No recounts necessary in Jefferson: Brinnon, Gardiner races decided

Jefferson County election results were certified Tuesday morning with none of the close races scheduled for automatic recount.

According to Washington state law, if candidates are separated by less than one-half of a percent, a recount is activated.

However, the county’s two closest races — Brinnon fire commissioner and Gardiner cemetery commissioner — fell above the threshold to activate a mandatory recount of ballots, making Tuesday’s results the final numbers.

In the official count, 14,224 voters cast a ballot of the 21,983 registered in Jefferson County for a turnout of 64.7 percent.

In the election for Brinnon fire commissioner, Ken McEdwards retains his 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 the Gardiner Cemetery District, Richard Quinnell takes the 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.

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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.

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