PORT TOWNSEND — Three Port Ludlow Republicans jumped into election races Tuesday.
Port Ludlow builder Jim Boyer, who said more than a year ago he would challenge incumbent Jefferson County Commissioner John Austin, D-Port Ludlow, followed through Tuesday, filing his candidacy papers with the county Auditor’s Office.
Boyer’s entry creates the only top two primary race in the county so far, which will be scheduled Aug. 17, said Karen Cartmel, chief deputy auditor for elections.
Tarboo Bay Democrat Diane Johnson on Monday made her challenge official against Austin.
“If you have only two candidates, then they advance to the general election,” Cartmel explained. “If you have three in a partisan race then it will go to the top two primary.”
The top two vote getters will then advance to the Nov. 2 general election, she said.
Scott Rosekrans filed as a Democrat on Tuesday for the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney position being vacated by Juelie Dalzell. No other candidate has filed for the position.
County Treasurer Judi Morris filed Tuesday as a Republican for another four-year term. She has held the courthouse office since 1997.
State Legislature
Port Ludlow Republican Craig Durgan filed his candidacy for the 24th District state representative seat now held by Sequim Democrat Kevin Van De Wege.
Port Angeles Republican Dan Gase has also filed in Clallam County as a candidate for the Van De Wege’s Position 1 seat, a two-year term.
In the state representative race for the position being vacated by the retiring Rep. Lynn Kessler, a Hoquiam, Democrat, which also is a two-year term, Port Ludlow Republican Larry Carter filed Tuesday at the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office.
Carter, a retired Navy command master chief petty officer, an enlisted position, faces Jim McEntire, a Sequim Republican.
Durgan and Carter — both supporters of the tea party movement — are teaming up to take on the problems they see in Olympia: too much spending and regulation.
Durgan, 53, owner of Evergreen Storage in Chimacum and a retired engineer, and Carter, 62, are friends and neighbors in Port Ludlow.
Federal offices
Incumbent U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-Freeland, filed for re-election, as did Democrat Mike The Mover of Mill Creek, and a Seattle Democrat who goes by the name of Goodspaceguy.
Also filing for Murray’s Senate seat were Republican Norma D. Gruber of Walla Walla, Republican William Edward Chovil of Tacoma, independent Schalk Leonard of Poulsbo and independent James “Skip” Mercer of Bellevue.
Democrat Norm Dicks of Belfair, a 16-term incumbent, is being challenged by Republican lawyer Doug Cloud of Tacoma and Republican software engineer Jesse Young of Tacoma, who filed Tuesday.
County incumbents
Jefferson County incumbents who filed Monday were county Auditor Donna Eldridge, a Republican who has held the seat since 1995; county Assessor Jack Westerman III, who is the longest-standing assessor in the state at 31 years; Democratic Sheriff Tony Hernandez, who is finishing an appointed seat to run for his first full four-year term; Superior Court Clerk Ruth Gordon, who seeks a second four-year term; and nonpartisan District Court Judge Jill Landes, who seeks a second four-year term.
Barney Burke of Port Townsend, who was appointed by fellow commissioners Ken McMillen and Wayne King to fill the nonpartisan seat vacated in November with the death of Commissioner Dana Roberts, has filed for the Jefferson County Public Utility district commissioner, District 1.
He seeks the six-year term for the nonpartisan position.
State Supreme Court
Incumbent Chief Justice Barbara Madsen of Seattle filed for re-election for her Position No. 5 seat on Tuesday, as did incumbent Justice Richard B. Sanders of Olympia for his Position No. 6 seat.
Charlie Wiggins of Bainbridge Island filed on Monday to challenge Sanders.
The candidates filing period closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the county Auditor’s Office on the second floor of Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
Candidates are required to pay filing fees, which amount to 1.0 percent of the annual salary of each position.
Immediately after filing closes, candidates will draw lots for their places on the ballot at the county Auditor’s Office.
Candidates can now be notified by e-mail if an opponent files for the same office.
Filings are posted online through the state Secretary of State’s Office at http://tinyurl.com/nhow2a.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
