PORT TOWNSEND — In the first day of candidate filing for the off-year election, the Jefferson County auditor reported 20 hopefuls for 18 offices.
Filing continues from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. all week, with a drawing to determine ballot positions scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Candidates file at the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office at the county courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St.
If more than two candidates file for one office, one candidate will be eliminated in the Aug. 4 primary, and the top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
All of this year’s elections are nonpartisan contests.
The first candidate to file on Monday was Steve Tucker, seeking a second term as Port of Port Townsend District 1 commissioner.
Tucker was unopposed in 2011. It may be different this year.
“I’ve been around for long enough to get some people mad, so I might get some opposition,” he said.
“If I were unopposed I could go fishing more, but I don’t think being opposed will be a bad thing since it will prompt a debate which I was terrified of last time but now I would enjoy it.”
Two new port commissioners were elected in 2013, and Tucker is now the board’s senior member and its chair.
Four positions are open on the Port Townsend City Council on which two incumbents, Bob Gray, Position 4, and Deborah Stinson, Position 3, are each seeking a second term.
The retirements of Mayor David King, Position 6, and Vice Mayor Kris Nelson, Position 7 have created vacancies on the council, drawing candidates in their 30s.
Paul Rice, 32, has filed for King’s slot and is as yet unopposed.
David Faber, 32, a Port Townsend attorney, was the first candidate to declare last month.
Faber did not pay the $60 filing fee, instead opting to submit a petition which had the required 60 signatures.
He arrived with a 68-signature petition, but eight were immediately disqualified because they were not registered voters or lived outside the city limit. according to Betty Johnson, county elections supervisor.
Faber’s petition was accepted.
If one more signature had been disqualified, he would have needed to start over with a new petition, although some of the same people could re-sign the second position.
Faber is challenged by Travis Keena, 38, a maintenance worker for the Port of Port Townsend.
“A lot of people have an agenda, they are realtors or developers of some kind and profit from public office,” Keena said.
“I have no way to profit from the office, I just wanted to be a conduit for those who don’t have a voice in the city.”
After filing, Keena said that he was looking to give a voice to younger citizens and had been told that an older candidate was running for Position 7.
Having discovered the confusion, Keena returned to the auditor’s office to attempt to switch to another position but learned that would require a withdrawal form and an additional filing fee.
Keena declined to pay the additional fee.
Upon leaving the courthouse, he said he had not decided whether to stay put and run against Faber, or go the signature route to file for a different position.
“I’ll have to see if I can motivate 60 of my friends,” he said.
Gray. 67, said four years ago that he only intended to seek one term but changed his mind.
“I’ve been very successful in what I set out to do, getting some new sidewalks and parks,” Gray said.
“I’d also like to work to help lower income people find some good jobs.”
Gray has announced opposition from Tobi McEnerney, 35, who did not file on Monday.
“I’m running again because it’s been really rewarding work,” said Stinson, 59.
“I’ve learned a lot and it’s a deep learning curve, and I think I can apply all this in my second term.”
Two seats are open on the Jefferson Healthcare hospital board of commissioners, with both incumbents filing for new terms.
Chuck Russell, 72, is filing for a fourth term in Position 2.
Mari Dressler, 69, is seeking a second term.
Neither has any announced opposition.
The only other contested race in Jefferson County is the Sequim School Board District 1 position. Robin Henrikson and Willard Naslund are competing to succeed Heather Jeffers.
