UPDATE: Third Candidate for County Council District 1 Filed: Adrian Kilpatrick

Adrian Kilpatrick filed as a candidate for San Juan County Council late last week. He is a resident of Residency District 1. CNL2 has reached out to the newest candidate to offer an interview.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE: San Juan County Council Candidate Filing Ends Friday at 5:00 p.m.
May 6, 2024

TO VIEW CNL2 VIDEO INTERVIEWS OF THE CANDIDATES, CLICK HERE.

San Juan County Council members serve from three distinct “residency districts.”  

• District 1 includes San Juan Island and islands to the northwest.
• District 2 includes Orcas Island, Blakely Island, Waldron Island, and islands to the north.
• District 3 includes Lopez Island, Shaw Island, and Decatur Island.

The County Council member term of office is four years.

In 2024, regular elections will be held for residency districts 1 and 2.  District 3 County Council member Jane Fuller is in the middle of a four-year term.

Filing to run for residency districts 1 and 2 opened today (Monday, May 6) and closes at 5:00 p.m. sharp Friday (May 10).  The filing fee is one percent of the County Council member salary, which is currently set by the County Citizens Salary Commission at approximately $124,000 per year.

Whenever three or more candidates living in the same residency district have filed, a primary is held in that district.  The primary election in 2024 will be held on Tuesday, August 6.  And the two candidates with the highest vote totals proceed to the November general election.

For residency districts in which only two candidates filed, no primary for that district is held, and the two candidates face off on the general election ballot (Tuesday, November 5).

San Juan County’s home rule charter (Section 5.33) sets forth how County Council elections are held:

“County Council members shall be elected by the qualified voters of the County in a countywide general election. The person receiving the highest number of votes for the position shall be declared duly elected.”*

That means all San Juan County voters may vote in each County Council district race on the ballot, even the districts in which they do not live.  For example, a San Juan Island voter may vote for their preferred candidate in the District 1 race, but also in the District 2 race.  Voters in District 3 may vote in both District 1 and 2 races, even though there is no District 3 race this year.

To view all the candidates who will be on ballots in San Juan County primary ballot, click here (updated regularly throughout this week).

Questions?  Write to San Juan County Elections Manager Camolyn Armstrong at camolyn@sanjuancountywa.gov

*Source: San Juan County home rule charter

TO VIEW CNL2 VIDEO INTERVIEWS OF THE CANDIDATES, CLICK HERE.

Officially filed candidates and their campaign websites (if any):

Jonathan Jonnie Welch (Residency District 2)

Stephanie O’Day (Residency District 1): https://www.sjoforcountycouncil.com/

Rick Hughes (Residency District 2): https://hughesforsjc.com/

Justin Paulsen (Residency District 2): https://paulsen4council.com/

Kari McVeigh (Residency District 1): https://www.kari4council.com/

Adrian Kilpatrick (Residency District 1)