Prinsen elected to King Conservation District

Max Prinsen of Renton was elected to a three-year term on the King Conservation District board on Tuesday.

Max Prinsen of Renton was elected to a three-year term on the King Conservation District board on Tuesday.

Prinsen, a candidate who was endorsed by groups including the Sierra Club and Washington Conservation Voters, won the election with 42 percent of the vote, followed by Mara Heiman of Auburn with 35 percent.

More than 4,200 voters turned out for the election, a major increase over the 2,757 ballots cast in the 2009 King Conservation District election.

The election had seven polling locations on Tuesday, including one at the Vashon Library.

The increase in voter turnout reflects increasing numbers at the district’s elections each of the past five years, said Bill Knutsen, the district’s board chair.

“The higher level of activity at the polls this year can be attributed to increased interest in the King Conservation District, including our voluntary conservation and stewardship efforts with private landowners and enthusiastic campaign efforts by candidates,” he said.

The five-member volunteer board of the King Conservation District includes three elected members and two appointed by the Washington State Conservation Commission. The conservation district is a state natural resources assistance agency that performs sustainably minded outreach to communities, including putting on workshops and educational programs and offering consultations on land, wildlife and water management.

For more information on the King Conservation District, visit www.kingcd.org.