The electorate remained unenthusiastic about today’s single-contest primary election, ballots for which must be postmarked today or deposited at a Clallam County drop box.
Just 26 percent of eligible voters — 2,952 out of 11,188 — had cast ballots as of Monday in the four-person primary election for Port Angeles City Council Position 2, county Auditor Patty Rosand said.
Incumbent Larry Williams is not running for re-election.
Making bids to replace him are Rick Burton, a 40-year-old papermaker; Max Mania, a 41-year-old grocery clerk; Edna Petersen, a 69-year-old store owner; and Peter Ripley, a 48-year-old publisher and editor of two online newspapers.
The county Elections Office received just 223 ballots Monday in the all-mail-ballot election, which began July 29.
Rosand speculated that having just one race on the ballot was a factor in the low turnout.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a primary with only one issue on the ballot,” she said.
The top two vote-getters in the primary will compete in the Nov. 3 general election, when 17 races will be on the ballot, including the majority of Port Angeles City Council seats.
