As Marty Gilmore of Cape George entered his second term as chair of the Jefferson County Democrats, he called for unity and forward-thinking approaches to problems.

“Let’s stop fighting old battles and listen to each other,” Gilmore said. “If we keep repeating what we’re doing, nothing will change. We need to come up with creative solutions.”

The Jefferson County Democrats re-elected Gilmore as their chair, and elected Alise Moss Vetica of Kala Point as vice chair during their reorganization meeting Dec. 2 at Chimacum High School.

Gilmore, Moss Vetica and other newly elected executive board members are slated to lead the party for the next two years as it prepares for the 2020 election.

Gilmore got involved with the Jefferson County Democrats in 2016, during which he served as chair of its political action committee. He became vice chair in 2016 and acting chair in January 2017, when the previous chair resigned.

One of Gilmore’s goals is to continue his focus on issues that affect Jefferson County, such as the availability of affordable housing.

“It’s really easy to be seduced by national issues,” Gilmore said. “We certainly care deeply about the national issues, but what we can best solve are the local issues.”

Gilmore added the executive board has yet to meet to formalize the organization’s official priorities, which he emphasized would represent the party’s collective interests.

With the county offices up for election in 2020, including two seats on the Board of County Commissioners, Gilmore is heartened by the party’s successes in electing candidates this year.

“Our core purpose is to elect Democrats, and the slate of county, state and national candidates endorsed by the Jefferson County Democrats did very well this year,” Gilmore said.

Gilmore said it’s vital for the party’s success to “combine the wisdom and experience of longtime members with the passion and ideas of newer members.”

Gilmore will appoint several chairs of standing committees, and they also will serve on the executive board.

Thirty-eight precinct committee officers selected during the August primary election began their terms Dec. 1.

Moss Vetica declared herself “a firm believer” in the idea that “all politics are local,” citing her own civic engagement since moving to Kala Point in 2014.

“I have decades of management experience, and I have worked as a community builder and organizer for both of Barack Obama’s (presidential) campaigns, but my greatest achievement is relationship building,” Moss Vetica said. “I have trained and mentored hundreds of people, many of whom are still very actively involved and civically engaged.”

Moss Vetica said “success requires teamwork,” as she sought to diagnose the state of the party since 2016.

“What the Jefferson County Democrats have been missing for the past two years is structure, teamwork, training, efficiency and encouragement,” Moss Vetica said.

In her message to the new precinct committee officers, Moss Vetica asked them to “commit ourselves to a common purpose, roll up our sleeves, do the necessary hard work, and work together, because the quality of our community depends on the positive work that we do.”

The Jefferson County Democrats’ other new officers and board members include:

• State committee representatives Claire Roney of North Jacob and David Griffiths of Port Hadlock.

• Recording secretary Patricia Jones of Quilcene.

• Treasurer Martin Ivers of Nordland.

• District 1 representatives Libby Urner Wennstrom and Gary B. Larson, both of Port Townsend.

• District 2 representatives Linda Abbott-Roe and Ron Hayes, both of Four Corners.

• District 3 representatives Chris Llewellyn of Quilcene and Tom Meyers of Crocker.