TL resident’s big surprise: You have qualified for General Election ballot

Arnold received 19 write-in votes during the Aug. 2 Primary for District 1 County Commissioner. The Auditor’s Office subsequently certified those votes and determined that Arnold indeed had qualified for the General Election ballot.

“She needed eight votes and she got 19,” said County Auditor Brenda Sorensen. A total of 115 write-in votes were cast in the race for District 1 Commissioner.

RCW 29A.36.170, Top two candidates qualified for general election, states, “For any office for which a primary was held, only the names of the top two candidates will appear on the general election ballot; the name of the candidate who received the greatest number of votes will appear first and the candidate who received the next greatest number of votes will appear second. No candidate's name may be printed on the subsequent general election ballot unless he or she receives at least one percent of the total votes cast for that office at the preceding primary, if a primary was conducted.”

“In short: Pat Arnold received in excess of the number of votes required to become a qualified candidate, 1% of the total number of votes cast for that particular race),” Sorensen said. “I would have to research this to make certain but I do not readily recall this happening since I have been in office.”

Arnold told The Enterprise she had heard about a possible write-in campaign but hadn’t paid much attention to it. Then the Auditor’s Office called her to inform her officially of the campaign’s success.

Arnold contacted supporters and called an organizational meeting last week to gauge how much interest exists in helping her get her campaign message out. It was following that meeting that Arnold said she would be campaigning in earnest for the seat she once ran for.

“I am amazed and surprised to find myself in the Commissioner race,” she said. “It is wonderful and energizing to have this opportunity to serve the county. I feel strongly that local government and local politics matter and are what most immediately affect our lives.”

Arnold sought the District 1 Commissioner position in 2004 but lost in a close election. She returned to full-time work in the affordable housing field until retirement in April of this year. Arnold also has operated a small shell egg business at her farm in Trout Lake since 1993.

“If elected, I pledge to bring new energy and new perspectives to county government, with more emphasis on open and inclusive government processes,” Arnold said. “We can move forward together.”

Arnold is running as an Independent candidate, with no party preference identified on the ballot. Her opponent in November will be incumbent Commissioner Rex Johnston (R-White Salmon), who is seeking his third four-year term.