Clallam County Republicans are ready to party.
Local Democrats will wait until Wednesday to celebrate.
Such were the parties’ last-minute party plans Monday as politicians awaited this day of all days, Election Day.
Clallam County’s all-mail election ends today at 8 p.m. for balloting from president to county sheriff that began when ballots were mailed out to the county’s 43,781 registered voters on Oct. 13.
Election Central will operate in the county courthouse in Port Angeles, and the county Republican Party will hold a potluck starting at 6 p.m.
According to Karline Roseveare, county GOP secretary, the potluck dinner will run from 6 to 9 p.m. today at county Republican headquarters, 509 S. Lincoln St., Port Angeles, while results are awaited.
The GOP will gather again from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Sequim Grange Hall for “a celebratory get-together” to thank party volunteers, Roseveare said.
As for the county Democrats, “we don’t have one big, mass place where we are meeting,” said Marilyn Pollock at party headquarters, 933 E. First St., Port Angeles.
Instead, Democrats will gather at the headquarters at noon Wednesday for a potluck lunch.
By that time, 22,548 ballots will have been counted by the Clallam County Auditor’s Office. The ballots are those that were returned by 5 p.m. Friday.
Auditor Cathleen McKeown said her employees will begin counting them at 10 a.m. today, but she won’t release totals until just after 8 p.m.
“I won’t even give a wink to a winner before then,” McKeown said of keeping results secret until polls officially close.
Despite the long hours, she said a full crew will work today “in case anyone needs a replacement ballot, has a question or needs assistance with their need to vote.”
Election Central
McKeown will host Election Central in the basement at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
But it won’t have the hors d’oeuvres and balloons that she and her employees offered last year.
