By Kirk Boxleitner

The election year took on new electricity on the national level, when President Joe Biden announced on July 21 he was no longer running for re-election, energy that has infused races up and down the ballot, including on a local level.

This year’s election cycle features new candidates stepping in as incumbents step down.

The Port Townsend City Council’s agenda for Aug. 5 is set to include deliberation and a decision on a Position 2 appointment to replace the outgoing Aislinn Palmer, following applicant interviews scheduled for a special session of the council on July 23. The candidates for the open seat on city council are Frederick R. Obee, Heidi I. Haney, Theodore V. Howard, and Neil M. Nelson.

The Jefferson County primary, which includes local, state and national elections, is Aug. 6.

Under Washington state’s nonpartisan blanket primary rules, all primary candidates run for their respective offices against each other, regardless of their political parties, with the top two finishers for each office moving onto the general election ballot.

Offices on the ballot include the national offices of U.S. senator and U.S. representative for Congressional District 6, as well as the statewide offices of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, commissioner of public lands, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner and the position 2 judge on the State Supreme Court.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, who’s represented Washington’s 6th congressional district since 2013, announced a year ago that he would not be running for re-election.

Also on the ballot are offices for the local state legislative district and Jefferson County.

Washington’s 24th legislative district encompasses most of the Olympic Peninsula, including all of Clallam and Jefferson counties, and most of Grays Harbor County.

The district’s incumbent legislators are state senator Kevin Van De Wege, who is not running for re-election, and state representatives Mike Chapman for position 1 and Steve Tharinger for position 2, all Democrats.

Running for state senator are Mike Chapman and James Russell, as Democrats; and Marcia Kelbon, as a Republican.

Running for state representative position 1 are Matthew “Matt” Roberson and J.R. Streifel, as Republicans; and Adam Bernbaum, Eric Pickens and Nate Tyler, as Democrats.

Running for state representative position 2 are Steve Tharinger, as a Democrat; and Terry Roberts and Hickory Grant, as Republicans.

Two of the three Jefferson County Commissioner district positions are up for re-election.

Incumbent District 1 Commissioner Kate Dean is not running for re-election, but running to replace her are Heather Dudley-Nollette and Ben Thomas, as Democrats.

Incumbent District 2 Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour is running unopposed for re-election, as a Democrat.

July 29 is the last day for new voter registrations and updates online, by mail and registration drives.

Aug. 6 is the last day for new registrations and updates in person, and “Election Night” ends at 8 p.m.

If you are mailing in your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day. The return envelope

is postage paid, so no stamp is required.

If you are depositing your ballot in a drop box, the ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day, but close promptly at 8 p.m. on Election Day. For the drop boxes’ availability and locations, visit co.jefferson.wa.us/Elections.

Late postmarks cannot be accepted, so if it’s Election Day and you haven’t mailed in your ballot yet, put it in any open official ballot drop box.

Be sure to sign your voter’s declaration. If you don’t sign, you will be sent a cure form. If you don’t return it, your ballot can’t be counted.

Further information on the election and the candidates can be found online at co.jefferson.wa.us/Elections.