POULSBO — Incumbent Mayor Donna Jean Bruce topped challenger city councilman Mike Regis by a 862 to 682 vote margin in the unofficial general election counts and will likely continue her position in Poulsbo’s top seat for the next four years.

Bruce, who served the last three years as appointed mayor, was re-elected on the platform that she would ensure the Poulsbo’s small town character remains intact and that the enhanced quality of life here continues to improve. She also promised to continue her “lead, don’t meddle” governing style which has proven effective for the city during her tenure.

“I think it’s great,” Bruce said after the absentee counts were tallied. ”I’m really pleased with everything. The first count indicates a good council and that we’ll get a lot of work done together — with no hidden agendas.”

Challenger Regis had envisioned huge changes in the way the city’s planning, engineering and building departments were run and urged that Poulsbo plan for the future instead of constantly looking to the past.

Poulsbo City Council

Position 3

Incumbent city councilman Jim Henry will apparently fill out the remaining two years of the unexpired term left open by his challenger Donene Munroe. Munroe resigned her post two years ago but failed to regain the position through legal means.

Henry led in the polls by 894 to 621 votes Tuesday night.

The retired Naval officer served as a Poulsbo Planning Commissioner for eight years prior to being appointed to council in 2000.

“Obviously, I’m delighted , but it’s not over until the last vote is counted,” Henry said, adding with a smile, “This is a new experience for me.”

Henry promised to continue his role as a team player and as an advocate for transportation options for the city. He has spearheaded local efforts to restart the once popular Mosquito Fleet here and provide passenger-only service from Poulsbo to Seattle.

Position 5

Poulsbo councilman Ed Stern ran unopposed in the general election, taking over 98 percent of the vote.

Position 6

Incumbent city councilman Dale Rudolph looked to have defeated challenger Larry Craig Tuesday night in the preliminary counts for the general election, tallying 869 votes to Craig’s 573. Rudolph has served on the council for the last eight years and worked on virtually every committee the city has.

“The people have spoken,” he said after the first numbers were in. “I just want to get back to work. I think this process is a good thing in that it gets us all out in the public more, but it also distracts us from our work.”

Rudolph over the next four years will work to continue fiscal responsibility of Poulsbo, planning for managed growth and keeping a positive relationship between the city, the county and other municipalities.

Craig sought office with the interest of improving Poulsbo’s utility plans and has been an architect who has worked with planning and zoning issues for over 30 years.

Position 7

Challenger Kathryn Quade looks to have upset Connie Lord in the the general election, knocking the incumbent out of position 7 by a vote lead of 848 to 615. Quade, who served on city council in the early 1990s, hopes to bring Olympic College to Poulsbo during the next four years and wants to make sure that problems which have plagued the city since her time on council do not continue into the future.

Lord pledged to maintain ongoing dialogue with the state Department of Transportation concerning the Highway 305 widening project, address other traffic issues and improve the city’s infrastructure system.

“I’m pretty excited,” Quade remarked. “I’m looking forward to being that independent voice on council, working with the public and serving them again.”