With 31% of eligible voters casting a ballot, East Jefferson Fire Rescue’s Aug. 6 ballot measure, to expand the number of commissioners from the existing three board members to a total of five fire commissioners, has been approved by primary election voters. “This will create five commissioner districts for the purpose of electing fire commissioners equally across the district,” said Jim Walkowski, chief of East Jefferson Fire Rescue. “The population of each commissioner district is required to be approximately equal. We are confident this process will result in two commissioner districts in the city, two in the county, and one commissioner district that will likely balance on both areas.” Although it received a super-majority (more than 66%), the measure needed only a simple majority to pass. This expansion of the board follows voters’ Feb. 22 approval of the annexation of the city of Port Townsend into the Jefferson County Fire Protection District 1, which is covered by East Jefferson Fire Rescue. The three-member board of commissioners’ unanimously voted in favor of the expansion in March 20 by asking the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to place the measure on this primary election's ballot. Now that this expansion is approved, East Jefferson Fire Rescue plans to map out corresponding geographical fire districts, which would also be subject to voter approval, this time on the general election ballot for Nov. 5. All of three of the current fire district members are elected at-large. After the boundaries are approved, commissioners will represent sub-areas of the overall district. Emily Stewart, administrative assistant for East Jefferson Fire Rescue, said the expansion of the district and board aim to improve fire and life safety initiatives throughout its service area. “Specifically, funds will be utilized to enhance fire-code management services, consisting of plan review, code enforcement and fire investigation services, with the goal of reducing community life, property and other losses due to fire,” Stewart said. Of 17,751 registered voters, 5,566 returned their ballots.