PORT TOWNSEND — Only one new candidate filed for office in Jefferson County on Tuesday.
Bob Schuessler will run for commissioner, District 2, of the Port of Port Townsend against incumbent Dave Thompson, who filed for re-election Monday, the first day of the candidate filing period for the Nov. 3 general election.
The filing period ends at 4:30 p.m. Friday for 48 elected positions open in Jefferson County.
Candidates can file in the Auditor’s Office in the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
“I’m just doing my public service,” said Schuessler, 66, of Port Hadlock.
“I like the boating community. I know them well, boated with them and had them work with and for us on my boat.”
Schuessler, who is retired, was in charge of the Port Hadlock Marina from 2000 to 2005.
“I was sort of recruited to do this,” he said. “People asked me to run who liked what I did at the marina.”
Schuessler said he is working with others to establish a platform. The entry of Schuessler means both Port of Port Townsend positions up for election will be contested.
Port of Port Townsend Commissioner Herb Beck will be challenged for his District 3 position by Douglas J. Breithaupt of Port Townsend. The positions are four-year terms.
If more than two candidates file for a position, a primary election will be held on Aug. 18. The top two candidates selected by voters will head to the general election. If no candidate runs for an office, a special filing period will open June 10-12 to fill those spots.
Candidates who have filed
• Sheriff Tony Hernandez has filed for his current position. Hernandez, appointed sheriff in March after Mike Brasfield’s retirement, is running to fill the remainder of the current term, which ends in 2010.
• All four Port Townsend City Council seats up for election are being sought by the council members now filling them. Mayor Michelle Sandoval, Catharine Robinson and Mark Welch all filed for re-election, while Kris Nelson, who was appointed to council Monday night, filed to fill the remainder of Brent Butler’s term, which expires in 2011.
• Two incumbents, Ted Friedrich and Cammy Brown, have filed for Chimacum School District 49.
• In Sequim School District No. 323, which serves both Clallam and Jefferson counties, Jon Kirshbaum is running for the seat currently held by Virginia O’Neil. O’Neil had not filed.
• Lyle Pfeifle, current director of District 1 for Queets/Clearwater School District No. 20, will be challenged for his spot by Sandra Wells-Kalama of Forks.
• In Port Townsend School District No. 50, two challengers, Holley Carlson, who is running for the position held by John Eissinger, and Jennifer James-Wilson, who is running for the position held by Rita Bebee, have filed, but the incumbents have not.
• Richard A Stapf Jr. and Jess Bondurant Jr. have filed as incumbents in the two positions up for election on the Port Townsend Fire District.
• Mike Eastman has filed for the Brinnon Fire District position currently held by Ken McEdwards. McEdwards has not filed.
• Ford Kessler has filed for the Gardiner Fire District position currently held by George Eims. Eims has not filed.
• Scott Loring and Myrtle Corey have filed for their current positions on Cemetery District No. 1 (Brinnon).
• Diane (Movius) Martin has filed for her current position on Cemetery District No. 3 (Gardiner).
• Wayne Schlaefli has filed for his current position on Water District No. 2 (Brinnon).
• Carol Jean Young has filed for her current position on Public Hospital District No. 1 (Forks).
• Chuck Russell and Kathy Hill have filed for their current positions on East Jefferson County Hospital District No. 2 (East Jefferson).
For official filing information, visit the county Web site at http://wei.secstate.wa.gov.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
