More than 600 voters turned out for Wednesday's Portsmouth Water and Fire District election, choosing Terri-Denise Cortvriend as the district's next water commissioner.

Cortvriend was the sole name listed on the ballot in Wednesday's election for water commissioner. However, two other Portsmouth residents, former Town Council President Peter McIntyre and Allen Shers, ran on write-in campaigns. 

The votes cast for commissioner were 410 for Cortvriend, 93 for McIntyre and 53 for Shers.

"It's what the public wanted. Everyone ran a good race," said McIntyre following the reading of results. "It's hard being a write-in."

The commissioner will serve a three-year term on the seven-member Administrative Board. 

Incumbent Philip T. Driscoll was also elected clerk in Wednesday's election. Driscoll received a total of 472 votes, while his opponent, James E. Hall, received 154 votes. Another 18 write-in votes were cast, including seven for Shers; four, McIntyre; and seven "miscellaneous" votes.

The voter turnout was 5.6  percent with 673 ballots cast. Election workers said they expected only between 400 and 500 district residents to vote. As of 12:20 p.m., 255 voters had already cast a ballot.

"It (the turnout) has been very steady," said election worker Joyce M. Medeiros. "I'm happy people have come out to vote."

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District is a quasi-municipal, governmental agency created in 1952 by act of the Rhode Island General Assembly. For more information about the district, visit their Web site here.