PORT ANGELES — After decades of meeting regularly on election night, the Port Angeles City Council has decided to gather on the Wednesday after the general election day.
The council directed staff last week to draft an ordnance to move the first meeting of November from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m.
Election results are posted shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Day, which occurs on the first Tuesday after Nov. 1.
Local candidates, including City Council hopefuls, traditionally gather at the Clallam County Courthouse to wait for the County Auditor to distribute first copies of the election results.
“Election night is exciting and interesting for all of us,” Council member Cherie Kidd said at last Tuesday’s council meeting.
“Our minds aren’t really here. Our minds are really at the courthouse and what’s happening [there]. So I think once a year, to move it to Wednesday would really work.”
Kidd and other council members agreed that Wednesday would be a better alternative than Monday for logistical reasons.
“I think the other party to all this is the public,” Council member Mike French said.
“I think the public is also probably interested more so in elections, sometimes, than a regular council meeting.
“And I think putting it on a Wednesday — there might be a lot of civic pride and excitement after an election, and people might want to just come and see a City Council meeting,” French added.
Last summer, the council moved its July 17 meeting to July 18 to allow members to attend the West Coast League All-Star baseball game hosted by the Port Angeles Lefties at Civic Field.
“Since we were able to not have a council meeting for a baseball game, it just seems like Election Day was a bit more important,” Mayor Sissi Bruch said while introducing the agenda item.
Council member Jim Moran said the July 17 meeting was not canceled but rescheduled, adding that the all-star game was a “special event for our community.”
“My suggestion would be that on election night, we move the council meeting to Wednesday,” Moran said.
“That would occur just once a year and it would be very predictable.”
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
