–from San Juan County Auditor (updated Feb. 14 at 11:30 a.m.)–
| Ballot Name |
| San Juan County Public Hospital District #3 |
| Hospital Commissioner 1 Nonpartisan Office 6-year term |
| Richard Fralick |
| Hospital Commissioner 2 Nonpartisan Office 6-year term |
| Pegi Groundwater |
| Bob Phalan (Withdrawn) |
| Hospital Commissioner 3 Nonpartisan Office 6-year term |
| Arthur Lange |
| Leif |
| Hospital Commissioner 4 Nonpartisan Office 6-year term |
| Steve Hulley |
| John Dann |
| Richard (R.J.) Myers |
| Diane L Boteler |
| Bill Bangs |
| Hospital Commissioner 5 Nonpartisan Office 6-year term |
| Patricia Miller |
| Stuart Baker (Withdrawn) |
| Approved filings, excluding write-in candidates |
“The San Juan County Auditor is responsible for facilitating, monitoring, and assisting with fulfilling the statutory requirements involved with the formation, boundary changes, dissolutions, bond and levy propositions, and the elections of the district commissioners.”
Thanks to Margaret Manning
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
Thanks for this announcement…
Now, tell us what the different “districts” mean, and why the candidates are placed where they are? and whether we vote for one in each district, or 5 from the 15 overall???
The districts are selected by the candidates. There is no geographic residency requirement. We each get to vote for one person in each district. Not sure why but that seems to be what the statute requires.
The proposed Orcas hospital district includes all of Orcas Island. All commissioner positions are at large; that is, they do not represent different “districts” or areas within the district as a whole. Each candidate chose which position to run for. Voters will vote for one candidate for each commissioner position, and the highest vote getter within each position will win. Please contact me if you need any more information.
Milene Henley, San Juan County Auditor
Each of the Commissioner positions are listed as being 6 year terms. It was my understanding that commissioner terms were to b staggered. How are the terms of commissioners to be staggered if they are all running for 6 year terms?
Paul, the highest vote count recipient of all five winners will get the 6 year term while the lowest will have to run for reelection i.e the position becomes open, in novemver 2019. this is how they stagger them.
The way this election is set up doesn’t seem to make sense. Why not the top 5 candidates who get the most votes? Instead where you have several candidates for a position only one makes it and the others are out even though one of the other candidates would be outstanding. Where there is only one for a position that candidate is automatically elected.
I totally agree – since all are commissioners at large. Makes no sense to have one candidate running unopposed and five competing for a single position. I wish there were a way to change it.
I agree with Greg O. The current election almost guarantees that the lone candidate gets the most votes and the “winner” of the large group of candidates will get the least. It seems fairest to Just take the top candidates then sort them by number of votes for 2, 4 and 6 year terms to start the rotation.
WA law controls the process. You can read the governing law at https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=70.44
Specifically section …40 and …42
Visit MadronaVoices.com for more information about the proposed hospital district.
Bob Phalan and Stuart Baker have withdrawn since this article was posted and now we only have a race in districts 3 and 4.
Monitor https://weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/elections/Candidates/WhoFiled?countyCode=SJ to see if there are any other changes prior to the election.
Section 40 says commissioners shall be elected from 3, 5, or 7 districts or at large. I interpret that to mean that in at large elections the top five vote getters are elected with length of term decided by number of votes.
The important wording is “at large” which means not elected to a specific position which would be the case if elected to a specific geographic area.