For some candidates, it’s time to refocus. For others, it’s an end to their election season.
The second round of ballot counts in the 2015 Clallam County primary election on Friday, Aug. 7, saw incumbents in three Sequim-area races advance to the general election,
including Jim McEntire’s bid to retain his Clallam County Commissioner seat.
But the recent ballot tally didn’t bring good news for supporters of the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center Proposition No. 1.
The effort to create a Metropolitan Park District to help keep SARC open was handily defeated by a 58-42 spread after new ballot counts were released Friday, Aug. 7.
“SARC will close,” SARC board president Frank Pickering said after Tuesday night’s initial election count. “We don’t know how long. It will depend on our revenue. The board will meet soon and will be discussing the moves we have to make.”
In the race for Clallam County Commissioner Position 1 (eastern Clallam), Republican Jim McEntire and Democrat Mark Ozias move on to the general election. McEntire received 48.9 percent of the vote while Ozias picked up 38.3 percent of 8,675 ballots cast. Bryan Frazier received 12.7 percent and will not move on to the general election on Nov. 3.
In the race for Sequim School District Director District No. 1 race, challenger Robin Henrikson saw her tally move slightly ahead of Heather Jeffers. Henrikson earned 2,433 votes to Jeffers’ 2,353 (36.7 to 35.6 percent). Both were slated to move on to the general election even before Tuesday night’s count, as other candidates for the position — Willard Naslund, now with 15.3 percent of the primary ballots, and Rebecca Bratsman, with 12.4 percent — dropped out but saw their names placed on the ballot anyway.
In the race for Sequim School District Director At-Large Position No. 5, first-time board candidate Heather Short received 56.8 percent of 6,129 ballots cast to move on to the general election. She’ll face Will Payne, who tallied 2,025 votes, or about 24.7 percent of the ballots. With 18.5 percent of the votes in the race, challenger Charles Meyer was eliminated.
In the race for Fire District 3 Commissioner No. 1, incumbent G. Michael Gawley and challenger Sean Ryan are headed to a general election showdown. Gawley received 44.6 percent of 8,265 ballots cast, with Ryan getting 40.1 percent. Coming in third was Alan W. Slind with 15.3 percent.
Friday’s total ballot count was 15,248 out of 43,544 registered voters, or 35.02 percent voter turnout. The next count is 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 18, when the election is certified.
SARC Metropolitan Park District Proposition 1
No 6,181 58.21%
Yes 4,437 41.79%
County Commissioner District No. 1
Jim McEntire (R) 4,245 48.93%
Mark Ozias (D) 3,325 38.33%
Bryan D. Frazier (D) 1,105 12.74%
Sequim School District Director District No. 1
Robin Henrikson 2,433 36.78%
Heather Jeffers 2,353 35.57%
Willard Naslund* 1,011 15.28%
Rebecca Bratsman* 818 12.37%
* — dropped out of race prior to primary election
Sequim School District Director At-Large Position No. 5
Heather Short 4,656 56.78%
William Payne 2,025 24.70%
Charles Meyer 1,519 18.52%
Fire District 3 Commissioner No. 1
G. Michael Gawley 3,684 44.57%
Sean Ryan 3,315 40.11%
Alan W. Slind 1,266 15.32%
Port of Port Angeles Commissioner District No. 3
Connie Beauvais 841 33.05%
Michael Breidenbach 638 25.07%
Lee Whetham 573 22.51%
Rick (Doc) Robinson 493 19.37%
Port Angeles City Council Position No. 5
Michael Merideth 1,049 45.33%
Marolee Smith 820 35.44%
Shan Pak 445 19.23%
(These positions were dependent on Proposition 1 passing)
SARC Metropolitan Park District Commissioner Position No. 1
Warren Pierce 3,765 62.78%
Eckart Mildenstein 2,232 37.22%
SARC Metropolitan Park District Commissioner Position No. 2
Ken Stringer 3,606 70.22%
Bill Wrobel 1,529 29.78%
SARC Metropolitan Park District Commissioner Position No. 3
Virginia O’Neil 3,546 55.03%
Gayle Baker 1,130 17.54%
Dick Neal 947 14.70%
Paul Gruver 821 12.74%
SARC Metropolitan Park District Commissioner Position No. 4
Rich Bemm 3,139 51.58%
Susan Sparks Smith 1,994 32.76%
Fritz Gruetzmacher 953 15.66%
SARC Metropolitan Park District Commissioner Position No. 5
Mike McAleer 3,985 60.64%
Bob Anundson 2,587 39.36%.
