Republican qualifies for November ballot

In September 2002, LuLu Johnson received 488 votes and came in third in a three-way race for the Republican nomination for District 3 county commissioner.

In the Sept. 20 primary, Johnson received the nomination with 54 votes.

Johnson, part-owner of the Islandale Southender Market on Lopez Island, will be on the Nov. 8 general election ballot as the Republican candidate for District 3 county commissioner.

She received 54 write-in votes; she needed 48, or one percent of all the votes cast for District 3 County Commission candidates in the primary. Of 6,388 votes cast in the primary, 4,868 were cast for candidates Bob Myhr, Jamie Stephens and write-in candidates who were registered voters in District 3, Elections Supervisor Dan Gillespie said.

Democratic Party voters submitted five valid write-in votes; Republican voters submitted 88.

Johnson will be on the ballot with Democrat Myhr and the Green Party's Steve Ludwig.

County Auditor Si Stephens said Johnson's write-in entry to the general election is believed to be a county first.

Si Stephens, a Republican and a resident of Lopez Island, said Johnson will have to work hard to become known on the other islands.

"Obviously, now she has to run countywide. She's clearly an underdog. She's going to have to spend a lot of time and effort to get her name and views known throughout the county."

Johnson could not be reached for comment.

John Evans, chairman of the county Republican Party, said he wasn't surprised Johnson qualified as a write-in candidate despite a lack of organized support from the party. He said the encouragement she received and the low number of votes required apparently did the trick.

Noting that Johnson qualified for the ballot without the party's endorsement, Evans said it's uncertain what action the county GOP will take on her behalf.

The party's executive committee was slated to decide today, Oct. 5.

"It's not something the party had planned on," Evans admitted.

— Staff Writer Scott Rasmussen contributed to this report.

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