The initial tally of votes for the Kitsap County Commission race for District 3 shows Republican Ed Wolfe leading his Democratic opponent, Linda Streissguth, by 1,021 votes – by two percent of the votes cast so far.

Wolfe had 26,827 votes, or 50.9 percent of the total. Streissguth had 25,806 votes, or 48.9 percent.

Wolfe’s Facebook page read, “Thank you voters! From your next Kitsap County Commissioner Ed Wolfe!”

About 70 Democrats gathered in Silverdale peered at their cell phones or looked at election web pages projected onto the wall as initial results came in around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday.

“If I had nails, I’d be biting them,” Streissguth joked.

Katherine Woods, chair of the Kitsap County Democratic Central Committee, wasn’t willing to throw in the towel.

“This is nowhere near the end,” Woods told the crowd.

“All the results you saw tonight are ballots received as of yesterday,” she added. “So, this doesn’t include anyone who mailed in their ballot in over the weekend that hasn’t been processed at the auditor’s office. It doesn’t include anyone who voted today or dropped it off in a dropbox today.”

Streissguth echoed Woods’ sentiment.

“There’s lots of votes left to be counted. I am cautiously optimistic,” Streissguth said.

“I spent some time today thinking about the last year,” she added. “I have an enormous feeling of gratitude for the voters, supporters, volunteers, friends – all the people that have been there to support my campaign.”

A representative with the Kitsap County Auditor’s office said that as of press time there was still 20,000 or so ballots left to be counted,.

“In terms of projecting a winner, for our office it always comes down to the numbers,” said Shawn Devine, who is with the Kitsap County Auditor Elections Division.

“Currently, the margin between the two candidates is less than the number of ballots left to count,” he said.