Editor's Note: The following candidates will appear on the Aug. 7 primary ballot, however, the seats will not be determined until November.

State Rep. Position 1 District 24

Full Name: Michael C. Chapman

Age: 54

Town in which you live: Port Angeles

Family: Married with 2 sons

Why is it important for you to run for office?

"I am running to continue working hard on behalf of the residents of the 24th Legislative District. As Chair of the House Democrats Rural Economic Development Caucus, I have a great opportunity to work on issues like rural small business and occupation tax cuts, affordable housing policy, investments in public infrastructure and broadband and workforce training programs at our local colleges.

"My accomplishments include voting to fully fund our schools, voting against the largest property-tax increase in our state's history while voting for a property tax cut in 2018. Secured transportation funding for a new Hwy 101 Elwha River Bridge and sponsored bipartisan legislation (HB 2177) creating a public-private partnership offering college scholarships for job skills training for rural residents. As Vice-Chair of the House Ag and Natural Resources Committee, I am in a strong position to support sustainable natural resource management on the Peninsula."

What makes you stand out as a candidate?

"Experience you can trust. I served for a decade in local and federal law enforcement and earned the Exceptional Service Award for capturing Ahmed Ressam, AKA The Millennial Bomber. I then served four consecutive terms as a Clallam County Commissioner (2001-2017) before being elected State Representative. I hold an AAS degree from Shoreline College, BA Northwest College and MA Duquesne University.

"I also have a long history of community volunteer work such as president and board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, president North Olympic Junior Babe Ruth, director North Olympic Baseball and Softball and Port Angeles Youth Baseball, founding director and two-term president of the William Shore Memorial Pool District.

"Additionally, I served as chair of the Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization, chair and director Clallam Transit System, director Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, chair and director Clallam County Board of Health."

What are the three biggest issues you would like to address if elected?

"The environment, economy and lower taxes are priorities for me in the next legislative session. One of the best strategies for reducing the effects of climate change is carbon sequestration. The Olympic Peninsula has the ability to sequester carbon in our working and old growth forests. Trees, young and old, store carbon in their leaves, branches and trunks and roughly 70 percent of the carbon sequestered in logs used for wood products remains sequestered forever, unless it burns or decays. Cross-laminated timber is a new and exciting building material that will store carbon, provide affordable building materials for housing and create jobs in rural Washington. Paired with the bipartisan rural manufacturing business and occupation tax cut that I sponsored last session and will work to see passed next year, we could attract cross laminated and other wood-based building product manufacturers to our rural communities and provide living wage jobs."

What is one thing you want the voters to know about you?

"Raised by my single mom, I learned the value of hard work at an early age. I worked my way through community college as a high-rise window cleaner in Seattle, I worked graveyard shift as a police officer to finish my BA degree, I worked nights and weekends for US Customs while I completed my master's degree. I bring this same work ethic and tireless dedication to representing the 24th Legislative District in Olympia."