PORT ANGELES — Initial districtwide election returns Tuesday night showed incumbent 24th District Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, with 5,723 votes and Democratic candidate Kevin Van De Wege of Sequim with 9,107 votes.
Clallam County returns showed Van De Wege with 4,061 votes and Buck with 3,170.
Jefferson County returns showed Buck with 2,062 votes and Van De Wege with 3,901 votes.
Grays Harbor County’s returns had Buck with 606 votes and Van De Wege with 1,389 votes.
Under the new primary system enacted this year, voters had to choose a Democratic, Republican or Libertarian ballot.
No “crossover voting” for candidates of different parties was allowed as in previous elections.
So the results don’t necessarily reflect how candidates would fare against each other in a head-to-head contest.
Election returns will continue to be counted through Monday.
