Candidate Forums

The Public is Invited to Submit Questions

for the October 16-23, 2025 Forums

We encourage members of the public to submit questions for our upcoming October Candidate Forums.  Deadline is October 13, 2025, 12:00 noon.

Please submit your questions to lwvjeffcowa@gmail.com. Concise, unbiased questions directly related to the candidates’ positions and policies will be given priority, and similar questions will be combined. We strive to ensure that questions reflect a wide range of concerns from our county’s multiple constituencies.

          

                                               

                                                     

                                               

Each one-hour forum will begin at 6:00 PM

Media partner KPTZ 91.9 FM 

will simulcast the forums and live-stream them at https://kptz.org.

          

SCROLL to the BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

for additional 

CANDIDATE FORUM ZOOM Options

          

For additional information on the upcoming forums, please contact the League of Women Voters-Jefferson County at:

lwvjeffcowa@gmail.com

Previous Candidate Forums

Port Townsend City Council Position 1 Primary

Fred Obee & Dylan Quarles*

If you missed the Candidate Forum on July 16, 2025 click the link below to watch it on our YouTube page.

Click Here to Watch the Video

* Candidate Mikki Porter was unable to participate and was represented by a member of his election committee who gave opening and closing statements on his behalf but did not answer questions.

For questions about candidate forums, please contact the League of Women Voters-Jefferson County at lwvjeffcowa@gmail.com.

Do YOU want to get more involved in Jefferson County decisions?

Here's a list of public meetings to attend, either in person or virtually.

Make your voice heard!

Click here to see the spreadsheet.

Curious about running for office?

The following transcripts give you an idea of what the jobs involve. 

          Port Commissioner Information Session Transcript.pdf

          School Board Information Session Transcript.pdf

          City Council Information Session Transcript.pdf

Youth Engagement

High School Student Essay Contest  

2025 Contest Winners

Congratulations to our Top Three!

            1st place - Claire Porter  - Port Townsend High School

            2nd place - Livia Lee - Port Townsend High School

            3rd place - Calliope Mosher - Chimacum High School

Click Here to Read the Winning Essays

Want to encourage civic engagement and support the young people of this community? Join the LWVJC and be a part of the Essay Team. (The Contest is Open to Any High School Aged Person In Jefferson County.)

Or, or donate to the prize fund.  Mark your checks with "Essay Contest" and mail them to LWV/Jefferson County, P.O. Box 707, Port Townsend WA 98368.

2024 Contest Winners

Congratulations to everyone who thought deeply about the political issues they care about and wrote about them in this year's essay contest. 

Winners are:

1st Place: Sitka Vicha, Chimacum High School

2nd Place: Calliope Mosher, Chimacum High School

3rd Place: Kepler Edmundson, Port Townsend High School

Thank you again, students, for the time and attention you paid to the pressing issues facing us, and thank you for sharing your views.

Read the Winning Essays Here!

Curious about the League of Women Voters?

The Jefferson County Unit-At-Large focuses on Voter Education. Membership is open to anyone over the age of 16 who is willing to abide by our policies, as set forth by the League of Women Voters of the United States.

1. Political Policy

The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. You can still be active with any political party you choose, but while you are conducting League business, you leave your personal politics at the door. 

2. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy 

LWV is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policy makers in creating a more perfect democracy. 

There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture, religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socioeconomic status, language, accent, ability status, mental health, educational level or background, geography, nationality, work style, work experience, job role function, thinking style, personality type, physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic.

3. Organizational Structure

As a Unit-at-Large, we function under the greater auspices of the LWVWA. We are governed by a chair, a treasurer, and a secretary, and all other work is conducted via ad-hoc teams and by group consensus. All documents coming from the LWVJC UAL are coordinated with the entire membership for full transparency. Our leadership is chosen at our annual meeting each spring. We defer to the rulings of LWVWA and LWVUS on all other matters of policy

The League of Women Voters is Nonpartisan

What Does that Mean?

Since 1920, the League of Women Voters has been a grassroots organization whose leaders believe that people should play a critical, active role in democracy.

The League focuses on issues, not politicians or political parties. The League conducts detailed, year-long studies on issues before adopting a stance.

We are happy to talk with you regarding Impact on Issues 2024-2026, our guiding policy document. If you like fact-based decision-making, you might want to join the League.

What Could You Do In the League?

• Help with the annual essay contest for high school students.

• Learn to organize and run candidate forums for local elections.

