Clallam County Deputy Assessor Mike Hopf filed Monday as a candidate in the Sept. 20 primary for the office vacated by last week’s death of Assessor Linda Owings-Rosenburgh.
Hopf’s filing highlighted Clallam County’s first day of the weeklong filing period for several county and local offices in the fall elections.
The deadline for making the Sept. 20 primary ballot is Friday at 5 p.m. at the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles.
In addition to his candidacy, Hopf probably will ask county commissioners to appoint him interim assessor until November, when he or another candidate is elected to complete Owings-Rosenburgh’s unexpired term.
County commissioners have yet to name a screening committee for interim applicants or set a deadline for applications. An interim appointee will serve until the county auditor certifies the election winner Nov. 29.
To keep the assessor’s job after next year, whoever wins must seek re-election in November 2006 for the next full four-year term.
Interim Treasurer Judith Scott likewise will run for the unexpired term of Ruth Gerdon, who resigned for health reasons last Dec. 31.
County commissioners appointed Scott, who filed her candidacy Monday, to the interim position late last year.
Port Angeles City Council
The first challenger for a Port Angeles City Council position also filed Monday.
Peter Ripley, an online newspaper publisher who ran unsuccessfully two years ago, will compete against incumbent Larry G. Williams, a Realtor, for Position 2.
Williams also filed Monday.
Position 1 incumbent Councilman Gary Braun, Position 3 incumbent Karen Rogers, and Position 4 incumbent Richard Headrick also filed for re-election Monday.
Other positions and candidates who filed for them Monday included:
* Port of Port Angeles commissioner, District 2, George Schoenfeldt of Port Angeles will run against incumbent Leonard W. Beil of Port Angeles.
* Hospital District 2 (Olympic Medical Center) Position 1, Jorgen Quistgaard, incumbent, and Position 2, Gary Smith, incumbent. Both men live in Port Angeles.
* Port Angeles School District director, Position 1, Nancy McLaughlin of Port Angeles, incumbent
* Quillayute Valley School District director, District 2, Sue Gibbs, incumbent, and District 4, Sharon Penn, incumbent. Both women are from Forks.
* Clallam County Fire Protection District No. 1, Gerald Morris of Beaver, incumbent.
* Fire Protection District 5, Position 1, Donald Higgins of Sekiu, incumbent.
* SARC Park and Recreation District No. 1 (Sequim Aquatic and Recreation Commission), Commissioner, Position 1, Susan Sorensen of Sequim, incumbent.
Information on filing for candidacy is available by calling the County Auditor’s Office at 360-417-2217.
