PORT TOWNSEND — In anticipation of the filing period for freeholder candidates, some 60 people gathered to hear about how to run for office.
Elections coordinator Karen Cartmel outlined the election process and answered specific questions about the election of freeholders during a presentation in Jefferson County Superior Court chambers Monday night.
One of the questions — what would happen if enough people didn’t sign up to run for the 15 freeholder positions — was answered decisively by Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge.
“That will not be a problem,” she said.
“There is a lot of interest here, and I have never seen a public meeting like this.”
A special three-day filing period for candidates for 15 freeholder positions and for proposed Port Ludlow and Kala Point parks districts begins today.
The filing period will be taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today, Thursday and Friday at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St.
Home-rule charters are permitted by the state constitution as a way for counties to provide their own forms of government that might differ from the commission form prescribed by state law.
Jefferson County now has three elected commissioners.
Home-rule charters, such as that in Clallam County, also can provide the powers of initiative and referendum to the voters of their counties.
Two charter-related items will be on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. Voters will be asked to decide whether the county should begin the charter process and will choose freeholders to create the county charter if the first question is approved.
If the first measure is defeated, then the freeholders will not take office.
If it passes, they will assemble and have until June 20, 2015, to submit a proposed charter, which then would be brought before the voters.
Two Jefferson County communities, Port Ludlow and Kala Point, have filed petitions to create park districts.
Each would have voters elect a five-member board that will have taxing authority and can apply for grants to support recreation programs.
Brinnon created a parks district in 2012. Sponsors of all three parks districts have said their efforts are reactions to a proposed creation of a joint city-county metropolitan parks district.
They want to be exempt from such a district and have local control.
The earliest the joint district could go before voters would be in 2014.
The Kala Point and Port Ludlow elections follow the same two-step process as the proposed switch to a county charter system.
If voters approve the district, then the elected commissioners will be seated.
Those attending Monday’s presentation included several past unsuccessful candidates for public office, with many of those present saying they have not made up their minds whether to run for a freeholder position.
Port Townsend attorneys Paul Richmond, who sought the prosecuting attorney’s position in 2010, and John Wood, who sought the District Court judgeship that year; and Tim Thomas who sought a county commission seat in 2012, said they had not decided.
Jim Boyer, a 2010 county commission candidate, said he planned to run for a freeholder seat.
“We can reform a government that has a chance of being representative of the people,” Boyer said.
Jefferson County Public Utility District President Barney Burke also said he is considering running for a freeholder post.
“After more than a century of the current structure, it’s encouraging to see so many people interested in talking about whether we can improve our county government,” Burke said.
As a sitting PUD commissioner, Burke — or any elected official — could run for the position, while those who are on the ballot running for another public office cannot run for the position.
If the initial measure is approved, then 15 freeholders, five from each commissioner district, will be elected on the same ballot.
At that point, the top five vote-getters in each district will form the freeholders panel, and the person gaining the most votes will act as chair until the panel can meet and elect a chair.
Freeholder candidates are assessed a $25 filing fee, while there is no fee for the parks commissioner positions.
Freeholder candidates who cannot afford the filing fee can present a petition with 25 valid nominating signatures instead, Cartmel said.
The charter process began with a petition submitted July 30 calling for the election that was signed by more than 2,500 people, which exceeded the 2,010-signature requirement.
The group that submitted the petition, the Community Rights Coalition of Jefferson County, said its agenda is to write a citizen bill of rights and incorporate an initiative process but that the freeholders could add a variety of issues to the charter that are outside of those parameters.
“I’m not convinced it’s in the best interests of Jefferson County to begin this process,” said Bruce Cowan of Port Townsend, who is considering running for a freeholder position.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/6pscjfo or phone 360-385-9117.
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
