PORT ANGELES — Edna Petersen and Max Mania are the last candidates standing after their convincing wins in Tuesday’s primary election for the Port Angeles City Council Position 2.
Petersen and Mania mathematically eliminated Rick Burton and Peter Ripley and are headed to a showdown in the Nov. 3 general election.
Petersen captured the most votes with 1,278, or 39.69 percent, of the 3,220 ballots that were tallied by Tuesday.
Mania wasn’t far behind with 1,190, or 36.96 percent, of Clallam County’s only primary race. The two top vote-getters of the primary run against each other in the general election.
An additional 100 ballots — not enough to change the outcome of the election — collected from the drop-off box outside the courthouse late Tuesday were not counted in the results. Outstanding ballots that were postmarked by Tuesday will be counted in Friday’s tally.
Only voters within the Port Angeles city limit cast a mail-only primary ballot.
As of Tuesday, 29.4 percent of the 11,188 mailed ballots had been returned.
The general election will be Petersen’s second attempt to be elected to the council.
Petersen served on the City Council from July 2006 through 2007 after being appointed following a resignation. She was defeated in November 2007 by present City Council member Dan Di Guilio.
‘Four good people’
“I think there were four really good, qualified people running for the office — dedicated people who care about this community and this city,” said Petersen, 69, a downtown business owner.
“I’m thrilled to be one of those going forward to the general election.”
Mania, 41, a store clerk, said he was pleased with the results.
“I’m thrilled that the voters gave me chance to race as someone who represents progress and forward-thinking views,” he said.
“I look forward to the months ahead.”
Burton, a 40-year-old papermaker, received 427 votes, or 13.26 percent.
“It was the first time I’ve ever run for an office,” Burton said. “I didn’t know what to expect. Obviously, I wanted to win. But I was pretty happy with the outcome.”
Ripley, an editor and publisher of two online newspapers who turned 49 on Tuesday, thanked the 325 people — 10.09 percent — who voted for him.
“I want to congratulate both candidates for running, and I am going to throw in my full support for Edna Petersen,” Ripley said.
“She’s a classy lady and a class act.”
Petersen, Burton and Ripley gathered with their supporters at the Clallam County Courthouse to get the results from the County Auditor Patty Rosand at 8 p.m.
Mania was dining with a group of friends and family at the Sabai Thai restaurant in Port Angeles when the results were released.
Ripley, a four-time Port Angeles City Council candidate, said he was undecided if he would run again.
Petersen said the primary results show the race is “really starting.”
“There’s lots of hard work to be done,” she said.
“All those voters that voted for Peter and Rick, they have to decide who they’re going to vote for now.”
Incumbent Larry Williams is not running for re-election for Position 2, which opened the door for the four-person primary.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
