Democratic challenger Michael Simonds led Republican Assessor Phil Cook in early returns Tuesday night in the race for Kitsap County assessor.
Simonds had 45,839 votes, or 51.0%, to Cook’s 43,912, or 48.9%, a margin of 1,927 votes, according to unofficial results posted by the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office at 8:13 p.m. Tuesday.
Countywide, 92,136 ballots had been counted, a turnout of 45.1% of Kitsap County’s 204,242 registered voters.
The Kitsap County Auditor’s Office will keep counting ballots in the coming days, including mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day, and results can change. The county is scheduled to certify the election Nov. 24.
The winner will serve a four-year term.
Cook, a Republican who has held the office since 2015, is seeking a fourth term. He has pointed to the office’s efficiency and a senior and disabled exemption process recognized by the National Association of Counties.
Simonds, a Democrat, is a Navy veteran who served aboard the USS Nebraska and a Redfin real estate agent since 2017. He has said he would use data analytics to correct neighborhood-level assessment imbalances and build easier online tools for residents. The state Public Disclosure Commission has fined him twice for late campaign filings, the Kitsap Sun reported.
Simonds led the Aug. 4 primary with 52.4% of the vote to Cook’s 47.5%.
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