Sequim City Council will seat two new council members, return two reelected councilors — and possibly name a new mayor this January.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs certified Washington’s Nov. 7 General Election on Dec. 6 with Clallam County seeing a 44.9% turnout, and the City of Sequim 55.9%. This continues a trend for City of Sequim voters surpassing the county’s overall turnout.

In 2021, Clallam County had an approximate 48.1% turnout, compared to 58.1% in the City of Sequim. In 2019, the county had a 52.2% turnout in 2019 and Sequim had 59.8%.

In 2019, all city councilors were unopposed — including William Armacost, appointed the previous year, who received 98.3% of the votes and current mayor Tom Ferrell garnered 98.2%.

Interest in council positions seemed to grow after surge of city-/community-related issues arose, including construction of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Healing Clinic, Covid-19 masking and vaccination requirements, and the firing of city manager Charlie Bush.

Bush’s firing in January 2021 led to the formation of the Sequim Good Governance League (SGGL), a group that called for more transparency after no public reason was provided for the firing.

SGGL organizers went on to support candidates in the election against three incumbents — each of whom were appointed seats due to council vacancies — who voted for Bush’s firing.

Kathy Downer, Lowell Rathbun and Vicki Lowe were elected along with incumbents Rachel Anderson, previously appointed that February, and Brandon Janisse. All five were endorsed by SGGL, with Janisse and Ferrell voting against Bush’s resignation, and the five winning each of Sequim’s six precincts by at least a 61-39% margin.

2023 election

In 2023’s General Election, four city council seats were up for a vote, with Downer opting to run against Armacost rather than for her own position No. 2.

Downer said in a previous interview that she ran in 2021 in part because she did not feel council meetings were following Robert’s Rules of Order and that councilors passed an ordinance that indicated to merchants they didn’t need to follow Covid-19 vaccination cards and abide by state health guidelines.

For 2023’s election, Downer ran against Armacost for his alleged stance on the conspiracy theory called QAnon.

Armacost served as mayor for two years and came under national media attention in August 2020 after he appeared to endorse QAnon on KSQM Radio’s “Coffee with the Mayor” program calling it a “truth movement.” He later told a CNN reporter in January 2021 that he didn’t endorse or say he was a QAnon supporter

In November’s election, Downer won 72.6% (2,382 votes) over Armacost 27.2% (892 votes) and held the majority of votes in each precinct, ranging from a 68.4% to 76% of yes votes.

Downer and newly elected city councilors Dan Butler, seat No. 2, and Harmony Rutter, seat No. 6, were backed by SGGL.

Butler and Rutter also won all their precincts, with Butler winning 62%-38% (2,025-1,243) over Jim Black, and Rutter winning 65.3%-34.5% (2,110-1,116) over Patrick Day, who ran against Janisse in 2021.

Ferrell ran unopposed again for seat No. 7, and received 99% of the vote.

All the newly elected councilors will serve four-year terms and will be sworn in at the first city council meeting of 2024 at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, at the Sequim Civic Center.

A new mayor and deputy mayor, currently held by Ferrell and Janisse, will be up for a vote by councilors.

Proclamations

Both Armacost, Sequim’s mayor from 2020-2021, and Rathbun were recognized at the Dec. 11 council meeting, with Ferrell reading proclamations for their public service.

Armacost said it was an honor to serve citizens.

“I was raised in an environment to always leave a situation better than you found it, and with the opportunity in selecting city manager (Matt) Huish, he’s been a huge contribution to that fact with both the balance of an amazing staff, the technology improvements, and the vision and energy (he) brings to that table,” Armacost said.

“I truly believe our best is yet to come for Sequim.”

Armacost later encouraged councilors and residents give back to the community, particularly at events such as Harvest of Hope, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula’s annual auction, and Festival of Trees.

In an interview prior to the election, Armacost mentioned the hiring of Huish as one of his accomplishments on council, along with: pausing planned utility rate increases for two years during the Covid-19 pandemic; implementing Rapid Relief business grants to provide $500,000 to help keep businesses afloat, and removing restrictions for low income seniors’ utility discounts.

Rathbun, who often advocated for more affordable housing, opted not to run for a second term to spend more time with family, he said in a previous interview.

He issued what he called a “warning and challenge” on Dec. 11, saying “the road ahead is going to be more difficult and challenging” with housing, healthcare, childcare, and climate crises.

Rathbun encouraged councilors to do a policy focused on resiliency, and said city staff are already doing resiliency projects through infrastructure and fiscal policies. He added that councilors have taken measures to encourage affordable housing construction, too.

Rathbun emphasized that “we’re all in this together” and that residents should “move on past stigma and take care of the least fortunate among us.”

“We all need safety, shelter, medical care and education,” he said. “This is what I call social resiliency.

“By working together we will meet these challenges.”

Ferrell said both Armacost and Rathbun added to the community.

“Despite agreements, disagreement, this is what government service is all about,” Ferrell said.

For more about Sequim City Council, visit sequimwa.gov.