Benson Leads Port of Bellingham District 4 Race
Early Whatcom County election-night counts show Tor Benson ahead of Paul Burrill for a Port of Bellingham commission seat.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
Tor Benson held 59% of the District 4 vote over Paul Burrill's 40% as of Tuesday night, while Chris Elder led Shawn Ensley 62% to 38% in District 5. The count is not final, and the next update is expected Wednesday night.
Why it matters
The two seats are part of the Port of Bellingham board's expansion from three to five commissioners, approved by Whatcom County voters in 2025. Results will shape how the port's governing board is composed in Bellingham.
Election-night unofficial counts show 90,027 ballots received from 170,523 registered voters, a 53% turnout. Final certified totals remain pending the next count update.
The players
Tor Benson
Benson is a shipping coordinator with experience in the commercial fishing industry who is running for the Port of Bellingham District 4 seat.
Paul Burrill
Burrill is president of the Port of Bellingham's Marina Advisory Committee and is challenging Benson for the District 4 seat.
Chris Elder
Elder is a candidate leading in the Port of Bellingham District 5 commissioner race against Shawn Ensley.
Shawn Ensley
Ensley is a candidate trailing Chris Elder in the Port of Bellingham District 5 commissioner race.
The details
Benson, a shipping coordinator with commercial fishing industry experience, leads Burrill, president of the port's Marina Advisory Committee, in District 4. Elder leads Ensley in District 5, with both candidates having focused campaigns in east Whatcom County.
Timeline
2025: Whatcom County voters approved expanding the port board from three to five commissioners.
November 3, 2026: Election-night vote counts were reported for port and PUD races.
November 4, 2026: The next vote count update is expected Wednesday night.
Political Context
The races fill seats created when Whatcom County voters expanded the Port of Bellingham board from three to five commissioners in 2025. Election-night leads remain preliminary, and the board's composition will depend on the final certified count.
Voters in the Port of Bellingham area will see new commissioners who set port policy on the Bellingham Airport and marina operations. Final results determine which candidates take those seats.
The takeaway
Local port races can shape decisions on airport profitability and marina management, so checking final certified results is worthwhile once the count is complete.
What happens next
The next Whatcom County vote count update is expected Wednesday night, which may change the District 4 and District 5 leads.
Further reading
For more on how local races are decided, see Elections coverage in Bellingham.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Northern Light.
