PORT TOWNSEND — Two Port of Port Townsend incumbent commissioners will defend their seats in November, according to the results of Tuesday’s primary election, but who their challengers will be isn’t likely to be clearly known until today’s tally.
Port Commissioner Herb Beck, 71 — the longest-standing port commissioner in the state — and Dave Thompson, 66 — a fellow incumbent on the three-person board — are assured spots on the November ballot after the top-two primary election, with Beck receiving 1,575 votes, or 64.92 percent, and Thompson getting 933 votes, or 47.80 percent.
But whether Beck will face Leif Erickson, 58, or Douglas Breithaupt, 51, and whether Thompson will defend his seat against David Whipple, 48, or Bob Schuessler, 66, was too close to call Tuesday night.
The night ended with Erickson ahead of Breithaupt as the challenger for Beck’s District No. 3 seat. Erickson took 447 votes, or 18.61 percent, of the votes compared to Breithaupt’s 380 votes, or 15.82 percent.
But today’s second count could change that. Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge said the count of about 50 ballots on hand plus the ballots that arrive in today’s mail — expected to be from 200 to 300 — would be conducted at 8:30 a.m. at her office on the second floor of Jefferson County Courthouse., 1820 Jefferson St.
And the second biggest vote-getter in the race for Thompson’s District 2 seat, Whipple — a community educator, consultant and sports official — was only two votes ahead of retired harbormaster Bob Schuessler.
Whipple took 498 votes, or 25.84 percent, while Schuessler received 496 votes, or 25.74 percent.
Breithaupt concedes
Breithaupt, however, conceded the race, congratulating both Beck and Erickson “on a good campaign.”
“I think that what this shows is that Herb obviously has a strong base in his district and he worked hard,” said Breithaupt, president of College Planning Network for 23 years . “Leif is going to have his work cut out for him in the general election.”
Said Erickson, Port Townsend Marine Trades Association board vice president and production manager for yacht builder Townsend Bay Marine: “I think the vote reflected a wish to reduce spending and make the port accountable to its stakeholders and the community at large.”
Erickson said he was excited to move to the general election ballot and he looked forward to a candidates forum in September before the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce.
Beck, a retired Keyport Naval Center employee and Quilcene farmer who has been elected to his port seat since 1972, said he was shocked by the results.
“It was amazing to me” to have such a lead, he said.
“My goal and objective has always been the creation of jobs for our tenants the folks in our county,” Beck added. “I’m grateful, and I will continue to do what I do best.”
Surprised by close race
Thompson, a longtime shipwright at the port’s Boat Haven, was reserved about his strong lead, saying he was surprised by the closeness of the race between Whipple and Schuessler.
“It means I can’t just hang up my campaign,” Thompson said. “The contest continues.”
Whipple also said he was surprised.
“I expected to run a little bit better than this,” Whipple said, adding he knocked on a lot of doors campaigning.
Schuessler said he would wait and see before thinking he would move on to the general election.
“It seems like David Whipple has done a lot of stuff in the community, so I am not surprised.
Calling it the lowest turnout she has seen since she was first elected in 1995, Eldridge said Tuesday night ended with only 30.01 percent of the 14,905 ballots mailed out returned.
Eldridge originally predicted a 36.5 percent voter turnout.
The primary election was limited solely to these port districts. The general election vote will be countywide.
District 2 includes Cape George, Beckett Point, Chimacum, Port Hadlock, Kala Point, Irondale and Nordland.
District 3 covers Gardiner, Discovery Bay, Eaglemount, Lake Leland, Quilcene, Coyle, Brinnon, Thorndyke, Center, Port Ludlow, Paradise Bay and Queets.
There are 7,235 registered voters in District 2 and 7,614 registered in District 3.
The port commissioners approve an annual budget of about $6.3 million, hire an executive director who supervises 26 full-time employees, and are responsible for managing the Boat Haven and Point Hudson marinas, Jefferson County International Airport, the 40-acre Herb Beck Marina and Industrial Park in Quilcene and manages 600 acre, including tidelands, and six boat ramps throughout the county.
The results are only from ballots received by the county auditor before Tuesday, when 4,473 ballots were counted in Jefferson County elections — 30.01 percent of the 14,905 ballots mailed out after July 28.
There were 80 undeliverable ballots returned to the Auditor’s Office elections division.
General election ballots will be mailed out after Oct. 15.
________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
