Two nonpartisan Clallam officials, two judges re-elected -- because no opponents file

2006-07-30
by BRIAN GAWLEY
Peninsula Daily News

Clallam County Assessor Pam Rushton and County Treasurer Judith Scott won another term in office Friday because no one filed to run against them for the nonpartisan offices.

Also winning new terms on the bench were Judges Rick Porter of Port Angeles in District Court 1 and Erik Rohrer of Forks in District Court 2.

But in their partisan positions, County Prosecutor Deb Kelly, R-Port Angeles, County Commissioner Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles, and state Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, must wait another week to know whether they will face opposition in the fall elections.

Friday was the deadline for filing to run for elected offices in Clallam and Jefferson counties, plus state and federal offices statewide.

Filing in unchallenged partisan races is automatically extended through Friday to give candidates of opposing parties more time.

County races

Incumbents in some nonpartisan county offices will face opposition in the Nov. 7 general election.

For county auditor, incumbent Cathy McKeown is being challenged by a member of her staff, County Elections Supervisor Patty Rosand.

Rob Robertsen, the county's director of community development, is being opposed by John H. Miller of Port Angeles.

And incumbent Sheriff Joe Martin of Sequim will face a sergeant in his department, Bill Benedict of Sequim.

In the Clallam County Public Utility District, Cindy Kelly, currently a Port Angeles School Board member, is challenging incumbent Ted Simpson for his District 3 seat.

Numerous candidates also filed for the three Charter Review Commission races.

Fifteen people -- five from each county commissioner's district -- will be chosen to review the home rule charter, recommend changes and put them to a vote in November 2008.

Candidates in Commissioner District 1 are Jim Pickett of Sequim, Nola Judd of Sequim, Sue Erzen of Sequim, Ken Wiersema of Sequim, Stephen T. Rosales of Sequim, Michael E. Lemon of Sequim, Lois Perry of Sequim, Sue Forde of Sequim, Shauna Rash of Carlsborg and David Cummins of Sequim.

In commissioner District 2, the candidates are Norma E. Turner of Port Angeles, Fred Norton of Port Angeles, John H. Miller of Port Angeles, Michele ``Mickie'' Vail of Port Angeles, Teri Schwiethale of Port Angeles, Terry L. Roth of Port Angeles, Patti Morris of Port Angeles, Kaj Ahlburg of Port Angeles, Richard L. French of Port Angeles and S. Taylor Jennings of Port Angeles.

The commissioner District 3 candidates are Patti Adler of Clallam Bay, Tom Shindler of Port Angeles, Kris Grier of Port Angeles, Rod Fleck of Forks, Evelyn Tobin of Port Angeles and Randy Simmons of Port Angeles.

State, federal levels

On the state level, Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, is again being opposed by Sequim firefighter/paramedic Kevin Van De Wege, a Democrat, for his 24th District seat.

The 24th District covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County.

The two also faced off in 2004, with Buck receiving 51.65 percent of the vote to Van De Wege's 41.35 percent. Buck is seeking his seventh term.

Kessler is running unopposed so far for an eighth term as state representative.

In addition to being a 24th District representative, she also has been House majority leader -- the chamber's second-ranking Democrat -- since 2003.

She was co-majority leader in 2001-02 when the House of Representatives was evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

In Congress, Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, is seeking his 16th term.

He will be challenged again by Gig Harbor attorney Doug Cloud, a Republican, who was a surprise last-minute candidate in 2004.