Vying for one of three open seats on the Port of Seattle Commission, biofuels salesman Rob Holland was exuberant tonight as he celebrated with supporters at the Westin in Seattle. Early returns showed him defeating commercial real-estate broker David Doud .

Small-business owner Tom Albro was winning against longshoreman and former state legislator Max Vekich.
"I’m absolutely excited and I think I’m going to keep going through the night," Holland said. "The way I see it the county has voted. I’m assuming some of the late voters are people who live in Seattle, and that’s good for us."

The election became unusually contentious at times for a nonpartisan race when Doud sent out negative advertising materials that revealed Holland’s home address.

Holland said the election result "shows voters aren't interested in the negative personal attacks. They're concerned anout jobs, health care and getting our region moving again."

Neither Vekich nor Doud were prepared to concede.

"I am optimistic that we are going to improve with later returns," Vekich said. "I'm very happy. We ran a very positive message and bring experience and accountabtily to the port.

"I think I scared the stauts-quo culture," said Vekich. "Hopefully it’s changed the way business and politics is done at the port."

Doud's campaign issued a statement, saying, "Tonight's results are substantially below the total expected returns and do not provide an adequate sample to determine the outcome."

"My campaign has been about improving our economy and providing continued reform at the Port of Seattle," Doud said in the statement. "I am confident that King County voters agree with those guiding principles and that late returns will allow us to be victorious in the final ballot count."

The race was fought on issues of reform, with all candidates vowing to make the Port more accountable after investigations over the past two years that uncovered waste and abuse. At the same time, the port is facing increasing competition and losing business to other ports around the world, including British Columbia.

The evening was a particularly happy one for Albro. He returned to Seattle this morning knowing his son, who was hospitalized Oct. 15 following a brain hemorrhage, was recovering. Albro had spent the last two weeks by his son's hospital bed in Los Angeles.

"He's doing well and his prognosis is improving," Albro said. "I’m just on cloud nine."