With 5,089 ballots counted on the night of the Nov. 5 election, early returns show Schwinge with 1,405 votes, or 58 percent of ballots cast. Former county and town councilman Howie Rosenfeld, in a first-time bid for a position hospital board, garnered 999 votes, or 42 percent, of the early returns.

The number of ballots counted on night equals 46.2 percent of the 5,821 registered voters that reside within the district. A total of 285 voters, 10.6 percent of the early returns, did not cast a vote in the contested hospital commission race. Incumbent district commissioner Rosanna O’Donnell ran unopposed for a 2-year unexpired term.

An estimated 1,500 ballots are expected to be counted before final results of the Nov. 5 election are certified. San Juan County Elections expects to release the next round of results, Thursday, Nov. 7, by 5 p.m.

Although it appears headed for defeat, local voters backed statewide Initiative 522 in large numbers. In early election results, a total of 3,109 voters approved the measure, which seeks labeling of genetically engineered food products, representing 65 percent of election night results.

In San Juan Island’s other contested races, Farhad Ghatan leads opponent Matt Shildneck in the race for Friday Harbor Town Council. Ghatan, former chairman of the town planning commission, collected 270 votes of the 516 ballots tallied on election night. Opponent Matt Shildneck, a member of the town historic preservation review board, had 190 votes. With 1,383 registered voters, early results represent a turnout for the town council race of 37.8 percent.

Incumbent Mike Ahrenius took a commanding lead in the Friday Harbor Port Commission race, outpacing challenger Daniel Miller by garnering 83 percent of election night results, a total of 1,936 votes. Miller had 390 votes, or 17 percent. Island Rec commission incumbent Scott Zehner grabbed an equally decisive advantage, earning 1,784 votes, or 87 percent, of the early returns. Opponent Ian Paterson, a first-time candidate for public office, garnered 274 votes.

Voters rejected local Proposition 1 in overwhelming numbers, with 65 percent voting against the countywide measure, which would allow boundaries of county council positions to be altered through a voter-approved citizen-led initiative. Early results show 2,982 voters rejected the measure and 1,915 in favor.