Unless some surprise candidates surface during filing week, July 24-28, we voters will have few choices in the Sept. 19 primary election, and the Nov. 7 general election.
Democratic State Committeeman John Pollock of Sequim said firefighter Kevin Van de Wege, D-Sequim, will be the only Democrat challenging state Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, for his 24th District 24 seat, which represents Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor county.
There’s also little chance anyone will challenge Buck for the Republican nomination.
That gives voters a choice in the general election, but none in the primary.
And there may be no choice at all for other District 24 state House seat, now held by Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam.
Jefferson County Republicans are hearing “nothing at all” about a possible challenger for Kessler, said county Commissioner Pat Rodgers, R-Brinnon.
However, Donna Buck, Clallam County Republican Party chair and Jim Buck’s wife, has heard that someone in Kessler’s hometown is considering running.
District 3 county commissioner seats in both Jefferson (covering Brinnon, Gardiner and the county’s south end) and Clallam (covering Forks and the West End) are also up for election.
“I feel a sense of abandoning ship,” said Republican Jefferson County incumbent Pat Rodgers, who isn’t running due to his wife’s health.
Bob Pontius of Port Ludlow and Ian McFall of Brinnon will compete for the Republican nomination.
“Both are truly qualified,” Rodgers said.
Giving voters a choice of candidates is “fundamental to the system. It flushes out people’s agendas,” he said.
Dave Austin is the only Democrat who as announced for Rodgers’ seat.
County auditors, assessors, treasurers, prosecuting attorneys, sheriffs, and district judges are also up for election.
Additionally, Jefferson elects its Superior Court clerk, while Clallam elects its director of community development and 15 home rule charter review freeholders.
Except for nonpartisan judges, Jefferson’s county posts are partisan.
“I expect the incumbents will all be unopposed,” said Elections Coordinator Karen Cartmel, “but I could be totally wrong on that.”
One nonpartisan Jefferson County Public Utility District incumbent has a declared challenger, Cartmel said.
Under Clallam’s home rule charter, all but two county-level offices are nonpartisan.
Clallam District 3 Commissioner Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles, won’t file for a third consecutive term until the last filing day, and no other Democrat will challenge him, predicted Pollock.
Doherty may not even have a Republican challenger.
The Republican Party did approach Forks Mayor Nedra Reed about running, but she decided not to because of family health issues, and no other candidate has surfaced.
Prosecutor Deb Kelly, R-Port Angeles, may also get a free ride.
“We hate to have a position go unchallenged,” Pollock said “but I don’t expect to have any (Democrat) file against her.”
Also up for election are partisan precinct committee officers, various nonpartisan special district commissioners and assorted federal and state positions.
Few primary election battles are expected.
Republican Party leaders would be very pleased, albeit surprised, if political newcomers with Republican leanings were to surface to run against Kessler and Doherty, Donna Buck said.
Potential Democratic candidates should talk to the party before filing, said Pollock, who hopes newcomers to the area will weigh in, especially for precinct posts.
The parties will have three days to fill blanks in the slate, if no candidate files by close-of-business July 28.
File for county and other local positions at county courthouses in Port Townsend pr Port Angeles.
Filing for legislative and other state positions or congress is done through the secretary of state’s office in Olympia.
I’ve filled out my declaration of candidacy for Republican Robin Hill Precinct Committee Officer, as I do every two years.
If others don’t file, there’ll be no choices on our fall ballots.
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Martha Ireland was a Clallam County commissioner from 1996 to 1999. She and her husband, Dale, live in on a Carlsborg-area farm. Her column appears every Friday in the Peninsula Daily News.
E-mail: irelands@olypen.com.
