It appears that Ronnie Wright will be the next mayor of Oak Harbor.
Wright, the owner of an accounting firm, is ahead of Councilmember Shane Hoffmire in the first count of ballots in Tuesday’s general election. Wright has 1,480 votes, or nearly 55%, while Hoffmire has 1,213 votes, or 45%.
Of the many local races on the ballot this year, the race for Oak Harbor mayor was the most anticipated and the hardest fought. If the results hold, Wright and Hoffmire will work together as mayor and council member in the new year.
In Coupeville, Mayor Molly Hughes will continue leading the town. Hughes received 427 votes, or 62%, and challenger Meg Olson has 255 votes, or 37%. Council members Jackie Henderson, Rick Walti and Jenny Bright ran unopposed.
In the race for Position 2 on the Oak Harbor City Council, Chris Wiegenstein is ahead of Andy Plumlee. Wiegenstein has 1,330 ballots cast in his favor, which is about 52%, and Plumlee has 1,237, or 48%.
In the Position 4 race, Barbara Armes is ahead of John Chaszar. She has 1,350 votes, or 52%, and he has 1,231 votes, which is just over 47%.
Tara Hizon and Eric Marshall ran unopposed for their council seats.
In the race for Position 2 on the Oak Harbor School Board, Jessica Aws is ahead of Karen Lesetmoe. Aws has 3,178 votes, or 61%, while Lesetmoe has 2,023 votes, or 39%.
In the Position 3 race, Josh MacLean is winning against Fred Wilmot. MacLean has 2,694 votes, or 52%, and Wilmot has 2,426 ballots cast in his favor, which is about 47%.
In the Position 4 race, Nicole Tesch is ahead of Jessica Thompson. Tesch has 3,208 votes, or 61%, and Thompson received 2,023 votes, or 39%.
In the Position 5 race, Sharon Jensen is ahead of Will Smith. Jensen has 2,921 votes, or 57%, while Smith has 2,179 votes, or 43%.
Lynn Goebel ran unopposed for Position 1 on the Oak Harbor school board.
In the race for Position 1 on the Coupeville School Board, Charles Merwine is far ahead of Leann Leavitt. Merwine has 2,219 votes, or 74%, while Leavitt has 755, or 25%.
In the Position 4 race, Alison Perera is winning against David Ford. Perera has 1,893 votes, or 62%, while Ford has 1,142 votes, or nearly 38%.
The WhidbeyHealth public hospital board will have two new commissioners. Marion Jouas has 8,921 votes, or 70%, while appointed hospital Commissioner Morgan Cooper has 3,736, or 29%.
In the other contest for the hospital board, Kate Rose is ahead of incumbent Eric Anderson. Rose has 8,964 votes, or nearly 72%, and Anderson received 3,505 votes, or 28%.
Gregory Richardson ran unopposed for his seat on the hospital board.
In a race for Port of Coupeville commissioner, Marianne Burr is ahead of Bradley Duncan. Burr has 1,690 votes, or nearly 58%, and Duncan has 1,212 votes, or nearly 42%.
In the other port race, John Callahan has 1,575 votes, or 55%. Challenger Angela Ewert has 1,286 votes, or 45%.
In the race for commissioner on the North Whidbey Fire and Rescue Board, TJ Lamont is ahead of Scott Jackson. Lamont has 1,523 votes, or about 51%, and Jackson has 1,437 votes, or 48%.
It appears that a levy lift proposal for Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue will easily win. More than 68% of the ballots were “yes” votes.
The Island County Auditor’s Office estimates that about 1,000 ballots are left to count.
