The brief filing period for the August primary is underway. 

There are 42 positions open in Jefferson County, including three spots on Port Townsend’s city council, two on the Port of Port Townsend Commission and the Jefferson County sheriff. 

The window for interested candidates to file opened on May 5 and closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9.

The primary election will be Aug. 5 and the general election will be Nov. 4. Ballots will be mailed out on July 16, according to the county. 

As of 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 7, three people had filed for Port Townsend City Council, two of them incumbents, Libby Wennstrom and Neil Nelson. Fred Obee filed his intention to run for a first term. 

Overall, 32 applicants have filed, with six positions having two candidates.

Stu Kerber will challenge incumbent Matt Ready for Position 3 on the East Jefferson County Hospital District Commission. 

Patty Rhonden will challenge incumbent Jill Buhler Rienstra for Position 5 on the same commission.

David Codier will challenge incumbent David Seabrook for the District 2 commissioner seat in East Jefferson Fire District 2. 

Clayborn Burleson will challenge incumbent Carol Hasse for the District 2 commissioner seat at the Port of Port Townsend. 

Donna Pall will challenge incumbent Roxanne Hudson for District 1 director position in Chimacum School District 49. 

Mike Taggart will challenge incumbent Bill Miano for Position 3 in Fire District 3. 

Twenty positions of the 42 have one candidate each, and the remaining have none. 

A complete list of all those who have applied can be found at https://voter.votewa.gov/CandidateList.aspx?e=893&c=16. 

A list of open positions and a guide for candidates on how to file can be found at https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1268/For-Candidate-Filing.