PORT ANGELES — Candidates began filing Monday for a multitude of general election offices up for grabs throughout Clallam County in the Nov. 7 general election.
Half of the 26 county residents who had declared their candidacies by 2:30 p.m. Monday for offices from Port of Port Angeles commissioner to Black Diamond Water District commissioner did so by not setting foot inside the Courthouse, Auditor Shoona Riggs said.
Candidates can opt instead to file online before paying filing fees in person or mailing in the charge, which must be received by 4:30 p.m. Friday — the in-person filing deadline — to be valid.
“We’re refreshing our screens, going over the declarations and approving them,” she said. “It hasn’t been very busy.”
Forty-six offices are up for election in Clallam County.
Candidates can file for election to offices at the county auditor’s office at the county courthouse at 223 E. Fourth St. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday.
They also can file online through 4 p.m. Friday at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-ClallamFiling.
Contested races that emerged Monday included Brian Kuh and Dan Nelson filing for incumbent Michael Howe’s Sequim School Board District 2 position. Howe is not running for re-election.
Kuh holds the Sequim School Board at-large District 4 seat, which Brandino Gibson filed for Monday.
“I can make a bigger difference in things with the work I do on the side, with volunteering, focusing on kids and the family,” said Howe, also the spokesman for the Clallam County Public Utility District.
Brandon Janisse also filed for the Sequim City Council Position 5 seat held by Genaveve Starr, who also is not running for re-election.
“I’ve just had my five years,” Starr said Monday. “That feels like enough for me now.”
Allen Hunt and Nick Gear also filed for the Port Angeles-area Fire District 2 position held by Tom Martin, who could not be reached Tuesday afternoon for comment on his re-election intentions.
Also filing for office Monday in races that so far are uncontested were for Port of Port Angeles commissioner, Steven Burke; Olympic Medical Center Hospital District 2 Board of Commissioners, John B. Nutter and John Miles; Forks City Council, Tim Fletcher and Bill Brager; Port Angeles City Council, James “Jim” Moran, Lee Whetham and Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin; and Sequim City Council, Ted Miller, Dennis L. Smith and Bob Lake.
Filing for Port Angeles School Board for races that as of Monday are uncontested were Sarah Methner, Cindy Kelly and Sandy Long; Crescent School Board, Ann Chang; Sequim Area Fire District No. 3 commissioner, Steven Chinn; Port Angeles-area Fire District No. 4 commissioner, Marcus “Ben” Pacheco and Mary Elizabeth Bower; Sekiu-area Fire District No. 5 commissioner, Roy “Spider” Wright; Forks-area Fire District No. 6 commissioner, Scott Horton; and Port Angeles-area Black Diamond Water District commissioner, Annie O’Rourke.
If three or more candidates file for a position, the race will be on the Aug. 1 primary ballot, with the top two vote-getters going to the general election.
There are four positions each up for election on the seven-seat Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks city councils and two up for election on the countywide Port of Port Angeles board of commissioners.
There also are positions on Forks Hospital District 1 board of commissioners; the Cape Flattery and Quillayute Valley school district boards; Clallam County Fire Districts 1-6; and county Park and Recreation District 1, also known as the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center.
Seats also are up for election on the West End-area Quillayute Park and Recreation District board and the Sequim-area Sunland Water District board.
The list of offices open for election and current office holders is available at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-ClallamOffices.
If a position has a filing fee, candidates must pay in person at the auditor’s office or they can mail in the payment, but it must be received by the auditor’s office by 4:30 p.m. Friday to be valid.
Two Sequim School Board positions, two Quillayute Valley School Board positions, three Fire District No. 1 seats and one Fire District No. 3 seat are on both the Clallam County and Jefferson County ballots.
Those districts are populated by residents from both counties.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.