Mail-in ballots go out Wednesday to registered voters in the appropriate voting districts for the Sept. 16 primary election.
Elections in Clallam County are conducted only by mail.
There is no voting at neighborhood polls.
Two opportunities for residents to learn about the candidates:
* VOTER GUIDE: A Voter Guide will be included with Peninsula Daily News this coming Sunday, Aug. 31.
It will have information about all the primary election races.
It will profile all the candidates in the contested races — and have the candidates” 75-word answers to detailed questions that were addressed to them by the PDN.
The Voter Guide will also be available free at the Courthouse, libraries, Sequim and Port Angeles city halls and other public locations around the county — and at PDN offices in Port Angeles and Sequim.
* TUESDAY FORUM: Peninsula Daily News and Peninsula News Network will sponsor a special televised “meet the press” election forum Tuesday.
It will cover the races for county commissioner, director of the county Department of Community Development and Port Angeles School District Position No. 1.
All interested voters are invited to attend the forum to learn about the candidates — and watch the interplay between them and three journalists.
Tuesday’s forum will run from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers at Port Angeles City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
Seating will be available for 100 persons.
“The PDN and PNN-TV feel it’s vitally important that candidates personally appear to present and defend their principles, ideals, philosophy, and vision for the future direction of our county and the Port Angeles school district,” said John Brewer, PDN editor and publisher.
The candidates will answer questions from PNN anchorman Dennis Bragg, Peninsula Daily News Executive Editor Rex Wilson and Paul Gottlieb, the PDN’s Commentary Page editor.
The program will be aired on Wave Broadband (formerly Northland) cable channel 3 in Port Angeles, Carlsborg and Sequim.
Program times
Here is the schedule:
* 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Steve Tharinger, seeking his second four-year term as District 1 commissioner.
His challenger, Sue Forde, said she cannot attend because she has another commitment.
“We’re sorry Mrs. Forde will be unable to join us,” said Brewer.
“We are focusing on the county commissioner race now — even though that race will be decided in November — so voters are acquainted early with with issues and candidates, whether they are voting now or in November.
“We want them to be able to make informed comparisons.”
But even though Tharinger and Forde will advance automatically to the November election, the prmary race for commissioner is important as a “beauty contest” that will allow both candidates to gauge how well they appeal to voters midway through the campaign, Brewer added.
Only voters in District 1, basically the Sequim area, will vote for commissioner in the primary.
Voters countywide will mark ballots in this race in the Nov. 4 general election.
* 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Rob Robertsen and Bob Martin, candidates for director of Department of Community Development.
The third candidate, John H. Miller, said he could not attend because he is on vacation.
* 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Kathy Anita Gonzales, Pete Peterson and Charlie McClain, candidates for the Port Angeles School Board, Position No. 1.
Q&A’s
In addition, candidates will participate in written, debate-format Q&As on the PDN’s Commentary Page.
Each candidate answers a question in 50 words or less, then comments on his or her opponent’s answer.
PDN readers are invited to suggest questions for the candidates.
Address questions to Paul Gottlieb (his address in the information box on Page A5 today), or leave it on his 24-hour voice mail (360-417-3536).
