After a month of waiting, Edward Egan says he can finally get some rest.
The Pierce County Auditor on Friday completed a hand recount and declared Egan the victor in a close election for a seat on the East Pierce County Fire & Rescue Board.
It was the last unsettled race in the county from the Nov. 8 election.
Egan held his lead by 16 votes with 8,915 over well-funded challenger Patrick McElligott’s 8,899. At one point during the first week of counting, the two were tied with 6,868 votes.
The margin was so close that the state required a manual recount. County elections officials estimated the recount would cost $35,000.
The candidates carried out an unusually competitive campaign for a fire board seat with McElligott spending nearly $12,000 and Egan spending about $4,000 and playing up his experience as an incumbent.
“It was an incredible experience,” said Egan, 69. “Pat was a very professional, well-oiled machine with lots of backing.”
McElligott, 57, a Tacoma Fire Department captain, said he wants to build on his experience and run for office again.
“I don’t think it gets any closer than that,” he said, adding that he was impressed by the number of votes cast in the contest.
“If there’s one good thing, it’s to say that people did come out and vote,” he said.
Egan, a retired Weyerhaeuser safety director, now has to get to work helping the Bonney Lake-based district navigate its way out of the recession. He said he aims to keep firefighters working and make sure volunteers have the equipment they need to serve the district.
“In prevailing, I’m honored and happy,” he said. “I’m going to do my best to provide the safest environment for our communities.”
Adam Ashton: 253-597-8646 adam.ashton@thenewstribune.com
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