Primary Election Day: Tuesday, Aug. 5
The 2025 Skagit County primary ballot is light, but La Conner voters will see a key race: three candidates, including appointed incumbent Melanie Mankamyer, are competing in the Aug. 5 special primary for the Port of Skagit’s District 2 seat.
Mankamyer was appointed to the position in September 2024 following the death of commissioner Steve Omdal. She faces challenges from Keith Chaplin, a former Burlington city council member, and physician Edwin Stickle, a former aircraft mechanic.
The Port of Skagit serves as an economic development engine and owns four major facilities in Skagit County, including the La Conner Marina.
Mankamyer has served on the Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts board and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, among other civic-related projects.
“My nearly three decades as a civil engineer and co-owner at Wilson Engineering gave me knowledge and experience in comprehensive planning, public projects, regulatory compliance, capital budgeting, and business management,” Mankamyer said in a prepared statement.
Chaplin, a former news reporter who now owns a construction firm, was Burlington’s Mayor Pro-Tem in 2024 and has fulfilled numerous municipal assignments, with service on committees ranging from public safety and finance to historical preservation and land use.
“I understand how vital coordination between local governments, ports, businesses, and residents is to our region’s success,” Chaplin said, citing his private sector and public service experience.
Stickle points to his familiarity with aviation, small business, and health care leadership as essential and invaluable assets for Port of Skagit leadership.
“The Port of Skagit should be run for the benefit of both the taxpayers (and) citizens who own the Port and also for the benefit of the tenants and customers who use the Port facilities,” he said.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter who covers Town government, schools, and spot news.
