves-Klatt.
The election drew 16,052 votes returned from 22,867 mailed for a voter participation rate of 70.2 percent.
The election will be certified Nov. 25, when any final ballots would be counted, and oath of offices will be prepared for the new sheriff, treasurer and assessor to take office immediately.
All three offices are presently filled by appointees, although appointee assessor Jeff Chapman is also the assessor-elect.
PREVIOUS STORY:
PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County sheriff and auditor races remained too close to call after a second count of ballots Wednesday.
In the count of general election ballots, sheriff candidate David Stanko and auditor candidate Rose Ann Carroll maintained slim leads.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office has counted 15,680 votes out of 22,867 issued, a 68.57 percent voter turnout.
The second count showed that Stanko earned 7,317 votes, or 50.62 percent, to Wendy Davis’ 7,022 votes, or 48.58 percent, a 295-vote margin.
On Tuesday night, 468 votes separated them.
In the auditor’s race, Carroll had 6,346 votes, or 50.04 percent, over Judy Maves-Klatt’s 6,204 votes, or 48.92 percent, a 142-vote margin, narrower than the initial count’s 216-vote margin.
According to Elections Supervisor Betty Johnson, about 350 votes remain uncounted — plus whatever comes in Thursday’s mail.
Those ballots could be counted as soon as this afternoon or Friday at the latest, Johnson said.
The sheriff’s candidates have not declared victory or conceded defeat.
“It’s still too close to call,” Stanko said. “Maybe we’ll know tomorrow.
“I’m willing to wait until the end when the voters will decide who will be the next sheriff,” Stanko said.
Davis said in a text message: “We knew it would be tough for many voters to accept a woman as their next sheriff.
“I am cautiously optimistic that the numbers will continue to trend my way as more ballots are counted.”
Davis, 47, of Port Ludlow is currently human resources manager for Port Ludlow Associates.
She served in the Bremerton Police Department as a sergeant and also in the Poulsbo Police Department, first as deputy chief and then as a sergeant.
Stanko, 66, retired in 2004 from the Fullerton (Calif.) Police Department.
He lives in Cape George and is an active volunteer who was named 2011 Citizen of the Year by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce.
Both are Democrats, although Stanko has said he plans to change his affiliation to independent.
Carroll, 64, of Port Townsend is chief accountant in the Auditor’s Office and has the endorsement of Donna Eldridge, who is retiring after five terms,
Maves-Klatt, 52, an appraiser and former attorney, is a resident of Port Townsend.
Both are Democrats.
Other county contest results are:
■ County commission — Kathleen Kler, 8,003, or 57.03 percent; Daniel S. Toepper, 5,992, or 42.70 percent.
■ Prosecuting attorney — Michael Haas, 7,781, or 61.90 percent; Scott Rosekrans, 4,678, or 37.22 percent.
■ District Court judge — Jill Landis, 7,152, or 54.46 percent; Cheryl Potebnya, 5,920, or 45.08 percent.
■ Jefferson County Public Utility District — Kenneth Collins, 6,961, or 55.48 percent; Tony De Leo, 8,511, or 43.92 percent.
■ Quilcene Fire Department property tax levy increase — Approve, 601, or 67.08 percent; reject, 295, or 32.92 percent.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
