NORTH OLYMPIC PENINSULA RACES — Five in Jefferson County, four in Clallam County compete for county commission seats

Five candidates are contending for a Jefferson County commission seat while four vie for a Clallam County commission position.

Five Port Townsend candidates have filed for the Jefferson County District 1 seat being vacated by Phil Johnson.

Three are Democrats, one is a Republican and one has no party preference.

Cynthia Koan, Kate Dean and Tim Thomas are Democrats. Contractor Jeff Gallant is the sole Republican.

On Friday, Holly Postmus, who filed with no party preference, joined the fray.

In Clallam County, two Republicans, one Democrat and a candidate with no party preference have filed for the District 2 county commission 2 seat.

Randy Johnson of Port Angeles — president of Green Crow Corp., and board chairman of the Economic Development Corp. — filed Friday with no party preference.

He joins Port Angeles Democrat Ron Richards, and Republicans Gabe Rygaard of Sequim and Maggie Roth of Port Angeles in seeking the seat being vacated by Mike Chapman, who is running for a legislative position.

The candidates will face off in the Aug. 2 top-two primary, in which the top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 8 general election regardless of party affiliation.

District 24 contests

Chapman of Port Angeles, who filed as a Democrat; Tammy Ramsay of Hoquiam, also a Democrat; and George Vrable of Port Ludlow are seeking the District 24 Position 1 state representative seat that Kevin Van De Wege now holds.

They also will be in a primary election contest.

Van De Wege, D-Sequim, is aiming for the District 24 state Senate seat now held by Sen. Jim Hargrove, a Hoquiam Democrat, who is retiring.

Also seeking Hargrove’s seat is Danille Turissini of Port Ludlow, who filed her preference as “Independent GOP Party.”

Friday, Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, picked up a challenger for his District 24 Position 2 seat. John D. Alger of Sequim, who “prefers GOP/Independent Party,” is opposing Tharinger’s bid for reelection.

6th Congressional District

Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, now has five challengers for his 6th Congressional seat.

They are Mike Coverdale of Westport, no party preference; Tyler Myles Vega of Port Townsend, Green Party; Todd A. Bloom of Tacoma, Republican; Stephan Andrew Brodhead of Tacoma, Republican; and Paul L. Nuchims of Manchester, Democrat.

The district includes the North Olympic Peninsula.

Other Clallam races

Incumbent Clallam County Superior Court Judges Erik Rohrer, Christopher Melly and Brian Coughenour also filed for their four-year positions.

Port Angeles lawyer Dave Neupert — who had applied for the judgeship when Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Coughenour in 2015 — filed to run against Coughenour.

Rohrer and Melly are unopposed.

Clallam Public Utility District Commissioner Will Purser of Sequim has filed for reelection to his six-year, Sequim-area District 1 seat.

Werner Buehler of Sequim also has filed for the PUD position.

Other Jefferson races

Filing for a six-year term on the Jefferson County Public Utility District commission earlier this week were incumbent Barney Burke and challenger Jeff Randall.

Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper is running for a second four-year term with no opposition.

District 2 Jefferson County Commissioner David Sullivan has no opposition in his bid for a fourth term.

The seat held by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Seattle, is up as well as nine statewide executive offices and three Supreme Court seats.

Statewide offices on the ballot will be governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, commissioner of public lands, superintendent of public instruction and insurance commissioner.

For a complete list of candidates who have filed for election, see the http://tinyurl.com/PDN-jeffcoelections or www.clallam.net.

More in News

A 65-foot-long historic tug rests in the Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven Marina’s 300-ton marine lift as workers use pressure washers to blast years of barnacles and other marine life off the hull. The tug was built for the U.S. Army at Peterson SB in Tacoma in 1944. Originally designated TP-133, it is currently named Island Champion after going through several owners since the army sold it in 1947. It is now owned by Debbie Wright of Everett, who uses it as a liveaboard. The all-wood tug is the last of its kind and could possibly be entered in the 2025 Wooden Boat Festival.(Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Wooden wonder

A 65-foot-long historic tug rests in the Port of Port Townsend Boat… Continue reading

Mark Nichols.
Petition filed in murder case

Clallam asks appeals court to reconsider

A 35-year-old man was taken by Life Flight Network to Harborview Medical Center following a Coast Guard rescue on Monday. (U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles via Facebook)
Injured man rescued from remote Hoh Valley

Location requires precision 180-foot hoist

Kevin Russell, right, with his wife Niamh Prossor, after Russell was inducted into the Building Industry Association of Washington’s Hall of Fame in November.
Building association’s priorities advocate for housing

Port Angeles contractor inducted into BIAW hall of fame

Crew members from the USS Pomfret, including Lt. Jimmy Carter, who would go on to become the 39th president of the United States, visit the Elks Lodge in Port Angeles in October 1949. (Beegee Capos)
Former President Carter once visited Port Angeles

Former mayor recalls memories of Jimmy Carter

Thursday’s paper to be delivered Friday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition on… Continue reading

Counties agree on timber revenue

Recommendation goes to state association

Port of Port Angeles, tribe agree to land swap

Stormwater ponds critical for infrastructure upgrades

Poet Laureate Conner Bouchard-Roberts is exploring the overlap between poetry and civic discourse. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
PT poet laureate seeks new civic language

City library has hosted events for Bouchard-Roberts

Five taken to hospitals after three-car collision

Five people were taken to three separate hospitals following a… Continue reading

John Gatchet of Gardiner, left, and Mike Tabak of Vancouver, B.C., use their high-powered scopes to try to spot an Arctic loon. The recent Audubon Christmas Bird Count reported the sighting of the bird locally so these bird enthusiasts went to the base of Ediz Hook in search of the loon on Sunday afternoon. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Bird watchers

John Gatchet of Gardiner, left, and Mike Tabak of Vancouver, B.C., use… Continue reading

Forks schools to ask for levy

Measure on Feb. 11 special election ballot