Two candidates, but only one is alive to take office

SKAMANIA CO. — Some voters will have to make an unusual choice for their next Skamania County Public Utility District (PUD) Commissioner.

“I’m running on a simple promise to put ratepayers first. For me, that means reliable service at a price working families, seniors and people on fixed incomes can actually afford,” Addison Dillon told residents at a candidate forum in Underwood on Oct. 9. “It means protecting our reserves, scrutinizing major expenses and remembering that every dollar that we dispensed ultimately came from someone’s pocket.”

But Dillion’s opponent for the District 3 seat, Elizabeth Green, passed away this July. According to a 1999 opinion from the Washington Office of the Attorney General, her name will remain on the ballot, however.

The only way to remove her name would’ve been through a court order, but Skamania County Auditor Robert Waymire said that wasn’t feasible.

If Green wins, Skamania PUD would advertise the vacancy, then current Commissioners Dave McKenzie and Dan Boyes would interview each applicant, evaluate their qualifications and make a selection lasting until the 2028 general election. It’s the same process used to appoint Dev Bell, who’s finishing the last few months of Green’s six-year term, back in August.

Green previously served as president of the Washington Public Utility Districts Association, a Public Power Council executive committee member and on Skamania PUD’s Board of Commissioners since 2015.

“If you want experience and qualifications to fill that position, you still have a voice in the election,” Treva Mahar, chair of Skamania County’s Republican Party, said to listeners at the Underwood forum.

Although the race is nonpartisan, Green still has an endorsement from Mahar’s organization, while the Skamania County Democrats have contributed $1,500 to Dillon’s campaign, based on state campaign finance fillings.

Dillon is also the Skamania County chair for the Young Democrats of America, associate board supervisor for Underwood Conservation District and unsuccessfully ran for Skamania County Hospital Commissioner District 3 in 2025.

Other parts of his platform include furnishing a “Ratepayer Report Card,” designed to give customers an easily digestible glance at the district’s financial standing, major projects underway, how rates compare to neighboring utilities, upcoming board meetings and more.

All ballots in Skamania County were mailed by Oct. 16. District 3 roughly covers the southeast quadrant of Skamania County.