Voter turnout in Jefferson County hit 67.48 percent in August’s Primary Election, according to staff at the Jefferson County Elections Division.

The vote from the Aug. 4 primary was certified as official Aug. 18.

Election officials said a total of
17,886 ballots were counted. Jefferson County has 26,506 registered voters.

The final tally shows U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer finished with a solid showing in Jefferson County. 

He finished with 53 percent of the vote. Across Washington’s entire 6th District, Kilmer had 47 percent.

The incumbent congressman did especially well across Port Townsend’s 11 precincts. In each PT precinct, Kilmer bested his countywide mark of 53 percent. In seven precincts (Port Townsend 700, Port Townsend 701, Port Townsend 705, Port Townsend 706, Port Townsend 707, Port Townsend 708 , and Port Townsend 710), Kilmer had results of
54.3 percent of all ballots cast or better.

Kilmer picked up more than 60 percent of the vote in Port Townsend’s other four precincts: Port Townsend 702, 66.2 percent; Port Townsend 703, 62.5 percent; Port Townsend 704, 61.2 percent; and Port Townsend 709, 64.5 percent.

In the most-watched local race, the three-way battle for Jefferson County Commissioner, District 2, the final official tally gave Heidi Eisenhour 43.22 percent.

Lorna Smith was second with 32.62 percent, while Amanda Funaro finished with 21.4 percent.

The final vote tally was 2,230 votes for Eisenhour; 1,683 for Smith; and 1,104 for Funaro. 

There were also 143 write-in votes cast.

“Undervotes” in the commissioners’ race — where voters submit a ballot but don’t choose a candidate in every race — totaled 732 in the District 2 contest, or 12.4 percent of all ballots cast. That means 732 voters in the 12 precincts of District 2 submitted a ballot but did not vote for a candidate in that commissioner’s race.

Three voters in District 2 “overvoted”; they marked more than one candidate in the District 2 contest, so their votes in that race were not counted. 

Eisenhour won the most votes in 10 precincts; South Jacob, Chimacum I, Chimacum II, Hadlock, Kala Point, Irondale I, Irondale II, Four Corners, Center II, and Nordland. 

Smith earned the most votes in two precincts; Cape George and Discovery Bay.

Eisenhour and Smith now advance to November’s General Election.

State officials said voter turnout for the Primary Election was the highest on record for a primary in Washington state since 1964.

More than 2.51 million people — or
54.44 percent of all registered voters in Washington — cast ballots in the August primary.

More than 840,000 voted in the 1964 Primary Election, which marked a turnout rate of 56.06 percent.

Officials said ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election will be sent to voters no later than Oct. 16.

Online and mail-in voter registrations must be received by Oct. 26 in order for new voters to participate in the 2020 General Election.

After Oct. 26, new registrations or changes must be done in person at the county elections office.