PORT TOWNSEND — Bob Schuessler pulled ahead of David Whipple in the District No. 2 Port of Port Townsend primary election race — and Leif Erickson remains the challenger in the District 3 race — after a second count of 459 ballots this morning.
Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge, who is in charge of county elections, said a machine recount is likely before the votes in Tuesday’s primary election are certified Sept. 3 because the race for the District 2 seat is so close.
Today’s count left retired harbormaster Schuessler with 551 votes, or 25.60 percent, and Whipple, a consultant and educator, with 544 votes, or 25.28 percent.
On Tuesday night, Whipple was ahead of Schuessler by two votes.
The winner will face incumbent port Commissioner Dave Thompson, who has received a total of 1,057 votes, or 49.12 percent, after today’s count.
In the District 3 port Commissioner race, incumbent Herb Beck had a lock on the primary results today with 1,703, or 64.98 percent.
His closest opposition came from Erickson, a yacht builder, who garnered 495 votes, or 18.89 percent.
Douglas Breithaupt received 423 votes, or 16.14 percent.
Total votes cast in the all-mail election for those living within the port districts is 4,932 out of 14,902 ballots mailed, brining the voter turnout to 33.10 percent.
No ballots were left to be counted after today’s count, the auditor’s office said.
The Brinnon Fire District No. 4 levy has passed with 408 votes, or 67.89 percent, in favor, and 193, or 32.11 percent, opposed.
Eldridge said her department was auditing three voter precincts today and auditing undervotes — those ballots returned that were signed but unmarked — this week.
She said 89 chose not to vote in the port race.
“We have eight questionable or no signatures that voters have until the day before we certify” Sept. 3 to rectify, Eldridge said.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
