Filing as a write-in candidate for August election

CLARIFICATION

Citizens planning or considering write in campaigns for La Conner Town or School District positions will file for the November election. There is no primary for these offices. Skagit County’s Election Office has write in candidate guidelines.

No La Conner primary

The 18 day primary voting period starts Friday. It ends August 6 across Washington for local offices where at least three candidates are running. There is no primary for the Town of La Conner’s mayoral or two council seats or the four of five La Conner School District directors.

Our neighbors from Anacortes to Sedro Woolley and east to Hamilton, have primary contests. A primary is held only if more than two people file for a given position.

Only School Districts 1 and 2 director seats are contested in November currently.

Citizens believing they can contribute by being La Conner’s mayor, a councilmember or a La Conner School District Board Director have till August 6, election day, to file as a candidate with the Skagit County Elections Office to run for an office. There are 27 days left to organize, manage, run and win a campaign.

In La Conner, two town councilmembers are up for election: Position 1, with Jacques Brunisholz, and Position 2, Mary Wohleb. Mayor Ramon Hayes also has no ballot opposition.

Four of the five school district director positions will be filled. Candidates for School Board Director District 1 are John T. Agen and Kate Szurek, incumbent. For School Board District 2, Marlys Bake runs against Janie Beasley, incumbent.

District 4 School Board Director Lynette Cram and District 5 School Board Director Susan Gardner Deyo have no ballot opposition.

Bruce Shellhamer is running unopposed for Position 1 of Fire District 13, as are Sewer District Position 1 incumbent Commissioner Loren Bogart and Gary Lowe, incumbent, in Position 3.

July 18 is the deadline to file write-in candidacy without paying a filing fee for the August primary The fee is $25 afterward. Candidates file in the county elections office in Mount Vernon. Only certified write-in votes, naming candidates who filed as write-ins, will be counted.

If less than three people file for the position there is no primary election and they run in the general election.

The 18-day voting period begins July 19. July 29 is the deadline for voter registration. Election day voter registration is possible, a new state law provision.

Because the Town of La Conner has less than 1,000 registered voters, council candidate do not have to file a personal financial affairs disclosure report with the Public Disclosure Commission unless they raise or spend at least $5,000, explained Kim Bradford, staff spokeswoman.

School director candidates have two weeks after publicly announcing or starting to raising money or spend money to file their personal financial affairs disclosure reports. They are exempt from filing the candidate registration, a different report, unless they plan to raise or spend more than $5,000, she wrote in an email.

In 2017, Hayes won with 269 votes. Less than 220 votes won a council position and 1,069 votes won a school district director seat.