Candidate Filing Week – June 6 through June 10

By Milene Henley, County Auditor

Candidate filing week for the fall primary and general elections will run June 6 through June 10, 2011.  During that week, candidates for open positions in districts throughout the county may submit their filing paperwork by fax, email or in person at the San Juan County Elections Office at 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor.  Office hours are 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Candidates can also file online. Candidates who file online will receive emailed confirmation of their filing.  They will also receive updates when other candidates file for that office.  If there is a filing fee for the position, the fee can be paid online with a credit card.  Candidates may file from home using their personal computers or on a computer set up in the Elections Office.  Online candidate filing begins June 6 at 9 am and closes June 10 at 4 pm.

If you can’t reach the Elections Office by fax, email, in person, or online that week, there is an alternative.  The Office can also accept mailed candidate filings received between May 20 and June 10.  Note that mailed filings received prior to May 20 or after June 10 (postmark date does not matter) will not be accepted.  Another alternative is to have your completed paperwork delivered to the office in your absence by another person.  If you opt for delivery by a third party, be sure your paperwork is signed before sending it in.

In addition to district board and commission positions, voters will also be selecting commissioners for the County’s first Charter Review Commission.  The County’s Home Rule Charter, which was adopted by voters in November 2005, converted the county to a charter type of government beginning in 2006.  The Charter calls for a review by an elected Charter Review Commission after five full years of operation under the new form of government, and at least every ten years thereafter. A total of 18 charter review commissioners will be elected:  2 from District 3 (Friday Harbor), 4 from District 4 (Orcas West), and 3 from each of the other districts.  Voters will get to vote only for the commissioners from their voting district.  Regardless of how many candidates run from each district, all will appear on the November 8 general election ballot, and the top vote-getters in each District will be elected.

Charter review candidates will have one filing requirement not required of other candidates.  Because the Charter requires that members of the Charter Review Commission must have lived in the county for the five years preceding their election, candidates must sign an affidavit of residency.  The affidavit will be available at the Elections office, by download from the Elections website, or online at the candidate filing website.  The form must be completed, signed and received at the Elections Office by fax, mail, email or in-person by 4:30 pm on June 10.

For positions other than charter review commissioner, if more than two candidates file, all candidates will appear on the August 16 primary election ballot, and only the top two vote-getters will progress to the general election.

The primary election this year will also contain a ballot measure for San Juan Island voters.  The San Juan Island Library District Board of Trustees is asking its voters to support an increase in property taxes to support normal operations and maintenance of the library.  The Board is seeking a levy lift to 39 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.  The rate for 2011 is 25.591 cents per thousand.

A complete list of open positions follows.  For the two positions with filing fees, note that the fees must be received by 4:30 pm on June 10; filings without fees are not valid.  For more information about filing or about open positions, contact the Elections Office at (360) 378-3357; by fax at (360) 378-8856; or by email at elections@sanjuanco.com.  The mailing address for the office is:  PO Box 638, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.  File online at:  www.sanjuanco.com/elections.

Town of Friday Harbor

• Treasurer – filing fee $77.67
• Town Council Position 1
• Town Council Position 2
• Town Council Position 5

School Districts

• San Juan Island School District #149 Director 3
• San Juan Island School District #149 Director 4
• San Juan Island School District #149 Director 5
• Orcas Island School District #137 Director 4
• Orcas Island School District #137 Director 5
• Lopez Island School District #144 Director 2
• Lopez Island School District #144 Director 3
• Lopez Island School District #144 Director 4
• Lopez Island School District #144 Director 5
• Shaw Island School District #10 Director 1
• Shaw Island School District #10 Director 3
• Shaw Island School District #10 Director 4
• Shaw Island School District #10 Director 5

Fire Protection Districts

• San Juan Fire Protection District 2 (Orcas) Position 3
• San Juan Fire Protection District 3 (San Juan) Position3
• San Juan Fire Protection District 4 (Lopez) Position 3
• San Juan Fire Protection District 5 (Shaw) Position 3

Port Districts

• Port of Friday Harbor District 2 – filing fee $24
• Port of Orcas Position 2
• Port of Orcas Position 3
• Port of Orcas Position 5
• Port of Lopez Position 1
• Port of Lopez Position 2

Park and Recreation Districts

• San Juan Island Park & Recreation District Position 1
• San Juan Island Park & Recreation District Position 2
• San Juan Island Park & Recreation District Position 4
• San Juan Island Park & Recreation District Position 5
• Orcas Island Park & Recreation District Position 1
• Orcas Island Park & Recreation District Position 3

Cemetery Districts

• San Juan County Cemetery District #1 (San Juan) Position 3
• San Juan County Cemetery District #2 (Stuart) Position 2
• San Juan County Cemetery District #3 (Orcas) Position 3

Public Hospital District

• San Juan County Public Hospital District #1 Position 1
• San Juan County Public Hospital District #1 Position 2
• San Juan County Public Hospital District #1 Position 4

Water and Sewer Districts

• Cape San Juan Water District Position 2
• Cape San Juan Water District Position 3
• Cattle Point Water District Position 1
• Eastsound Sewer & Water District Position 2
• Eastsound Sewer & Water District Position 5
• Fisherman Bay Sewer District Position 2

Charter Review Commission

• County Council District 1 (top 3 elected)
• County Council District 2 (top 3 elected)
• County Council District 3 (top 2 elected)
• County Council District 4 (top 4 elected)
• County Council District 5 (top 3 elected)
• County Council District 6 (top 3 elected)