PORT TOWNSEND — Candidate withdrawals have apparently assured an incumbent Port Townsend City Council member a second term and halted a primary contest for a Quilcene School Board seat.
The only way the status could change in either election would be if write-in candidates filed.
The last day to file a declaration for a write-in candidacy is no later than July 17 for the Aug. 4 primary and Oct. 16 for the Nov. 3 general election.
If three or more candidates file for a position, the primary narrows the field to two for the general election.
Tobi McEnerney, 35, withdrew her candidacy for Position 4 on the Port Townsend City Council before the withdrawal deadline on Monday.
That will remove her name from the ballot and give Robert Gray, 67, an apparent default victory in his bid for a second four years in office.
Incumbent Katie Rancich withdrew her name from the Quilcene School Board race, leaving candidates Bonnie Hitt and Viviann Kuehl.
Rancich did not state a reason for her withdrawal on her statement to the auditor and was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.
McEnerney, who had filed her candidacy last week, said she changed her mind for family reasons. She wants to spend more time with her 3-year-old son.
“It was going to be fun and a lot of people told me I had a chance of winning,” McEnerney said.
“But it was going to be a huge commitment, and it came down to the fact that I didn’t want to miss spending the summer with my son right before he was going to enter pre-school.”
McEnerney said she now plans to run for City Council in 2017, when seats held by four-term incumbents Catharine Robinson and Michelle Sandoval and one-termer Pamela Adams will be open.
“My strategy will be to talk one of them into retiring and endorsing me,” McEnerney said.
Position 3 Councilwoman Deborah Stinson, 59, was elected to a first term in 2011 along with Gray but did not draw an opponent this year.
Two vacancies were caused by the retirement of Mayor David King in Position 6 and Deputy Mayor Kris Nelson in Position 7.
Nelson announced her retirement simultaneous to her endorsement of attorney David Faber, 32, as her successor.
Travis Keena, 38, filed to oppose Faber in the general election. There will be no primary as there is only one candidate in the race.
The only council primary contest takes place in Position 6, where Paul Rice, 32, Amy Smith, 32, or Todd Waxmen will be eliminated from competition.
A special three day filing period for 11 positions where no candidates filed begins today at 8:30 a.m. and ends Friday at 4:30 p.m.
The positions that are open are:
■ Forks Community Hospital commission, Position 3, a six-year term.
■ Two two-year unexpired terms on the Clearwater Fire District commission — Positions 1 and 2; and a full six-year term — Position 3.
■ Paradise Bay Water District Number 1 commissioner Position 1, a six-year term.
■ Quilcene Cemetery District Number 2 commissioner Position 2, a two-year unexpired term.
■ Two four-year seats on the Coyle-Thorndyke Parks and Recreation District Number 1 commission — Positions 1 and 4.
■ Three four-year seats on the Brinnon Parks and Recreation District commission — Positions 2, 3 and 4.
■ Quillayute Valley School Board, Position 1, a four-year term. Although a few voters are in Jefferson County, candidates must file at the Clallam County Auditor’s Office, where the filing period will be May 26-28. For information, call 360-417-2217.
Jefferson County candidates file at the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office in the county courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
This can be in person during office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by email to bettyj@co.jefferson.wa.us, by fax at 360-385-9228 or by mail to Jefferson County Elections, PO Box 563, Port Townsend WA 98368
If no candidate files for the seat, the incumbent will remain until he or she resigns and a replacement is appointed or until the 2017 elections.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
