East Jefferson Fire Rescue Chief Bret Black thanked voters for their support on Election Day of Proposition 1, the ballot measure to merge Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue with East Jefferson Fire Rescue.

"I'm relieved,” Black said.

“I think my staff is relieved,” he added. “We can really start focusing on the things on the horizon.”

The vote was not close, with a stunning 87.6 percent in favor of Prop. 1 from ballots counted so far.

Just 364 voters rejected the measure, or 12.4 percent of the total 2,935 votes counted in the initial vote tally Nov. 8.

"It's pretty impressive. All I can say is that it's a pretty clear indication of the support we have in the community for everything we do, not just this initiative," Black said.

He watched the Election Night numbers come in at the station in Port Ludlow with family, friends, and commissioners.

"It was a nice end to a long day," he added.

With approval, Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue will be dissolved and East Jefferson Fire Rescue’s boundaries will expand to cover that area. The existing commissioners of both districts will govern the merged district until the number of commissioners is reduced according to law.

Only voters within the boundary of Jefferson County Fire Protection District No. 3 were able to vote on Proposition 1.