• Serve as an Election Observer

• Register people to vote

• Participate in Advocacy / Lobbying

Contact

lwvjeffcowa@gmail.com

OUR PARTNERS

We greatly appreciate your support of our partners:

AAUW-PT

The American Association of University Women Port Townsend

KPTZ 91.9 FM

Port Townsend's Community Radio

Already a member and need to pay dues or update your contact information? 

Click Here to Access Your Account

Do you Want to join LWV Jefferson County? 

We are open to all persons residing in Jefferson County.

Click here to create an account -or- email us a lwvjeffcowa@gmail.com to get started, particularly if you are interested in a team-builder membership.

When you sign up to be a new member or when existing members sign in to pay their dues, remember that there is a place both to pay dues (which can be as little as $20) and to donate extra money to your local league.  

Dues include membership in LWVUS and LWVWA and help pay for all the League's litigation efforts in support of voting rights.

If you have more ideas than money, we have team-builder memberships for you. Email us to ask how.

Email us at lwvjeffcowa@gmail.com with any questions.

Our mailing address:

LWV/Jefferson County
P.O. Box 707
Port Townsend, WA 98368

VOTE by mail

Refresh Yourself on

Voting Procedures

Click here for a video explaining the parts of the ballot and how to make sure it all gets in the envelope correctly and signed.

Are you a caregiver?

Click here to review rules for helping the person you care for vote.

Jefferson County Ballot Box Locations

Quinault Nation (Queets)

In front of the Queets Tribal Office

Quilcene Community Center

294952 Highway 101, Quilcene

Nordland Fire Station

6633 Flagler Road, Nordland,

Marrowstone Island

Port Hadlock

Jefferson County Library

620 Cedar Ave, Port Hadlock

Port Townsend

Jefferson County Courthouse

1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend

3 on site:

• in the back parking lot, 
• in front of the building
• outside the County Auditor’s Office

Hoh Nation

2261 Lower How Road, Forks

(In front of the Tribal Police Center)

Port Ludlow

Gateway Visitor Center

93 Beaver Valley Road, Port Ludlow

Brinnon

Community Center

306144 Highway 101, Brinnon

Detailed ZOOM INFORMATION for CANDIDATE FORUMS

East Jefferson Hospital Commissioner Position 3

Stuart Kerber & Matt Ready

Oct 16, 2025  - 6:00 PM 
 
Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83472261016?pwd=XTcjzGAVzheILcpODV70upSfxp5h95.1

Passcode: 504577

Phone one-tap:
+12532050468,,83472261016#,,,,*504577# US
+12532158782,,83472261016#,,,,*504577# US (Tacoma)

Join via audio:
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 360 209 5623 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 689 278 1000 US

Webinar ID: 834 7226 1016

Passcode: 504577

International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/knZDdgdz

Port of Port Townsend Port Commissioner District 2

Clayborn Burleson & Carol Hasse

Tuesday, Oct 21, 2025 - 6:00 PM

Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86123827155?pwd=MTRA2nr1E2E4mlDDgsaIreHlypPBZq.1

Passcode: 985251

Phone one-tap:
+12532158782,,86123827155#,,,,*985251# US (Tacoma)
+12532050468,,86123827155#,,,,*985251# US

Join via audio:
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 360 209 5623 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US

Webinar ID: 861 2382 7155

Passcode: 985251

International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbslSKbjEG

Quilcene School Board District 2

Jon Cooke & Naomi Stern

Oct 22, 2025 - 6:00 PM

Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84526717061?pwd=9ftPqVsDHh8PSPbGvGL2r5yniTePoe.1

Passcode: 978574

Phone one-tap:
+12532158782,,84526717061#,,,,*978574# US (Tacoma)
+12532050468,,84526717061#,,,,*978574# US

Join via audio:
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 360 209 5623 US
Webinar ID: 845 2671 7061
Passcode: 978574
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kugA9hCgu

Port Townsend School Board Position 4

Amanda Grace & Timothy Hawley

Oct 23, 2025 - 6:00 PM 

Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83204074289?pwd=7uGo1FncFw4tonZe3K199SsrRUOzYC.1

Passcode: 730572

Phone one-tap:
+12532158782,,83204074289#,,,,*730572# US (Tacoma)
+12532050468,,83204074289#,,,,*730572# US

Join via audio:
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 360 209 5623 US
Webinar ID: 832 0407 4289
Passcode: 730572
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kgEJbAOMs