PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Juelie Dalzell will not seek a fourth four-year term this year and plans to take some time off before taking her next career step, she said Monday.
Stepping immediately into the breach is Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans, who will make his formal announcement of candidacy at tonight’s Dems Night Out gathering at Nemo’s Restaurant at The Inn at Port Hadlock, 310 Hadlock Bay Road in Port Hadlock.
Dalzell, 62, who has run as a Democrat for the partisan office, said Monday she plans to take some time off “to explore my options” and perhaps seek another elected office in the future.
She may run for the state Legislature but said she will not seek the seat left open this year by Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam.
Kessler, whose 24th District includes Jefferson and Clallam counties, announced on the floor of the House on April 12 that she won’t seek re-election in the fall.
Wedding date
Dalzell has no solid plans for her future aside from a July wedding to computer programmer Jeff Chapman, she said.
Rosekrans, 58, has worked in Jefferson County for two years after working as a policeman, county prosecutor and defense attorney in Texas.
Rosekrans, also a Democrat, said he has held the ambition to run for the top prosecutor’s spot for some time but would not challenge Dalzell.
Several months ago, Dalzell told Rosekrans privately that she was considering stepping down and asked him if he would be interested in the position.
Rosekrans then began laying the groundwork for his candidacy, which included resolving a possible federal conflict because his salary was partially grant-funded.
He was also in the middle of prosecuting a high-profile double-murder trial in which the accused was convicted.
After the trial, the prosecutor’s office received word from the federal government the conflict would not exist if Rosekrans took a voluntary 6.75 percent cut of his $72,000 salary.
He began doing so this month, according to Dalzell.
More salary
Election to the head job would give Rosekrans a considerable salary bump, to $123,000 annually.
Rosekrans said the raise would not be as meaningful as it would have been in years past, as his kids have already finished college.
Rosekrans said the transition would be smooth “because the office is in really good shape.”
If elected, he will continue his current priorities, to focus on “livability issues” that affect the general public which result from drug use.
“In a small community, the most effective strategy is to prosecute the small number of people who commit the largest number of crimes,” he said.
“We need to identify these ‘usual suspects’ and send them to jail or prison or into drug court if that fits their situation.”
Rosekrans said he did not know if he would face any challengers from either political party.
All candidates have must register June 7-11 for inclusion in the Aug. 17 primary.
If there are more than two candidates, the top two vote-getters in the primary will face off in the Nov. 2 general election, regardless of party affiliation.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.