POULSBO – Three races were still too close to call after updated election results were released Nov. 5 at 5 p.m.

Deputy Public Defender Tina Robinson, a Republican candidate for prosecuting attorney, was losing by 214 votes to the incumbent, Democrat Russ Hauge, on Election Night. In updated results the next day, Robinson had a 32-vote lead.

Who will lead the prosecuting attorney’s office and the assessor’s office, and who will represent District 3 on the County Commission, could change again on Nov. 6. According to the Kitsap County Auditor Elections Division website, election officials had 21,000 ballots left to count.

Elections supervisor Dolores Gilmore, who was elected county auditor on Nov. 4, said leads of 5 percent tend to trend and hold as more ballots are counted. These three races, she said on Election Night, are too close to call.

County Commission District 3
Republican Edward E. Wolfe, a lawyer who negotiated the Pacific Salmon Treaty as an assistant U.S. secretary of state in the Reagan administration, is now leading incumbent Linda Streissguth, Democrat, 30,350 to 29,288 – 50.8 percent to 49 percent of the vote, for District 3 County Commission.

During the campaign, Streissguth said her planning background would be important during the Comprehensive Plan update.

“Promoting economic development and the creation of family wage jobs for the residents that live here and growing opportunities for the next generation,” Streissguth said in outlining her priorities.

“Adequate resources to provide essential public services that residents need. Examples include utility and transportation planning; resources to address gaps in community services for mental health and substance abuse. [And] preserving our quality of life including keeping our neighborhoods safe, preserving the natural beautify of Kitsap County and planning for our future.”

Wolfe said he would bring political balance to a currently three-Democrat board, as well as an ability to bring disparate viewpoints to consensus.

“In addition to issues like the Comprehensive Plan and budget allocations, my top issue is making sure that voters know I have a diverse background which will bring a rich and different perspective to all issues before the commission,” Wolfe said in a Q&A with the North Kitsap Herald.

“Right now, those on the commission have similar experiences. They unanimously agree on most key points of policy which directly impact the lives of individuals, many of whom have a different way of approaching these policies. Having a voice from someone with a different background, who has owned a business, and worked in government as well as the private sector will be enough to considerably change government in Kitsap County so that it represents all citizens.

“My focus will be making sure that Kitsap is a safe, economically robust, and beautiful place to work, live and play. If we are going to have safe communities, economic opportunities and places where we can kayak, hike and play close to home, we need to bring all groups to the table and find solutions that benefit all citizens, not just those with a limited perspective.”

County Assessor
Republican Phil Cook widened his lead over Democrat Paul Andrews in the race for county assessor. Cook was leading by 2,241 votes on Election Night; updated results gave him a lead of 2,743 – 31,008 to 28,265, or 52.2 to 47.6 percent.

Cook is a mortgage consultant with New American Funding in Poulsbo and a property manager in Kitsap County. Previously he was an operations manager for a manufacturing firm, assistant to a city manager, and a high school teacher and coach.

Andrews is a data analyst for Kitsap County, working for the last 19 years in information services serving the assessor and two years before that as senior project manager for the Pierce County Assessor’s Office.

Their campaign was distinguished by camaraderie; they became good friends, and they and their wives have gotten together socially.

“We hit it off,” Andrews said. “We have the same sense of humor and the same interests. We could be best friends. There is no animosity, but we still recognize we’re running against each other for the same office, that we are seeking the same goal.”

Their ideas were similar as well. Cook said he’d bring to the job the perspective of someone who has interacted with the assessor’s office as a mortgage consultant, property manager and property owner. Andrews said he has the technological knowledge to make those ideas happen.

During the campaign, Andrews said his priorities are for the assessor’s office to be open five days a week, with expanded phone services for after hours and weekends; and to improve Parcel Search and the assessor’s website to provide more information about how values were determined and what comparable properties were used.

“I will improve the appeal process with online filing, options for sharing information between the office and citizens, and add a tax calculator tool,” Andrews said. “I will continue my lobbying effort with the other assessors and our Legislature to improve the Senior Exemption Program.”

Andrews supports an idea of Cook’s: Creation of an advisory council whose purpose will be to help find solutions that will improve the accuracy of the assessment process as well as communicate and educate the public about how the assessment process works. Andrews wants Cook to serve on the committee. He said if Cook wins, he sees himself continuing on as a data analyst for the county and working with Cook.

Prosecuting Attorney
In a Q&A with the North Kitsap Herald, Hauge outlined his priorities for his sixth term:

“My priorities will continue to be public safety and sound civil legal advice and representation. Within those general priorities, my obligation is to identify the current challenges facing our community.

“Right now, to maintain public safety we must address the issues presented by the growing population of mentally ill persons living in our community. These people are over-represented both as victims and offenders.

“We will continue to face demands for public services outpacing revenue. As the lawyers for the county, we can help find ways to meet those demands creatively — that is, without relying on new taxes. For example, we have reorganized criminal pre-trial procedures to take less time on the court calendars. As a result, the Superior Court can handle more civil matters in a timely fashion without the need for more government resources. We will continue to look for this kind of efficiency.”

In the same Q&A, Robinson outlined her priorities:

“In the Criminal Division, because I believe that more priority needs to [be] given to crimes against our citizens, I want to focus more resources on the prosecution of those crimes. Policies concerning charging decisions, especially concerning crimes involving victims, will be addressed. The FEPU — Felony Early Plea Unit — process will be addressed.

“In the Civil Division, the backlog, especially around public disclosure, requests will be evaluated. I will also evaluate issues concerning litigation vs. resolution in civil cases. I will address those outstanding complaints concerning unresponsiveness, victim rights, and unethical allegations.”