Born to Run? Then You’ll Need to File for Candidacy Between May 4-8

If you are planning on running for office, May 4-8, known as filing week, is probably already on your calendar in big block letters. This is the time period in which you can officially file to run for office ahead of the August 4 primary elections.

This election cycle, you’ll find a lot of people on your ballot running for an office that requires some kind of qualification, such as a sheriff, judge or prosecutor. But there are a few offices that simply require you to be a good listener and deeply invested in your community. 

This year, the largest of those roles is County Commissioner District Three, a role that is currently held by Greg Brotherton. He is not seeking re-election this year, and so the Beacon spoke with him about the nature of the role, and why people should run for office. 

“I didn't have any special knowledge, I just thought that there were things that I wanted my government to do differently,” Brotherton said, though he had already served on the Quilcene School Board and found being part of the process which provided free school meals for kids rewarding.

He said that he ran because he wanted to overhaul the county code, but once he was in the office, he learned a lot more about what is and isn’t possible. “Once you're behind the veil, you understand a lot of the interfaces coming from all sides. You know, people talk about drinking from the fire hose; but a fire hose only comes from one direction,” Brotherton said.

“It's just more like a big storm or a monsoon or something, because there's input coming from everywhere, and being able to navigate that and filter the good stuff into productive policy takes a little bit of practice,” he said, adding "but it's well worth it, and really very satisfying.”

If you aren’t ready to make the leap into the full-time county commissioner position, there are smaller ways to be involved. Brotherton recommended that people look at county and city boards and commissions, and see if there are openings that speak to your experiences.  

Be your party’s boots on the ground: run for Precinct Committee Officer (PCO)

“PCOs are the elected grassroots reps for their specific precinct,” Lisa Farr, the current Republican representative for the North Jacob Miller region, said in an email. “We listen directly to neighbors about the issues actually affecting their daily lives without injecting our own spin or preconceptions.”

Farr then brings that feedback to the Jefferson County Republicans, so they can ensure their priorities align with people’s needs and experiences. 

“It’s the most basic level of party democracy and one of the few places where ordinary citizens can directly influence a party’s direction from the bottom up,” Farr said. “That’s why I ran, and why I’d encourage anyone who cares about their community to consider it, regardless of party.”

In her experience as PCO, her neighbors frequently raised concerns about rising property taxes, “especially for seniors on fixed incomes,” Farr said. She also heard concerns about a potential state income tax, the visible problems with vagrancy and drug use, concerns over local regulations that block simple housing solutions like adding a tiny home and declining test scores in our schools.

“At its core, the job is about listening, not indoctrinating,” Farr said.

“It's about connecting people with those who can solve their problems”

Emily Gohn-Barnhill, the  Democratic PCO for Port Townsend District 10, has found the role to be an extension of who she is as a good neighbor. “What I like about it is that it's just being the boots on the ground with my neighbors,” Gohn-Barnill said in an interview. “I have no desire to be leadership in the upper offices of the party, but I have a really strong passion around making sure that everybody feels like they have representation, and that there's somebody to talk to if they feel like they need a voice.”

One of the ways that it’s an important role for her in particular is that she’s a lot younger than many other members of the Jefferson County Democrats. 

“I just turned 50, and I am always one of the three youngest people, if not the youngest person in the room,” Gohn-Barnhill said, emphasizing the importance of having representation across several demographics in local government. 

For her, the best part is “knowing how my neighbors think, and it's being able to direct them to people that can solve problems,” Gohn-Barnhill said. She encourages anyone interested in problem solving to get involved with local government instead of hoping that things will change on their own. 

“When you go to the meetings, you realize it's on us to do things. We're the ones that need to show up,” Gohn-Barnhill said. “If we're all offering a little bit, then a lot more gets done than if we're waiting for people that are way better than we are at things to show up and do stuff.”

Ready to run?

You can file for office from May 4-8, either in person or electronically. You can find out more information here. Though it costs nothing to run for PCO of your precinct and party, most offices do require you to pay a filing fee. To run for county commissioner, for example, you’ll need to be prepared to pay $1,205.82. To see a complete list of open offices and their fees, head to the Scheduled Races list. 

If you are interested in running for office, you must live inside the correct area. You can find your district and precinct here.