PORT TOWNSEND — Voters are taking their time filling out primary ballots, said Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge — but she expects the participation rate to swell this week.
“We are behind what we have gotten in past years at this time, but I expect a lot of votes will come in Monday and Tuesday,” Eldridge said Friday.
“I think with all of the races, people are taking more time to decide who to vote for.”
By Friday, 16.6 percent of registered Jefferson County voters had returned ballots for the all-mail Aug. 7 primary election, according to voter registration coordinator Betty Johnson.
The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office had received by Friday 3,631 of the 21,867 ballots it had issued countywide for the election.
Eldridge said the voting rate was running 3.51 percent less than in 2008 for a comparable period, 4.56 percent less than 2010 and 10.34 percent less than in 2011.
She feels people haven’t made up their minds whom to support in several statewide races where there is no incumbent, such as for governor and secretary of state.
People are also taking their time, she said, in the selection of a successor for U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, who is retiring after serving 18 terms in the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
On the county level, voters also have several choices. The two contested races each have three candidates.
In the race for the county commissioner District 2 seat, incumbent David Sullivan, a Democrat, has two Republican challengers, Tim Thomas and Dan Youra.
One of the three in that race will be eliminated in the primary; the remaining two will move on to the general election.
In the contest to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser, attorneys Michael Haas, Keith Harper and Peggy Ann Bierbaum are in a three-way race.
If one Superior Court candidate gains more than a majority — or 50 percent plus 1 — that person automatically wins the position.
If there is no majority winner, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election Nov. 6.
All candidates are “door-belling,” going from one house to another to meet the voters.
“People have been very receptive and I haven’t had a single negative experience,” Haas said.
“It has been a lot of fun to meet a whole range of people.”
Bierbaum said she has enjoyed campaigning.
“We’ve had a good time door-belling,” she said. “People want to know about the issues and every one has thanked me for the information.”
Harper did not respond to a request for comment about the campaign.
Sullivan, who is in his third campaign, said there are more demands on his time this year than four years ago because of the economy and “the amount of meetings and emails needed to get anything done.”
One of the Republicans challenging Sullivan is also challenging a fellow Republican also seeking the seat.
Youra contends that Thomas is not qualified to run because he did not reside in the district at the time of filing and is continuing this challenge with an appearance in Superior Court at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
Youra is appealing a ruling by Eldridge that Thomas had met residency requirements.
Youra hopes to see a court ruling in his favor, which he said would disqualify votes for Thomas and put him out of the general election race regardless of vote totals.
Thomas said he “feels pretty confident” about the primary although he was unprepared for all the door-belling and putting up signs that a candidate must do.
“Getting people to donate is quite an exercise,” he said.
He hasn’t been surprised by what people are saying on the campaign trail.
“There is a lot of talk about the lack of jobs,” he said.
“A county commissioner can change this by helping permits done faster, for people who want to start a business or build something for themselves.”
One race could affect the future of the Jefferson County Republican Party.
Chairman Ron Gregory is being challenged for his seat as a precinct committee officer — or PCO — by Paul Moseley, a Port Ludlow real estate investor.
Party bylaws state that a party chairman must be a PCO, so if Gregory loses, the 14 remaining PCOs will elect a new chairman.
“I think Ron is a hard worker who has done a lot for the party,” Moseley said.
“But I think it’s time that the party has some young blood with different points of view.”
Moseley is 49. Gregory, 75, has been involved in local party politics for about 15 years.
To be counted, ballots must be postmarked by Aug. 7; hand-delivered to the Auditor’s Office at the County Courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend; or placed in a ballot drop-box no later than 8 p.m. that day.
Drop-boxes are in the back parking lot at the courthouse and at the Jefferson County Library at 620 Cedar Ave., in Port Hadlock.
Any voter who has not received a ballot should contact the Jefferson County Auditor’s office, 360-385-9119.
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
