TOP TWO ADDS up to some serious homework assignments for voters this summer.
By July 28, ballots will be mailed to every registered voter in Clallam and Jefferson counties, where elections are conducted entirely by mail.
Ballots returned or postmarked by 8 p.m. Aug. 17 will determine which candidates advance to the Nov. 2 general election.
Top two primary rules don’t guarantee a November election slot for any party, making summer a dangerous time to forego voting.
Last week’s candidate filing period produced primary contests for four county-level positions in Clallam, one in Jefferson and both 24th District seats in the state House of Representatives.
The 24th covers all of Clallam and Jefferson counties, with a third of Grays Harbor County included, too.
As expected, Port Ludlow builder Jim Boyer made good his March 2009 pledge to run as a Republican against incumbent Democrat John Austin, also of Port Ludlow, for Jefferson County commissioner.
A surprise came when Tarboo Bay psychotherapist Diane Johnson, a Democrat, also filed to challenge Austin.
In Clallam, incumbent Commissioner Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles, who ran unopposed four years ago, announced his re-election bid early — for him.
Historically, Doherty has waited until the final day of filing period to affirm his candidacy.
Beaver UPS driver Robin Poole and Quileute tribe Executive Director Bill Peach stepped forward to challenge him as Republicans.
In both counties, the three county commissioner candidates will appear only on primary ballots going to their respective District 3 voters, who will narrow the field by selecting the top two regardless of party preference.
Thus, when the races go countywide in November, they could potentially be single-party face-offs: Democrat vs. Democrat in Jefferson and Republican vs. Republican in Clallam.
Clallam’s three-way partisan primary for prosecuting attorney also could produce a single-party entry in November if challengers Democrats Larry Freedman, a Sequim attorney and developer, and Lauren Erickson, a former deputy prosecutor from Port Angeles, were to both outpoll incumbent Prosecutor Deb Kelly, a Republican.
Clallam’s other primaries are for nonpartisan positions: community development director and District Court 1 judge.
Like the prosecutor race, they will be voted on countywide in both the primary and the general election.
The community development director election has incumbent John Miller in a five-way tussle for a slot on the November ballot.
After running unopposed four years ago, he is now challenged by Port Angeles real estate broker Alan Barnard, Department of Community Development Code Compliance Officer Sheila Roark Miller, Port Angeles business owner Sean Ryan and former Community Development planner Tim Woolett.
The District Court 1 judge contest has Port Angeles-based state Assistant Attorney General Tim Davis and Port Angeles attorney Pam Lindquist attempting to deny incumbent Judge Rick Porter a slot on the November ballot.
Single-party November contests are also possible in both legislative races.
For Position 1, incumbent Kevin Van De Wege of Sequim is the lone Democrat facing Republicans Craig Dorgan of Port Ludlow and Dan Gase of Port Angeles.
Position 2 — the one being vacated by Rep. Lynn Kessler — holds the potential of a November slate of either two Republicans, two Democrats or one of each.
Candidates for the open seat are Republicans Larry Carter of Port Ludlow and Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Jim McEntire of Sequim; and Democrats Clallam County Commissioner Steve Tharinger of Dungeness and Montesano chiropractor and School Board member Jack Dwyer.
The 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula, has two Republicans, Gig Harbor attorney Doug Cloud and Tacoma information technology consultant Jesse Young, aiming to eliminate incumbent Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, who has held the seat for 34 years.
Voters statewide will also sort out 15 U.S. Senate candidates, but only three are getting headlines.
Challenging incumbent Sen. Patty Murray, D-Mountlake Terrace, are Republicans Dino Rossi and Clint Didier.
Others running for Senate in the primary are Republicans Paul Akers, William Edward Chovil, Mike Latimer and Norma D. Gruber; Democrats Charles Allen, Bob Burr, Mike The Mover and Goodspaceguy; and James Mercer and Schalk Leonard, who claim no party preference.
Mohammad H. Said, who claims to be a Centrist, and Will Baker, who prefers the Reform Party, round out the slate.
State Supreme Court Justice Richard B. Sanders faces challenges from Bryan Chushcoff of Tacoma and Charles Wiggins of Bainbridge Island in the primary.
Two property tax issues will also be settled by Aug. 17.
Clallam voters will decide a levy lid lift to support the North Olympic Library System.
Voters within the Port Townsend city limit will consider increasing support for fire services.
In each precinct in both counties, voters will have an opportunity to select a precinct committee officer for the political party of their choice.
Historically, voter participation in primary elections lags at least 40 percent behind balloting in general elections, but top two changes the game.
It puts people, not parties, in control.
Voters who opt out lose out.
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Martha Ireland was a Clallam County commissioner from 1996 through 1999 and is the secretary of the Republican Women of Clallam County, among other community endeavors — including unopposed candidacy for Republican precinct committee officer in Robin Hill 266 in the fall election.
She and her husband, Dale, live on their Carlsborg-area farm with their critters. Her column appears Fridays. E-mail her at irelands@olypen.com.