Aberdeen commercial banker Randy Ross was an easy winner in his bid for the Grays Harbor County District 2 Commissioner seat.

Ross, running as an independent, claimed nearly 64 percent of the vote tallied on election night. More ballots will be counted in coming days.

“I am very pleased to have earned the vote of the citizens,” Ross said on election night. “I’m humbled.”

Commissioner Frank Gordon, a Democrat, also struggled in the primary election against Ross.

The win by Ross, along with Commissioner Wes Cormier’s defeat of a Democratic challenger, means that there will be no Democrat on the County Commission for the first time in recent memory.

Ross and Gordon were separated by more than 5,300 votes on election night.

The race had taken on what could be perceived as a negative tone in the waning weeks of the election season with accusations of campaign sign tampering and negative messages. Most recently, Commissioner Gordon had placed signs throughout the county suggesting a vote for Ross was akin to a vote for supporting contentious crude oil by rail projects currently proposed for the Port of Grays Harbor.

Ross did not state his support of crude by rail and he noted that the county position could not control those projects. But on election night, Ross acknowledged the possible division caused by the campaigning and reached out to the voters who chose the incumbent.

“I’m honored to be chosen as the candidate most people support. And for those who didn’t vote for me, I want them to know that I will still do right by them and right by the county,” Ross said.

Grays Harbor County Auditor Vern Spatz said his office had been receiving some 2,000 to 3,000 ballots per day in the mail leading up to election day, and he expected as many yet to be tallied for election day. A total of about 20,000 ballots were counted as of Nov. 8. Spatz estimated an additional 9,000 ballots would be counted before the election is certified on Nov. 29.

Because an estimated 9,000 ballots are expected but outstanding, the results remain preliminary.

Ross echoed his comments during the primary election about the disparity.

“The voters are what voters are, and to me it seems the voters believe it’s time for a change,” Ross said.