Three primary races with bearing on South Kitsap – the Port Orchard mayoral race, the Port Orchard City Council at-large race and the Port of Bremerton race, district 2. Would you have bet good money on the outcomes?

To summarize:
Port Orchard Mayoral Candidate Lary Coppola easily locked in a slot in the general election, earning just over 58 percent of votes (591 out of a total of 1,016) in today’s primary election. Tom Saunders will also move on, with 271 votes, nearly 27 percent of ballots cast.
Out of the running is candidate Kathleen Dolan-Bowes, who earned just over 13 percent of the vote with 136 of the ballots cast. Write-in candidates earned 18 votes or 1.77 percent.
Coppola said he was “humbled.” Saunders said he was “pleased.” And Dolan-Bowes submitted the following statement to the Kitsap Sun, “I just read the PO Mayoral election results: I respect the decision of the voters and wish both Tom and Lary the best of luck in the November 2007 General Election.”

In the City Council race for the seat to be vacated by Bob Geiger, Jerry Childs and Dick Fitzwater moving on to the November general election. Childs earned nearly 50 percent (49.69) and Fitzwater got nearly 31 percent (30.55) of the vote, with a total of 982 ballots cast. The third candidate, attorney Dennis Xavier Goss, earned nearly 19 percent (18.64), and write-in candidates earned 1.12 percent of the vote.

And in the Port of Bremerton Race, driven by the looming elephant in the living room that is the tax levy for a Bremerton Marina overhaul … “Port of Bremerton Commissioner Mary Ann Huntington will make it to the November general election, but Tuesday returns show she’s paying a price for a tax increase to help build the new Bremerton Marina” wrote reporter Steve Gardner. “Former port commissioner Larry Stokes emerged from Tuesday’s primary with 56 percent of the 4,400 votes cast in the District 2 race for port commissioner. Huntington came in second with 27 percent, while Martin DiIenno, a retired carpenter and former live-aboard boat owner was a distant third place with 15 percent.”

So, blog readers, how many of you were clarvoyant enough to accurately predict the results in all three races? Anything in the results surprise you? Anyone want to venture predictions on the November election?

Mark Rebelowski, who looks likely to be moving on to the general election in the Port of Manchester race, has chastised me for not writing a story about the port race.

Here’s what he said.
“Chris….800 + votes in the tiny burb of Manchester yet we get no mention? I know the race is to close to call but how about at least a mention of it? Percentage wise we have far less voters then the City Of P O yet we had a better turn out…dont you think?”

Well, Mark, I agree with you. That’s a significant turn-out, and it shows the interest of citizens in the port during this time of change and development in Manchester. The editors have informed me that our policy is not to write about port races, water district races etc., unless there is a large looming elephant in the living room, as with the Port of Bremerton and the marina tax levy. Results on the Manchester port race were listed in a grid.

But because Manchester matters, here’s what I would have written.

Continue reading →

Both candidates say change is needed in council dynamics.
By Chris Henry
chenry@kitsapsun.com
PORT ORCHARD
Results from the primary race for the Port Orchard City Council at-large seat to be vacated by Bob Geiger show Jerry Childs and Dick Fitzwater moving on to the November general election. Childs earned nearly 50 percent (49.69) and Fitzwater got nearly 31 percent (30.55) of the vote, with a total of 982 ballots cast.
The third candidate, attorney Dennis Xavier Goss, earned nearly 19 percent (18.64), and write-in candidates earned 1.12 percent of the vote.
Downtown redevelopment has taken center stage in the City Council race. The council has been working for more than a year on a downtown plan that could spell relief for the city’s economy, but some merchants and property owners are frustrated with how long it’s taken.
Childs was unavailable for comment, but Fitzwater said from what he’s learned in door-belling for the position, the biggest issue on voters’ minds is “lack of action by the council.”
Fitzwater said he took note of Childs’ lead in the race.
“I’m glad I made it through. I have a lot of work to do,” he said. “Jerry Childs got 50 percent of the vote; I’ve got 30 percent. I’ve got to do a little strategy and see where I go from here.”
A former manager of Karcher Creek Sewer District, Fitzwater has said his familiarity with local government entities would serve him well on the city council.
“I know how to analyze problems, achieve consensus, work with other government agencies, and make important decisions,” he said.
Fitzwater is a Bremerton native who has lived in Port Orchard since 1991.
Childs has called what’s ailing the city council “analysis paralysis.” He has said he would jump start council meetings by providing firm direction.
Childs has said he is for downtown redevelopment and would take a systematic approach to addressing funding and infrastructure shortcomings that stand in its way
A former Seattle resident, Childs moved from Bainbridge Island to Port Orchard two years ago. He has lived in Kitsap County for 17 years.
Childs has been a firefighter for 40 years and has worked in various positions with the Seattle Fire Department, including administrative roles. He is now the captain of Ladder 3 in the Seattle Central District and expects to retire in January.
Goss, who said he intentionally did not go door-belling, had the following comment, “Since I only put up signs and I wasn’t going to do any more, since it was out of my family’s pocket, I guess I got what I expected. I don’t feel bad, and I don’t see any ultimate change in Port Orchard.”

Saunders said he’s “very pleased” to be moving on to the general election.
By Chris Henry
chenry@kitsapsun.com
PORT ORCHARD
Port Orchard Mayoral Candidate Lary Coppola easily locked in a slot in the general election, earning just over 58 percent of votes (591 out of a total of 1,016) in today’s primary election. Tom Saunders will also move on, with 271 votes, nearly 27 percent of ballots cast.
Out of the running is candidate Kathleen Dolan-Bowes, who earned just over 13 percent of the vote with 136 of the ballots cast. Write-in candidates earned 18 votes or 1.77 percent.

Continue reading →