League, libraries to host forum for school board candidates

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 28, 2023

The three contested races on the Sequim School Board is the focus of a Primary Election candidate forum set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, on Zoom.

Hosted by the League of Women Voters of Clallam County and the North Olympic Library System, the forum sees candidates for a trio of non-partisan offices on the five-member school board.

Get the Zoom link at tinyurl.com/SEQssdforum.

Confirmed participants for Director, District Position No. 1 — a four-year-term — include incumbent Larry Jeffryes and Jim Shepherd. Candidate John Graham has been contacted but has not responded, forum organizers said last week.

Confirmed participants for Director-at-Large, Position No. 4, a two-year unexpired term, include challenger Derek Huntington and Maren Halvorsen, who was appointed to the board in February 2022 — a move that ended a months-long vacancy stemming from director candidate Kristi Schmeck’s resignation despite being elected to the seat weeks prior. Dean Christian, who has also field for the position, has been contacted but has not responded, forum organizers said last week.

Confirmed participants for Director-at-Large, Position No. 5 — also a two-year unexpired term — include challenger Hunter Gilliam and Michael Rocha, who was appointed to the school board in October 2022 following Jim Stoffer’s resignation. Sandra Kellso, who had filed to run for the position, advised forum organizers that she has withdrawn her candidacy.

The league and library system are also hosting a forum for Port Angeles Council Position No. 6, set for 5:30-7 p.m. on Zoom. The seat is a four-year, non-partisan office. Incumbent Navarra Carr and challenger Jim Bennett are slated to appear, while challenger Mark Karjalainen has been contacted but has not responded, forum organizers said. Get the Zoom link at tinyurl.com/SEQpacityforum.

About the forums

At each forum, participating candidates will be invited to provide their qualifications, state why they are running, and state their goals for the office, if elected, forum organizers said.

The forum moderator will then pose questions that have been provided by the public.

Community members and organizations are encouraged to submit questions to info@lwvcla.org or mail them to: League of Women Voters of Clallam County, PO Box 1092, Carlsborg, WA 98324.

Preference will be given to questions received within three days prior to the forum.

When submitting questions, advise in which city or county you are registered to vote, and at which forum to have the question asked.

A link to the recorded forums will be uploaded to lwvcla.clubexpress.com/forums.

Election info

The 2023 primary election is Aug. 1. Ballots are expected to be mailed to voters starting Wednesday, July 12.

Primary election results will be posted shortly after 8 p.m., and subsequent daily results will be posted at about 4:30 p.m. at clallamcountywa.gov/162/Elections-Voter-Registration.

The cut-off for registering to vote by mail or online is July 24, and the cut-off for registering in person is Aug. 1.

The top two candidates in each race in the primary advance to the General Election set for Nov. 7.

For more information about local elections, visit clallamcountywa.gov/162/Elections-Voter-Registration, Vote411.org and voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx.