PORT ANGELES — Voters in Clallam County Fire District 3 were approving a levy lid lift, and a handful of political offices were narrowed to two candidates in initial ballot returns Tuesday night.
The fire district’s levy lid lift, which would restore the district’s regular tax levy to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, was passing by a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent.
The district, based in Carlsborg, covers the Sequim area in addition to a small portion in Jefferson County.
In combined county results, the levy lid lift was passing with 4,483 votes to 2,519 votes.
In Clallam County, it was passing with 4,377 votes (63.9 percent) to 2,475 votes (36.1 percent). In Jefferson County, there were 106 yes votes (70.7 percent) to 44 no votes (29.3 percent).
The district’s current regular levy valuation is $1.11 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Fire district staff said increasing the levy amount by $0.39 would cost a homeowner with a home assessed at $470,000 about $15.28 more than what they pay now per month, or about $183.36 more each year.
If approved, collection will begin in 2026.
In Clallam County races, Penney Sanders and Laurie Force have advanced to November’s general election for Olympic Medical Center commissioner position 7. Sanders was the leading vote-getter at 5,023 votes (55.3 percent), while Force had 2,917 votes (32.1 percent). A third challenger, Mic Sager, had 1,050 votes (11.6 percent).
For Port Angeles City Council, incumbent LaTrisha Suggs and challenger James Taylor will face off in November for Position 1 as Suggs totaled 961 votes (50.3 percent) and Taylor had 607 votes (37.8 percent). Gilbert Hall, a third candidate in the race, had 335 votes (17.5 percent).
Meanwhile, incumbent Kate Dexter, the council-elected mayor, and Marolee “Mimi” Smith Dvorak will vie for the council’s Position 4. Dexter garnered 1,135 votes (59.5 percent) and Dvorak had 528 votes (27.7 percent). A third candidate, Ralph Davisson, had 232 votes (12.2 percent).
For Port Angeles School District, incumbent Sarah Methner and Ned Hammar will advance out of four candidates to the November general election. Methner had 1,440 votes (44.7 percent) and Hammar had 1,043 votes (32.3 percent). The other two candidates were Kim Butler (395 votes, 12.3 percent) and Ruth Replogle (329 votes, 10.2 percent).
Clallam County counted 10,104 total votes out of 54,276 registered voters on Tuesday night, according to the auditor’s office. The voter turnout was 18.6 percent.
About 2,400 ballots remain to be counted, and the next count is scheduled at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
In Jefferson County, Fred Obee and Dylan Quarles advanced to the November general election for Port Townsend City Council, Position 1. Obee had 2,049 votes (72.5 percent) and Quarles had 650 votes (23 percent). A third candidate, Mikki Porter, had 127 votes (4.5 percent).
Jefferson County counted 2,978 votes out of 9,410 registered voters on Tuesday night, according to the auditor’s office. The voter turnout was 31.7 percent.
About 481 ballots remain to be counted, and the next count is scheduled at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The election will be certified on Aug. 19.
