Candidates running for office this year – an average of one or two per seat, and as many as five – can look forward to two new filing options in Jefferson County.

In addition to having the options of filing in person or by mail, candidates can now choose to file online. They’ll also be able to pay any applicable filing fees via credit card.

County Election Coordinator Betty Johnson explained that the county had already made plans earlier in the year to offer electronic filing May 15-19, the same dates as the county’s in-person filing window.

However, it wasn’t until recently that the county realized it would be able to allow candidates to pay whatever filing fees they may have via credit card, since the state is sponsoring the website conducting the electronic filing.

“With so many changes coming, we’re more inclined to try one at a time, but this streamlines the process and removes roadblocks for our prospective candidates,” Johnson said.

This year, the only offices that require a filing fee — which amounts to 1 percent of the office’s annual salary — are that of Port of Port Townsend commissioner ($30.48) and Port Townsend City Council member ($60).

Johnson noted that the filing fee of 1 percent only applies to offices with annual salaries of $1,000 or greater, whereas the fee is only $10 for salaries of less than $1,000, and no charge for offices with no salary. She added that all such filing fees can be “paid” in equivalent voter signatures.

“Let’s say your filing fee was $600,” Johnson said. “You could pay that by obtaining signatures from 600 voters in your district. This is also intended to remove a potential roadblock for candidates, so they can still run if they can’t afford the fee. You don’t have to demonstrate any level of need, but it’s a bit more difficult for us to process, so it’s not just for people who want to avoid spending their money.”

Johnson explained that the purpose of filing fees is to help prevent “non-serious candidates” from appearing on the ballot. For the county, these fees are received in election revenue, which is part of the general fund. For City Council candidates, the funds are transferred to the City of Port Townsend.

Johnson elaborated that electronic filing should ensure that candidates are only able to file for offices in their districts. Not only does the website restrict the filing candidate to their address of record, but county officials plan to double-check school board candidates against maps provided by the school districts, to ensure those candidates are running for the right seats within those districts.

“We also provide school district maps on our site, so candidates can check for themselves, and they’re welcome to call us if they have any confusion,” Johnson said. “Even with those measures, this should ultimately be a labor-saving device for county staff, since the candidates will be filling out those electronic forms themselves.”

Candidates should note that the time window for electronic filing is a bit less lenient than showing up at the Jefferson County Courthouse in person. While the Auditor’s Office is open 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., May 15-19, the website won’t go live until 9 a.m., May 15, and is to go offline at 4 p.m., May 19.

By mail, the county can accept declarations of candidacy as early as May 1; the deadline for declarations to be at the Auditor’s Office is May 19.

“If you send your declaration by mail April 30, we will send it back to you,” Johnson said. “And for that final deadline, it can’t just be postmarked by May 19. It has to be in our hands by then.”

For details, call 360-385-9117 or email bettyj@co.jefferson.wa.us.