North Olympic Peninsula voters will learn the results of Tuesday’s General Election next week as they decide 12 contested races in Clallam County, nine in Jefferson County and a requested sales tax hike in Port Townsend.
Voter turnouts as of end of business Friday were over 24 percent, with Clallam County’s voter turnout at 24.33 percent — 13,954 ballots out of 57,350 ballots given to registered voters — and 24.51 percent in Jefferson County, with 6,788 ballots returned out of 27,700 provided to registered voters.
Ballots must be postmarked or returned to an official ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The proposed sales tax increase on the Jefferson County ballot would raise the sales tax, which is now 9.1 percent, by 0.3 percent in Port Townsend. If it passes by a simple majority, it would add an additional 30 cents on each $100 of sales within Port Townsend, providing an estimated $800,000 annually to use exclusively for street and sidewalk improvements.
All of the improvements would be within city limits — the area of the Port Townsend Transportation Benefit District — while all those who shop in Port Townsend would pay the tax regardless of their places of residence.
CONTESTED RACES
Clallam County
Two are on the ballot as contested but actually are not.
In Clallam County Commissioner District 1 (Sequim, four-year term), incumbent Mark Ozias (prefers Democrat) is being challenged by Stan McClain (prefers Republican). McClain has withdrawn from the race, but did so too late to have his name removed from the ballot.
In the Sequim School District Director at large Position 5 race (four-year term), incumbent Michael Rocha running. The ballot lists Sandra Kellso as a challenger but she has withdrawn from the race.
Actual contested races are:
• Port of Port Angeles Commissioner District 3 (four-year term), incumbent Connie Beauvais is being challenged by Lee Whetham.
• Hospital District No. 1 (Forks) Commissioner Position 4 (six-year term), incumbent Sandy Schier is being challenged by Amy Kitchel Ruble.
• Port Angeles City Council Position 5 race (four-year term), incumbent Amy Miller is being challenged by Jim Haguewood.
• Port Angeles City Council Position 6 race (four-year term), incumbent Navarra Carr is being challenged by Mark Karjalainen.
• Port Angeles City Council Position 7 race (four-year term), incumbent Brendan Meyer is being challenged by Kalli Mae Jones.
• Sequim City Council Position 1 race (four-year term), incumbent William Armacost is being challenged by Kathy Downer, who currently holds Position 2.
• Sequim City Council Position 2 race (four-year term), Jim Black is facing off against Dan Butler.
• Sequim City Council Position 6 race (four-year term), Harmony Rutter is facing off against Patrick Day.
• Sequim School District Director District 1 race (four-year term), incumbent Larry Jeffryes is being challenged by John Graham.
• Sequim School District Director at large Position 4 race (two-year unexpired term), incumbent Maren Halvorsen is being challenged by Derek Huntington.
• Cape Flattery School District Director District 2 race (four-year term), incumbent Don Baker is being challenged by Cathy Walde.
• Clallam County Park and Recreation District 1 Commissioner Position 3 (four-year short and full term), Jason Bushman, Robert Kellso and Dick Neal all are seeking the seat.
Jefferson County
• Port of Port Townsend Commissioner District 1 race (four-year term), incumbent Pam Petranek faces challenger Chuck Fauls.
• Queets-Clearwater School District Director Position 5 race (two-year unexpired term), incumbent Rosemary Jackson faces challenger Sarah Charles.
• Quilcene School District Director District 1 race (four-year term), Ron Frantz will face off against Ronald Leon Jones.
• Quilcene School District Director District 4 race (four-year term), Anne Bessey will face off against James Hodgson.
• Port Townsend School District Director District 2 race (four-year term), incumbent Simon Little is being challenged by Annie Bartos.
• Port Townsend School District Director District 3 race (four-year term), Matt Klontz will face off against Nancy Papasodora.
• Port Townsend School District Director 5 race (four-year term), incumbent Nathaneal L. O’Hara will face challenger Timothy S. Hawley.
Sequim School District races are also on the Jefferson County ballot because the district, which is largely in Clallam County, edges into East Jefferson County.
New voters who have not registered online have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to register in person at auditors’ offices in Clallam and Jefferson counties in the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles, or the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend.
Registered voters may access their registration details and other voter information online at www.votewa.gov. Those needing a replacement ballot may also access a printable ballot via the secure website, or obtain one by contacting their county auditor.
Official ballot drop boxes can be found at the following locations:
In Clallam County:
• Port Angeles: Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. On the courthouse circular drive; on the sidewalk across from disabled parking or inside at the Elections and Voter Registration Office.
• Clallam Bay: 16990 state Highway 112, in front of the Clallam Bay Branch Library.
• Forks: 500 E. Division St., outside Forks City Hall.
• Neah Bay: 1450 Bayview Ave., in front of Washburn’s General Store by the left Totem Pole.
• Sekiu: 15 Sekiu Airport Road (at the Clallam County Public Utility District No. 1 building in the drive-up lane).
• Carlsborg: 261461 U.S. Highway 101, near Sunny Farms adjacent to Mill Road.
• Sequim: 651 W. Washington St., in the parking lot.
In Jefferson County:
• Port Townsend: Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St. Drive-up Ballot Drop Box (Back parking lot); Walk-up Ballot Drop Box (in front of the Courthouse steps) or inside the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office.
• Brinnon: Brinnon Community Center, 306144 U.S. Highway 101, Brinnon.
• Quilcene: Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101, Quilcene.
• Port Hadlock: Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave.
• Nordland: Nordland Fire Station, 6633 Flagler Road.
• Port Ludlow: Olympic Peninsula Gateway Visitor Center, 93 Beaver Valley Road.
• Hoh Indian Nation: 2261 Lower Hoh Road, Forks, in front of the Tribal Police Center.
• Quinault Indian Nation (Queets): Queets Avenue, Forks, in front of the Queets Tribal Office.
Additional voter information can be found at VoteWA.gov; ClallamCountyWa.gov/Elections or Co.Jefferson.Wa.US/Elections.
Results will be posted after 8 p.m. Tuesday on county auditor websites and on the Peninsula Daily News website at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/peninsuladailynews. Elections will be certified on Nov. 28.
