With the deadline approaching for candidates to file for positions on the Aug. 19 and Nov. 4 elections, those who have announced their intentions to run are making it official. But many more positions await candidates.
Islanders will vote in the Aug. 19 primary and the Nov. 4 general election for a number of positions, from president to governor to County Council and precinct committee officers.
As of this morning, two candidates have filed for the 2nd District U.S. House of Representatives: Rick Bart, a Republican and former Snohomish County sheriff; and Rick Larsen, a Democrat serving his fourth term in Congress and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Small Business Committee.
Three candidates have filed for 40th District state Senate: Stephanie Kountouros of Bellingham, a Democrat and member of the Whatcom County Human Rights Task Force; Kevin Ranker, a Democrat and San Juan County Council member; and Steve Van Luven of Samish Island, a Republican who formerly represented Bellevue in the state House of Representatives.
Dave Quall of Mount Vernon, a Democrat, has filed for reelection for the 40th District state House of Representatives, Position 1.
Two candidates have filed for the 40th District state House of Representatives, Position 2: Jeff Morris of Anacortes, a Democrat and speaker pro tem of the House; and Howard Pellett of Anacortes, Green Party.
For County Council, San Juan South, three candidates have filed: Daniel Miller Jr., a landscaper and former candidate for state Legislature and County Commission; Gordy Petersen, who served on the county Board of Freeholders; and Gayle Rollins, a former member of the Board of Freeholders and the county Parks Board. County Planning Commissioner Lovel Pratt has announced her candidacy and is expected to file.
For County Council, Friday Harbor, Howie Rosenfeld has filed for reelection. Fay Chaffee of the county Department of Community Development and Planning has announced her intention to run.
For County Council, Orcas West, Councilman Alan Lichter has filed for reelection. Former freeholders Richard Fralick and Mindy Kayl have announced their candidacies but as of this morning hadn’t filed to be on the ballot.
Each County Council candidate pays a filing fee of $337, or 1 percent of the position’s annual salary, to be on the ballot.
Candidates for Superior Court judge: Randy Gaylord, prosecuting attorney; and John Linde, a former attorney and District Court judge who was appointed to the Superior Court last year when the position was created by the Legislature. They each paid a $1,410 filing fee to be on the ballot.
Registered Democrats and Republicans in San Juan County will vote for precinct committee officers to represent their political parties in each of the county’s 17 voting precincts. The filing fee is $1.
As of this morning, only three Democrats had filed — Joan Dayton in Precinct 10, Sarah Crosby in Precinct 11, and Raymond Hailey in Precinct 14.
Among Republicans, only two had filed Dave Vandaveer in Precinct 11 and Tom Starr, a former county commissioner, in Precinct 102 (Friday Harbor).
The election will be the first test of the top-two primary system, in which the top two vote-getters in the primary — regardless of political party affiliation — advance to the general election.
