SEQUIM — Incumbents in the race for the Sequim School Board are headed for spots on the November general election.
Clallam County conducted its second count of primary election ballots on Wednesday, with a voter turnout of 33.56 percent, or 13,674 ballots counted out of 40,745 given voters and will do another count today. Jefferson County’s next count will be today. Voter turnout as of Tuesday in Jefferson County was 19.73 percent, or 74 ballots out of 375 issued to voters.
Voters in both counties cast votes for three nonpartisan positions on the Sequim School Board.
Position 1
Position 1 incumbent Larry Jeffryes — a former chemistry and biology teacher who’s served since 2019 — won a combined total of 4,697 votes, or 51.71 percent in Clallam and Jefferson counties, with the closest challenger being park ranger John Graham, who garnered a total of 2,584 votes, or 28.45 percent, in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
Jeffryes said his being an incumbent and past experience with education helped him.
“I heard a lot from parents concerned about the realignment,” Jeffryes said, referring to a restructuring of two of the district’s elementary schools that took place earlier this year.
“Talking to individuals, it was kind of a mixed bag of various topics,” Jeffryes said, “school security to budget, worries about critical race theory and LGBT issues.”
Jeffryes said he wants to find new ways to get feedback from the community. He said the board sends out information materials but doesn’t always hear back.
“We just might have to go out and meet with them and find new ways to do that, more successful ways,” Jeffryes said.
Graham, who appears to be advancing to the November general election, said the district should focus more on academic performance.
“I’m tired of watching as kids coming out of the school have no respect for rules; it didn’t used to be like that. I think a lot of that is what they’re being shown in school,” Graham said. “The district should focus more on academics and less on sexual issues. Race shouldn’t be an issue. Everybody deserves a chance, and hard work is what gives it to you, not special programs.”
Data technician Jim Shepherd took 1,791 votes, or 19.72 percent in the combined total of Clallam and Jefferson counties.
Shepherd, an area native, said he was trying to get things back on track.
“We had a really good district when I was in high school, but it’s a totally different time now,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think there was anybody running with any ill intent; they just have different ways of going about it. Whoever ends up does kind of keep the public more informed and more involved.”
Shepherd said he plans to continue to be involved with the school district as a community member and may sign up for volunteer committees.
Position 4
Former principal Maren Halvorsen won a combined total of 5,593 votes, or 62.07 percent, in Clallam and Jefferson counties for the two-year unexpired term for Position 4, a seat she now fills as an appointee.
“I’m very pleased. The result was great,” Halvorsen said. “I think it was concern on the part of the voters for experience, and the importance of responsible good governance from the board.”
Halvorsen said she spoke with dozens of constituents over the past weeks and the importance of experience was a priority.
“My interest is in student achievement and student success,” Halvorsen said. “Educational experience helps students prepare for the world they’re going to graduate into.”
Halvorsen said the district should focus on professional development for teachers and working with the state Legislature on long-term finances.
Challenging her were former school board candidate Derek Huntington, who took a combined total of 1,861 votes, or 20.65 percent, in Clallam and Jefferson counties, and former educator Dean Christian, who won 1,540 votes, or 17.09 percent in the two-county total.
Huntington said he was happy with the results, noting that this is the first time he’s made it past the primary election.
Speaking to constituents, Huntington said many people were upset about the elementary school realignment.
“Transparency, that was a big thing that people were upset about,” Huntington said. “People felt like the realignment was thrust on them and there wasn’t a whole of transparency.”
If elected, Huntington said he would want to help the public understand what’s happening in the schools and why.
Christian said he is new to politics and could have done more to reach out to voters.
“I feel that the Sequim School District administration is overpriced and the office is too expensive,” Christian said. “I wanted to streamline that budget, especially the superintendent’s salary.”
Christian also criticized the district for a lack of communication and said they should emulate the policies of the Snohomish School District which offers online surveys and regular letters to parents.
“No matter who wins hope the Sequim School Board will hold more events like ice cream social and be more present on school campuses,” Christian said.
Position 5
Position 5 incumbent Michael Rocha won a combined total of 3,940 votes, or 43.7 percent in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
“I’m glad the voters were able to not be swayed by the singular issue of the realignment,” Rocha said, adding that the election results showed that most community members support the move.
“I did have some voters concerned about the materials. They were concerned with stuff that isn’t really happening, (critical race theory) or inappropriate sexual education,” Rocha said. “When I was able to talk to people about what’s happening in our schools, they understood that’s not really an issue that’s in our district.”
Rocha said he wanted to focus more on career and technical education, particularly in Sequim Middle School, and hopes to return driver’s education courses to the high school, pending accreditation.
Challenger Sandra Kellso took a combined total of 3,214 votes, or 35.65 percent, despite her having withdrawn from the race; she withdrew too late to be removed from the ballot.
Hunter Gilliam garnered 1,848 votes, or 20.5 percent, in the combined two-county total.
“It was a really wonderful experience and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the process,” Gilliam said. “I really do like everybody who is in (the race). All of them are in it for the right reason. I’m really excited to be a part of it and I want to help in any way that I can.”
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
