Of the four candidates vying to become Federal Way’s first elected mayor, Skip Priest and Jim Ferrell will face off in November’s general election.

The latest election results show that out of 9,380 ballots cast, Priest is finishing with 34 percent and Ferrell is netting 27 percent. City Councilman Mike Park has received 19.5 percent and Mayor Linda Kochmar has received 18.6 percent.

Skip Priest, who is currently state representative for District 30, will vacate his position to run for mayor. He has been considered a leading contender for the position since declaring his candidacy in April. Aside from eight years in the Legislature, Priest has served on the Federal Way City Council from 1991 to 1997, including two years as an appointed mayor under the city’s current council-manager form of government.

“It was an important first step to finish first in the primary,” said Priest, giving thanks to campaign volunteers for their efforts. He also credits door-to-door visits with residents for keeping him close to the community pulse, not just in this election, but over the past 20 years.

“There’s no question in my mind that reaching out to people through doorbelling has been my brand as a former city council member and a legislator,” he said, noting that he visited 6,008 doors in 60 days. “You’ve got to go out and hear what people are thinking.”

Priest said wants the opportunity to define the role and set a precedent for Federal Way’s elected mayor.

“This is a very critical time for our community,” he said.

Jim Ferrell, a King County prosecutor, was first elected to city council in 2003, then re-elected in 2007. He led a campaign in 2009 to change Federal Way’s form of government to include an elected mayor, and was the first to declare his candidacy for the position. Ferrell considers Priest to be a formidable opponent, and notes a key difference between them.

“I do not represent the establishment, and (Priest) does, and that’s what this campaign is going to be about,” Ferrell said. “If people are tired of the way things have been running in the past, then I’m your candidate.”

Ferrell credits the efforts of loyal campaign volunteers for helping him finish among the top two candidates in Tuesday’s primary election.

“I’m really grateful for the supporters I have who stood on the street corner with me in the mornings,” he said. “I’m really excited about the campaign that looms ahead for the fall. It’s a brand new campaign.”

Linda Kochmar will continue to serve as Federal Way’s mayor for the remainder of 2010, and will continue to embrace a leadership role in the community.

“I’m going to be as effective as possible,” said Kochmar, who expressed gratitude for her supporters. “We’ll just have to all work together moving this city forward as a group.”

ochmar was first elected to the city council in 1997, and was appointed mayor under the current form of government in January. She works as a risk manager with Lakehaven Utility District.

In a statement, Mike Park said: “I respect and greatly appreciate the citizens who participated in this important decision making process. The City of Federal Way is facing a very difficult financial challenge; it’s time to work all together to overcome this economic downturn. I’ll continuously fulfill my reponsibility as a city council member. And I wish the best of luck to both Jim and Skip.”

Park was appointed to the city council in June 1995, won re-election in 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007, and served as Federal Way’s mayor from 2000-2001 and 2006-2007. He owns Midway Cleaners in Kent.

Notes

• Pre-election speculations among some Federal Way voters suggested that Priest was the front-runner due to high name recognition, with a close battle for second place between Kochmar and Ferrell.

• Park raised the most money among candidates with $84,017, followed by Ferrell with $43,156 and Priest with $27,790. Of the four candidates, Kochmar raised the least amount of money at $13,746, according to the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC). A lack of advertising may have played a role in her fourth-place finish.

• For the latest election results and information, visit kingcounty.gov/elections.