SEQUIM — Assistant Attorney General William Payne is joining the race for the Clallam County Superior Court vacancy that will be created by Judge Ken Williams’ retirement.

The 55-year-old Sequim attorney presently works in the Port Angeles office of the state Attorney General.

He served as a deputy prosecutor for Clallam County from 2008 to 2009, when he left the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to open a private practice.

He joined the AG’s Office in September.

Payne is the fourth candidate to announce that he will file for the position when the candidate filing week opens May 14.

Attorney Curtis Johnson, 58, of Port Angeles; Forks District 2 Judge Eric Rohrer, 54; and Clallam County Hearings Examiner Chris Melly, 60, of Port Angeles all have announced their intentions to run for the post in the Aug. 7 primary, when the top two will be chosen for the Nov. 6 general election.

If one candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, then that candidate will advance to the general election as the only name on the ballot.

Williams, 65, whose salary is $148,000 a year, is retiring at the end of this year after five terms on the bench.