South Kitsap School District superintendent Dave LaRose isn’t treating Tuesday’s primary as a sunk cost.
Gail Porter filed to run against incumbent Naomi Polen and former school board member Chris Lemke for the District 3 post, but she moved out of the area. When she notified the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office about her new address, the June 11 deadline to withdraw had passed.
The gaffe will cost an estimated $70,000, but LaRose said the district will fight it. He said has sought legal council to explore “what options and intervention that might help mitigate what those costs are.”
“I would expect our community would want us to stand up and try and protect our resources,” he said.
Kitsap County Auditor Walt Washington called it a “very, very unfortunate” situation, but said it wouldn’t be fair to push expenses for the election on other agencies.
With just two eligible candidates, LaRose called the primary a “waste of money.” It wouldn’t have been necessary, but Kitsap County elections manager Dolores Gilmore said candidates aren’t allowed to withdraw beyond that date because they need time to print and distribute ballots.
She said military ballots were required to be mailed 30 days prior to the election. Gilmore said Porter didn’t inform her office of the address change until June 18.
Washington said candidates are informed of the deadlines on the filing form and they also receive a booklet with the timeline to withdraw.
“It’s the candidate’s responsibility number one by statute,” Washington said.
He said addresses for those running are verified once they file, but beyond that it’s the candidates obligation to inform the office if they relocate. Washington also said anyone can contest where a candidates states their address is.
With just two candidates, a primary election wouldn’t have been necessary. Instead, Gilmore said, South Kitsap must share the cost of the primary with other Kitsap jurisdictions, which she estimates will cost about $290,000 total.
LaRose said the district isn’t responsible for the $70,000 because it’s being blamed for Porter’s ineligibility.
“It’s not because of a decision or action on behalf of the school district,” he said. “We’re just purely subjected to it.”
South Kitsap has 39,199 registered voters out of 119,000 overall in this election, and Gilmore said the district bears a proportionate amount of that expense. And unlike other cities in the area, there are no city council races, which means Port Orchard isn’t obligated to share in the expense.
It’s another obstacle for a district that already had to find ways to close a projected $6.8 million deficit. LaRose isn’t sure where another cut will be made in the budget to accommodate the latest expense.
“I think it’s our responsibility to protect the interests of the school district,” he said. “I don’t want us to have to spend a nickel that doesn’t go to a kid.”
• South Kitsap School District’s “Back to School Celebration” will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at South Kitsap High School’s track.
The event, which is free and open to all district students and their families, will feature school supplies, refreshments, games, art projects and school bus rides. There also will be live entertainment throughout the day.
All students should be accompanied by an adult.
