Jefferson County has one county contest on Tuesday’s primary ballot.
Jefferson County Commissioner Greg Brotherton, a Democrat, is challenged by Republicans Jon Cooke and Marcia Kelbon for the District 3 seat. All three are from Quilcene.
Voters also have contests for state representative positions 1 and 2 in Legislative District 24, which covers Jefferson and Clallam counties and part of Grays Harbor County; the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula; the race for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray’s seat and the Secretary of State seat.
The top-two primary will narrow the field of candidates for each position to two for the Nov. 8 general election.
A race for the Jefferson County sheriff’s seat between incumbent Joe Nole and Art Frank also will be on the ballot, but the vote will have no impact on the general election lineup. Both candidates will also be on the Nov. 8 ballot. Several other races are unopposed.
By Friday in Jefferson County, 8,039 ballots had been returned out of 27,409 ballots given registered voters for a voter turnout of 29.33 percent. Of those, 7,923 ballots had been accepted, for a percentage of 28,91.
There were 116 ballots challenged. Voters who provided ballots questioned due to lack of signatures or other problems are contacted to allow them to fix the problems before certification on Aug. 16.
In Clallam County, 14,820 ballots had been returned out of 57,254 ballots given registered voters, for a voter turnout of 25.88 percent. Of those, 14,452 ballots had been accepted as of Friday, for a percentage of 25.24. There were 174 ballots challenged.
Ballots were mailed on July 13. Voters must return them in time to be postmarked for Tuesday or deliver them to drop boxes by 8 p.m. Tuesday to have them counted in the primary election.
Voters in Jefferson and Clallam counties — and some of the residents in Grays Harbor County — will vote in two primary contests for District 24 of the state Legislature.
Rep. Mike Chapman, a Port Angeles Democrat, is challenged by Republicans Sue Forde of Sequim and Matthew Rainwater of Port Angeles for Position 1.
Rep. Steve Tharinger of Port Townsend, also a Democrat, is challenged by Republican Brian Pruiett of Carlsborg and Democrat Darren Corcoran of Elma.
Jefferson and Clallam county voters will vote for the 6th Congressional District representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, a seat currently held by Democrat Derek Kilmer of Gig Harbor, a Port Angeles native.
Kilmer is facing Republican challengers Chris Binns, Todd Bloom and Elizabeth Kreiselmaier as well as Democrat Rebecca Parsons and Independent Tom Triggs.
Statewide elections contests on the ballot are a six-year term for U.S. Senator — a position currently held by Democrat Patty Murray, who’s held the seat since 1993 — and a two-year term for Washington Secretary of State, currently held by Democrat Steve Hobbs.
There are 18 primary candidates for U.S. Senator, Murray included, and eight for Secretary of State to replace former Secretary of State Kim Wyman, who resigned to assist election security at the federal level.
Candidates in Washington can declare a preferred political party, but that does not imply those candidates have in any way been endorsed or supported by those parties.
For the U.S. Senate, there are six Democratic candidates — Murray, Mohammed Hassan Said, Dr. Pano Churchill, Sam Cusmir, Bryan Solstin and Ravin Pierre — and three Republicans — John Guenther, Tiffany Smiley and Bill Hirt. Candidate Dave Saulibio listed his party preference as JFK Republican Party and Leon Lawson listed his as Trump Republican Party.
Four candidates have listed themselves as Independent Party; Jon Butler, Thor Amundson, Charlie Jackson and Naz Paul, and Dan Phan Doan and Martin D. Hash have stated no party preference and candidate Henry Clay Dennison listed the Socialist Workers Party.
In the race for Secretary of State are two Democrats — appointee Steve Hobbs, who is now filling the role, and Marquez Tiggs — and three Republicans — Bob Hagglund, Keith L. Wagoner and Mark Miloscia, as well as Kurtis Engle, Union Party; Tamborine Borrelli, America First (R) Party, and nonpartisan party Julie Anderson.
Ballot drop boxes are available at the following locations:
• Brinnon: 306144 U.S. Highway 101, Brinnon Community Center.
• Hoh Indian Nation: 2261 Lower Hoh Road, Forks.
• Nordland: 6633 Flagler Road, Nordland Fire Station.
• Port Hadlock: 620 Cedar Ave., Jefferson Public Library.
• Port Ludlow: 93 Beaver Valley Road, Olympic Peninsula Gateway Visitor Center.
• Port Townsend: 1820 Jefferson St. Drive-up box located in the back parking lot of the county courthouse. A walk-up drop box is in front of the courthouse steps and ballot box is located just outside the Jefferson County Auditor’s office.
• Quinault Indian Nation, Queets: Queets Avenue, Forks, in front of Queets Tribal Office.
• Quilcene: 294952 U.S. Highway 101, Quilcene Community Center.
Election processing will begin shortly after polls close Tuesday. The process can be watched live online at https://co.jefferson.wa.us/1484/Election-Cameras.
Those unable to observe from home are asked to call 360-385-9119 to enable staff to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate on-site observing.
No tabulation equipment is connected to the internet or capable of wireless communication and state law requires security measures be used to detect any inappropriate access to the physical security of the system, according to the state Office of the Secretary of State.
Before use, tabulation systems in Washington state are tested at a federally approved independent testing lab, at the state level and reviewed by county voting systems certification boards. Each county conducts logic and accuracy testing prior to every election.
Voter registration will be accepted in person at the county auditor’s office at the Jefferson County Courthouse at 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend, until 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Those who have not received ballots, or who need other information, can go to the Auditor’s Office, check the website at https://co.jefferson.wa.us/1266/Elections or call the elections manager at 360-385-9117.
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached by email at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
Executive Editor Leah Leach contrinbuted to this story.
