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The voters of Washington County chose to keep Scott Owen as their sheriff on Tuesday.

Humbled is one word Sheriff Owen used to describe how he felt after winning the election from Gizzy's Heritage Theater – Restaurant & Pub in Dewey. Sheriff Owen said he felt like he was on top of a mountain. He thanked all the citizens in Washington County that voted to keep him in office, and said he could not say thank you enough.

For the next four years, Sheriff Owen will serve as Washington County's sheriff. Sheriff Owen said he is looking forward to serving Washington County. The Washington County Commissioners appointed Owen to the role of sheriff in January 2019. Sheriff Owen thanked the Commissioners for having faith in him to serve in the sheriff’s position following the results from Tuesday's election.

Sheriff Owen garnered 62-percent of the vote to win the Runoff Primary Election against Jeff Fesler. 3,003 citizens voted in favor of Sheriff Owen while 1,805 citizens voted in favor of Fesler. Of the 4,808 votes turned in to the Washington County Election Board, 4,185 were submitted on Election Day while the other 623 votes were submitted by absenee mail or early-voting.

Sheriff Owen said he spoke with Fesler on the phone after the final results came in. He said the conversation went well.

Fesler and Owen were friends before the election ended on Tuesday, and Sheriff Owen said they will continue to be friends. He said Fesler is a fine man and that his concession over the phone speaks volumes of his character.

When it came to discussing his hopes for the next four years for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Owen said he would like to maintain their current operation while adding and specializing in several fields. He said he also wants to continue to improve service on both the community side and the criminal justice side for all the citizens in Washington County.