Top Candidates Move to General Election

Primary Election Results Highlight Key Races in Clallam and Jefferson Counties

The recent primary elections in Clallam and Jefferson counties have determined the candidates who will advance to the November general election. These races cover various positions, including medical center commissioners, city council seats, and school board roles. Here’s a breakdown of the key results from Tuesday night.

Olympic Medical Center Commissioner Race

In Clallam County, Penney Sanders and Laurie Force secured their spots in the November general election for Olympic Medical Center commissioner, position 7. Sanders received the most votes with 5,023 (55.3 percent), followed by Force with 2,917 (32.1 percent). A third candidate, Mic Sager, garnered 1,050 votes (11.6 percent).

Force expressed gratitude for her performance, noting that she ran due to concerns about the hospital's future. She acknowledged the short duration of her campaign and plans to continue engaging with the public.

Port Angeles City Council Race

For Port Angeles City Council, Position 1, incumbent LaTrisha Suggs and challenger James Taylor will face each other in November. Suggs received 961 votes (50.3 percent), while Taylor had 607 votes (37.8 percent). Gilbert Hall, the third candidate, received 335 votes (17.5 percent).

Taylor was pleased with his performance despite the low voter turnout of 18.6 percent. He noted that he received more support than expected but was disappointed with the overall participation.

Mayor and Council Position 4

Incumbent Kate Dexter, the council-elected mayor, and Marolee “Mimi” Smith Dvorak will compete for Position 4 on the city council. Dexter received 1,135 votes (59.5 percent), while Dvorak had 528 votes (27.7 percent). Ralph Davisson, the third candidate, received 232 votes (12.2 percent).

Smith Dvorak commented on the high percentage of registered voters who did not cast ballots. She plans to focus on budget issues and the city's spending practices, emphasizing the need for responsible financial management.

Port Angeles School District Race

In the Port Angeles School District, Sarah Methner and Ned Hammar advanced to the November general election. Methner received 1,440 votes (44.7 percent), and Hammar had 1,043 votes (32.3 percent). Kim Butler and Ruth Replogle received 395 (12.3 percent) and 329 (10.2 percent) votes, respectively.

Methner expressed satisfaction with the results and plans to continue her work on building new schools and implementing a cellphone policy for middle and high schools. Hammar, however, dropped out of the race before the primary, citing family commitments as his reason.

Jefferson County Elections

In Jefferson County, Fred Obee and Dylan Quarles advanced to the November general election for Port Townsend City Council, Position 1. Obee received 2,049 votes (72.5 percent), and Quarles had 650 votes (23 percent). Mikki Porter, the third candidate, received 127 votes (4.5 percent).

Obee is optimistic about the upcoming election, highlighting housing, the city budget, and aging infrastructure as key issues. Quarles also expressed confidence in his position and plans to continue campaigning on the issues that motivated him to run.

Jefferson County saw a voter turnout of 31.7 percent, with 2,978 votes cast out of 9,410 registered voters. Quarles noted that midterms typically have lower turnout, which aligns with the current results.

The election results will be certified on August 19.