PORT TOWNSEND — The final candidate filings drew opposition in a handful of races that were previously uncontested.
One Port Townsend City Council member will be elected to a second term by acclamation.
Position 3 City Councilwoman Deborah Stinson, 59, was the only candidate in the Nov. 3 general election who had not drawn an opponent.
Stinson is one of two incumbents running for re-election along with Bob Gray, 67, who has drawn opposition from Tobi McEnerney, 35.
McEnerney is making her first bid for elected office.
Two seats were left open by the retirements of Mayor David King. Position 6, and Deputy Mayor Kris Nelson, Position 7.
Two candidates have lined up to succeed Nelson: attorney David Faber, 32, and Port of Port Townsend maintenance worker Travis Keena, 38.
Primary contest
Position 6 is the only seat where there is a primary contest.
Pinbar owner Paul Rice, 32; Amy Smith, Boiler Room executive director, also 32; and retired architect and former mayor of Earlville, Ill., Todd Wexman, 77, seek to succeed King.
One of the three will be eliminated in the Aug. 3 primary, with the top two vote-getters facing off in the Nov. 3 general election.
Races with two candidates will appear on the primary ballot, but the results are not binding and act as a “straw poll” about voter preference.
Friday was the last day for candidates to file.
They can change their minds by 4:30 p.m. Monday and have their names removed from the ballot.
Port, hospital
On Friday, races for Port of Port Townsend commission and the Jefferson Healthcare board drew opponents to incumbents.
Steve Tucker, 63, District 1 port commissioner — who ran unopposed in 2011 for his first term — will be challenged by Taku Marine co-owner Diana Talley, 63, for a four-year term.
Incumbent Position 2 hospital commissioner Chuck Russell, the owner of Valley Tavern in Chimacum, is running for a fourth six-year term and is challenged by former Port Townsend Mayor and retired pediatrician Kees Kolff.
Incumbent Position 4 hospital commissioner and retired nurse Mari Dressler is running for a second six-year term and is challenged by Paul Stafford, who owns William James Booksellers in Port Townsend.
None of the three open seats on the Port Townsend School Board — including two filled by appointees — drew challenges.
Nathanael O’Hara, District 3, who was appointed to the board to replace Bill LeMaster, and Keith White, District 5, appointed to replace Anne Burkart, have no opposition in the race for four-year terms.
Educational consultant Laura Tucker will serve in District 4, succeeding Pam Daly, who declined to seek a second term.
Contested races
The Quilcene School Board has two contested races.
In District 1, incumbent Shota Davis is challenged by Sgt. Mark Apeland of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
There is a primary contest in District 3, where incumbent Katie Rancich is challenged by Bonnie Hitt and Viviann Kuehl.
Incumbent Gena Lont is unopposed.
Other contests are:
■ Ron Gregory, former Jefferson County Republican party chairman, is challenging Port Ludlow Fire Commissioner Ron Helmonds, who is the incumbent in Position 3.
■ Clallam-Jefferson Fire Protection District’s G. Michael Gawley seeks another six-year term in Position 1 and is challenged by Sean Ryan and Alan W. Slind, forcing a primary.
Uncontested races
■ Brinnon Water District Position 3 Commissioner Wayne Schlaefli will serve another six-year term.
■ In the Quillayute Valley School District, incumbent board member Bill Rohde will serve another four-year term, while Mike Reaves and Kathy Lawley have both filed for Position 5, which is open.
No one has filed for Position 1, as David L. Dickson did not file for another term.
This district straddles Clallam County and has 143 registered voters in Jefferson County.
A May 26-28 special filing period has been set for positions for which no one filed.
If no one files for an open position, the incumbent remains in office. If the incumbent resigns, the district’s rules apply to filling a board vacancy.
■ In the Queets/Clearwater School District, incumbents David Atkinson, Position 3, and Rowland Mason, Position 4, each will serve six-year terms.
■ Lowell P. McQuoid, Position 5, will serve another six-year term on the Forks Fire Commission.
■ Two appointed Quilcene Cemetery District Commissioners, Laurie Neuenschwander and Michael Spears, are running unopposed for elected terms, while appointed Position 3 commissioner Terry A. Wood filed for the unexpired two-year term.
■ Incumbent Rich Stapf Jr., chairman of the East Jefferson Fire-Rescue board, will serve another six-year term.
■ Brinnon School Board incumbents Ron Stephens, Position 2; Joe Baisch, Position 3; and Bill Barnet, Position 4, each filed for an additional four-year term and are unopposed.
■ Appointed Quilcene Fire Commissioner Gary Phillips declined to run for a full six-year Position 2 term. Melody M. Bacchus is unopposed to succeed him.
■ Maggie Ejde, who was appointed to the Chimacum School Board Position 3, and incumbent Position 4 member Robert Bunker will serve four-year terms.
■ Incumbent Ron Stephens will serve another four-year term in Brinnon School District Position 3.
■ Incumbent Brinnon Fire Commissioner Ken McEdwards will serve another six-year term.
■ Gardiner Cemetery District incumbent Diane Movius Martin will serve another six-year term.
■ Discovery Bay Fire District Board incumbent Ford Kessler will serve another six-year term.
For a complete list of all candidates who have filed, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-filing.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.