Election results in Clallam County, Wa.

By

Samuel Wonacott

The cities of Port Angeles, Sequim, and Forks, in Clallam County, Wa., held general elections for 26 municipal offices on Nov. 2. The primaries were held Aug. 3. The top two vote-getters in each race advanced to the general election. Races in which fewer than three candidates filed to run appeared only on the general election ballot.

Results of the races are pending. The Clallam County Auditor’s office releases updated vote totals on a daily basis until all ballots are counted. As of Nov. 5, the Auditor’s office estimated it had 50 ballots left to count and that it had counted a total of 27,045 ballots. Voter turnout was 47.31%.

Clallam County is located in the northwestern corner of Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. It has the nation’s longest unbroken record of voting for the winning presidential candidate, going back to 1980. Since 1920, voters in the county backed the winning presidential candidate in every election except 1968 and 1976. 

Port Angeles

Port Angeles, the county seat, had eight offices up for election in 2021, including four city council seats and two seats on the school board. Six of those races were contested and two were uncontested. 

Incumbents were on the ballot in seven of the eight races, including in all four city council races. As of Nov. 5, all incumbents look to have won re-election. In two city council races, the margins separating the candidates are below 5% but the incumbents are leading in votes. 

Here are the results:

  • City Council Position No. 1: Incumbent LaTrisha Suggs faced challenger Adam Garcia. As of Nov. 5, Suggs leads Garcia by 2.54% (159 votes).
  • City Council Position No. 2: Incumbent Mike French defeated challenger John Madden, winning 58.92% of the vote to Madden’s 40.82%.
  • City Council Position No. 3: Incumbent Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin ran for re-election against challenger Jena Stamper. As of Nov. 5, Schromen-Wawrin leads Stamper by 1.87% (117 votes).
  • City Council Position No. 4: Incumbent Kate Dexter defeated challenger John W. Procter, winning 53.43% of the vote to Procter’s 46.28%.
  • School District Director Position No. 1: Incumbent Sarah Methner defeated challenger Lola Moses, winning 54.23% of the vote to Moses’ 44.97%.
  • School District Director Position No. 2: Mary Herbert defeated Gabi Johnson. Herbert won 56.98% of the vote to Johnson’s 42.64%.

Two seats up for election in Port Angeles in 2021 were uncontested: Port of Port Angeles Commissioner District No. 1 and Port of Port Angeles Commissioner District No. 2. Only the incumbents—Colleen McAleer and Steven Burke—filed to run. They were re-elected.

Sequim

Sequim had eleven offices up for election, including five of seven city council seats. Seven of those races were contested.

Incumbents appeared on the ballot in eight races, including in all five city council races. Five incumbents won re-election. Incumbents lost in three of the five city council races. 

  • City Council Position No. 2: Challenger Kathy Downer defeated incumbent Sarah Kincaid, winning 69.61% of the vote to Kincaid’s 30.23%
  • City Council Position No. 3: Challenger Vicki L. Lowe defeated incumbent Mike Pence. She won 68.17% of the vote to Pence’s 31.71%.
  • City Council Position No. 4: Incumbent Rachel Anderson defeated challenger Daryl Ness, winning 67.63% of the vote to Ness’ 32.25%.
  • City Council Position No. 5: incumbent Brandon Janisse defeated challenger Patrick Day, winning 65.86% of the vote to Day’s 33.86%.
  • City Council Position No. 6: Lowell Rathbun defeated incumbent Keith A. Larkin. Rathbun won 65.28% of the vote to Larkin’s 34.57%.
  • School District Director at Large, Position No. 4: Kristi Schmeck defeated Virginia R. Sheppard. This race is a multi-county race that includes both Clallam County and Jefferson County. Schmeck won 55.93% of the overall vote, while Sheppard won 42.72%.
  • Fire District #3, Commissioner Position No. 1: Jeff Nicholas defeated Duane Chamlee. This race is a multi-county race that includes both Clallam County and Jefferson County. Nicholas won 64.78% of the overall vote, compared to Chamlee’s 34.82%.

Four races in Sequim were uncontested. The Sequim School District Director District No. 2 was the only one that didn’t feature an incumbent. Patrice Johnston was elected to that seat. In the other uncontested races—Park and Recreation Commissioner Position No. 1, Park and Recreation Commissioner Position No. 2, and Sunland Water District Commissioner Position No. 3—the incumbents won re-election. Those incumbents are Ray L. Henninger, Frank Pickering, and Alan Frank, respectively.

Forks

Seven offices were up for election in Forks. Three of those races were contested.

Incumbents appeared on the ballot in six races, two of which were contested. All incumbents won re-election in Forks. 

  • Forks City Council Position No. 2: Clinton W. Wood defeated Josef Echeita, winning 65.98% of the vote. Echeita won 33.86%.
  • Forks City Council Position No. 3: Incumbent Joe Soha defeated challenger Sarah Holmes. Soha won 66.99% of the vote to Holmes’ 32.03%.
  • Forks Mayor: Incumbent Tim Fletcher defeated challenger Steve Wright, winning 84.6% of the vote to Wright’s 12.7%.

Four races in Forks were uncontested—Quillayute Valley School District Director District No. 2, Quillayute Valley School District Director District No. 4, Quillayute Park and Recreation Board Commissioner Position No. 1, and Fire District #6 Position No. 3. The incumbents—Kevin Hinchen, Ron Hurn, Donald Grafstrom, and Tom Rosmond, respectively—won re-election.

To read more about elections in Clallam County, including analyses of the county’s presidential and statewide voting record, click here.