POULSBO — The race for second place in the Poulsbo’s September primary election took a not-so-unexpected turn Friday morning. Kitsap County Auditor Karen Flynn announced that ballots cast for Poulsbo mayoral candidates Mike Regis and Sherry Appleton were going to a recount.

Over the past week, Regis’ 10-vote lead over Appleton for the opportunity to challenge incumbent Mayor Donna Jean Bruce in the November general election was cut in half.

Yesterday, the margin had been shaved to five votes as Regis held onto a slim 508 to 503 lead. Regis garnered 26.10 percent of the ballots cast while Appleton earned 25.85 percent.

Mayor Bruce continues to hold her strong lead with 929 votes and 47.74 percent of the primary.

Flynn said a hand recount would take place Monday morning and that ballots would be checked against totals from the computer.

“It’s not too bad,” she said when asked about the task. “What happens is that the auditor’s staff will bring together all ballots that are in the Poulsbo race and compare them. If they’re the same, we accept them outright. If not, we count them again.”

Final results of the primary will be posted in the Wednesday, Oct. 3 issue of the North Kitsap Herald.

“This is the permitted process and we’re going to honor it,” Regis said Friday morning during a brief conversation.

When asked whether he was a bit worried, he replied simply, “Yeah.”

Appleton wasn’t very optimistic that the five-vote lead would falter but joked Friday that, “This is the election that never ends.”

“Although the trend is breaking my way — it’s too little too late,” she added. “I think it’s really difficult to overcome those five votes — but you never know.”