Hopefuls toss their hats in Clallam ring; statewide candidate filings brisk, too

Several aspiring Clallam County candidates who announced their intentions to run in the Aug. 7 primary and Nov. 6 general election made good on their pledges Monday, the first day of the weeklong filing period for office-holder hopefuls.

On the statewide front, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels filed for the state Secretary of State position being vacated by Sam Reed.

Open seats in Clallam County include: Port Angeles-area District 2 Clallam County commissioner, all three Superior Court judge positions; West End District 3 Public Utility District commissioner; and 67 precinct committee officers.

The state’s top-two primary is Aug. 7. Ballots will be mailed to voters July 18.

The general election is Nov. 6. Ballots will go out to voters Oct. 17.

Candidates in Clallam County can file from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today through Friday at the Elections Center in the county courthouse at 223 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles.

Filers Monday included lawyer and Clallam County Hearings Examiner Chris Melly of Port Angeles, who was the first to file for the four-year, Position 1 seat held by Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams, who is retiring.

Port Angeles lawyer William Payne also applied for Williams’ seat.

Four-year seats held by Judges George L. Wood for Position 2 and S. Brooke Taylor for Position 3 also are up for re-election.

Wood filed Monday. Taylor has said he intends to run for re-election.

Ted Simpson, owner of Angeles Electric in Port Angeles, filed to seek another six-year term as West-End District 3 Public Utility District commissioner.

Others filing for public office included Port Angeles native and Gig Harbor resident Derek Kilmer, a Democrat running for retiring U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks’ two-year seat representing the 6th Congressional District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties.

Also filing for that position was Jesse Young, a Tacoma economic development consultant who unsuccessfully ran in 2010.

Filing for the six-year U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Democrat Maria Cantwell of Mountlake Terrace were Cantwell and Republicans Chuck Jackson of Snohomish and Michael Baumgartner of Kirkland.

Two-term 24th District Democratic state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege of Sequim also filed for re-election to his two-year seat, and five-term 24th District state Sen. Jim Hargrove to his four-year seat.

The secretary of state race drew a crowd.

It is being vacated by Republican Sam Reed, who is retiring when his third term ends in January 2013.

Filing Tuesday for the position were Republican James Watkins of Kirkland, Human Rights Party candidate Sam Wright of Olympia, Constitution Party candidate Karen Murray of Quincy, and Democrats Jim Kastama of Tacoma, Kathleen Drew of Olympia and former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle.

Democratic state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler of Olympia also filed for re-election.

Candidates filing for statewide positions included incumbent Democratic Lt. Gov. Brad Owen of Shelton, and Glenn Anderson of Issaquah, who filed as a Republican for the position but said on his filing form that he prefers the independent designation.

Democratic Commissioner of Public Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark of Seattle filed for re-election for a four-year term.

Incumbent state Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn filed for re-election to the four-year, nonpartisan position.

Former Forks District Court Judge and current state Supreme Court Justice Susan Owens of Olympia, a former Forks District Court judge, also filed for re-election to her six-year, nonpartisan Position 2 seat.

Incumbent Supreme Court Justice Steve Gonzalez of Seattle, who was appointed to the Position 8 seat Jan. 1, also filed for a six-year short and full term.

Candidates who filed for the six-year, Position 9 seat on the Supreme Court were Sheryl Gordon McCloud and Bruce Hilyer, both of Seattle.

Port Orchard lawyer Pam Loginsky filed for the District 2, Position 2 seat on the state Court of Appeals, a six-year position that covers Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Mason and Thurston counties.

Republican candidate James Watkins of Kirkland filed for the four-year position held by Democratic state Auditor Brian Sonntag, who is not seeking re-election.

Republican Reagan Dunn of Bellevue filed for the four-year state attorney general position.

The names of those filing for election to public office can be found at http://tinyurl.com/csm7zxv.

________

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Interviews set for hospital board

At least seven candidates up for commissioner seat

Port Angeles asks for fee to cover lodging tax contracts

Resolution sent to committee for administrative costs

Climate action group is guiding reduction goals

Reduced emmissions require reduced transportation footprint

County, Port Angeles to rebid public safety building

Three bids rejected due to issue with electrical contractor

Aliya Gillet, the 2025 Clallam County Fair queen, crowns Keira Headrick as the 2026 queen during a ceremony on Saturday at the Clallam County Fairgrounds. At left is princess Julianna Getzin and at right is princess Jasmine Green. The other princesses, not pictured, are Makenzie Taylor, Molly Beeman and Tish Hamilton. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Clallam County royalty crowned for annual fair

Silent auction raises funds for scholarships

Port Angeles Community Award recipients gather after Saturday night’s annual awards gala. From left, they are Frances Charles, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Organization of the Year; Kyla Magner, Country Aire, Business of the Year; Amy Burghart and Doug Burghart, Mighty Pine Brewing, Emerging Business of the Year; Rick Ross, Educator of the Year; Kayla Fairchild, Young Leader of the Year; John Fox, Citizen of the Year. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Community leaders honored at annual awards banquet

Fox named Citizen of Year for support of athletic events

Clallam County commissioners consider options for Owens

Supporters advocate for late state justice

Respiratory viruses are rising on the Peninsula

Health officer attributes increase to mutation of type of flu in circulation

Deadline for Olympic Medical Center board position is Thursday

The deadline to submit an application for the Position… Continue reading

No weekly flight operations scheduled this week

No field carrier landing practice operations are scheduled for aircraft… Continue reading

Some power restored after tree falls into line near Morse Creek

Power has been restored to most customers after a… Continue reading

Wendy Rae Johnson waves to cars on the north side of U.S. Highway 101 in Port Angeles on Saturday during a demonstration against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota. On the other side of the highway is the Peninsula Handmaids in red robes and hoods. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
ICE protest

Wendy Rae Johnson waves to cars on the north side of U.S.… Continue reading