North Olympic Peninsula political candidates appear to be easing off their campaigns as Election Day approaches.
Voting in the all-mail general election, which ends Tuesday night, has been going on since ballots were distributed Oct. 15.
And so has been the campaigning for those votes.
In Clallam County, 49 percent of distributed ballots had been received as of Friday, topped by Jefferson County’s 64 percent.
Many more are expected today and Tuesday.
‘Made up their minds’
“I really think that at this point, everyone has made up their minds for quite a while,” said Sandy Hershelman, who is running as an independent for Jefferson County commissioner.
Although she won’t be aggressively campaigning, Hershelman said she will still be making calls to get people to vote.
“I’ll be on the phone working on voter lists who I know will be voting for me but haven’t gotten their ballots in yet.”
Hershelman’s opponent, incumbent David Sullivan, D-Cape George, said he won’t be doing any eleventh-hour campaigning because he’ll be too busy with county business this week.
“I’ll be busy doing that job in the next two days,” he said.
“There is quite a ‘get out the vote’ effort going on by the Democratic Party, and of course I’ll be available to answer questions,” Sullivan said.
Phil Johnson, D-Port Townsend, who is running for re-election to the District 1 county commissioner seat in Jefferson County, echoed Sullivan.
“We’ll have a board meeting all day long [today],” Johnson said.
“I’m looking forward to the campaign being over.”
Johnson’s Republican opponent, Dennis A. Schultz, said he will be campaigning by calling up voters who he knows are supporters.
“Of course we’ll be concentrating on those people who haven’t yet voted,” Schultz said.
“I’ll be out talking to people and campaigning some still.”
In Port Angeles, Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman, who is running for re-election as an independent, said he’ll be tied up today in budget meetings for the county.
“Tuesday, I’ll spend the day taking down election signs,” Chapman said.
“And of course, then I’ll go get the election results at the courthouse.”
Chapman’s Republican opponent, Terry L. Roth, said he, too, won’t be aggressively campaigning in the final hours.
“I think pretty much everyone from the top down to the local elections are campaigned to death,” Roth said.
“I am now and will continue to answer a large number of phone calls and a lot of questions about ballot issues and my position on various issues.”
Clallam County Public Utility District Commissioner Hugh Haffner, locked in a difficult race against challenger Bob Jensen, said he purchased some ads but won’t be contacting voters.
“I found that one year I made some phone calls, and about an hour into it I found people were getting annoyed,” Haffner said.
“I’ll be available for questions and I’ll run my ads, but I won’t be ringing doorbells or making calls.”
Jensen did not return calls Sunday for comment.
Most rounds completed
Ken McMillen, who is running for Jefferson County Public Utility District commissioner in the District 2 position, said he will consider going door-to-door but had already completed most of his rounds.
“I believe that probably about 85 percent of people have already filled out their ballots,” he said.
His opponent Jim Pivarnik did not return a call Sunday for comment.
Ballots in the all mail election must be postmarked by Tuesday or returned to their respective county courthouse by 8 p.m. that evening.
Because of the presidential election — which are also on the ballot — and the high rate of return so far, Clallam County Auditor Patty Rosand predicted an 87 percent voter participation.
Jefferson County Auditor Donna Eldridge predicted 92 percent of ballots will return.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
