Mark Hulst, executive director of the La Conner Chamber of Commerce since 2022, announced last week that he is running for Skagit County auditor. His opponent is Jeremy Harrison-Smith, a Democrat who has been serving as the Northwest Washington representative for the governor’s office for three years.

The incumbent, Democrat Sandy Perkins, is not running for reelection after serving two terms. Her last day is Dec. 31.

The Auditor’s Office’s responsibilities include administering elections, overseeing and reporting all of the county’s financial activities, issuing vehicle and vessel licenses, accepting and recording into public record all real property documents.

Hulst is running as an Independent — a label he used in his campaign for Mount Vernon City Council — because he believes there is no room for partisan politics in these administrative roles, he said in an interview.

“Washington’s vote-by-mail system is governed by state law,” he said in a press release. “As auditor, I will ensure those laws are followed accurately, consistently, and professionally — without unnecessary rhetoric or partisanship.”

If he is elected, he would step down from his executive director role, he said.

Harrison-Smith, a Clear Lake resident, told La Conner Community News that he is running to safeguard the integrity of the vote-by-mail system in the county, which he said is secure in Washington but has been under attack in recent years. To ensure its protection, he would collaborate with state partners and work on building trust in the elections system.

“I believe that the future of our democracy is basically at a tipping point and we need to guarantee that our kids and future generations inherit a secure voting system,” he said.

Hulst, who recently moved from Mount Vernon to the Conway area, is the owner of the Skagit Cellars tasting room in La Conner and serves on the board of Volunteers of America Western Washington.

In the past, he served as a member of the Mount Vernon City Council for 12 years, chaired the Public Safety and Finance Committees, sat on the Planning Commission, and represented Mount Vernon on the Skagit Transit Board of Directors.

Before representing the governor’s office, Harrison-Smith previously served as the executive director of the Scleroderma Foundation Northwest Chapter, managed Alex Ramel’s campaign, and worked as teacher, youth service program coordinator and Spanish language interpreter, as listed on his LinkedIn profile.

As the auditor, he would make his office more welcoming to people who don’t speak or are not fluent in English and increase outreach to those communities, he said.

Both candidates emphasized the need for the Auditor’s Office to be always available to the public after hearing some concerns and, in Hulst’s case, finding the office closed during office hours.

If elected, Hulst said he would strengthen cross-training for himself and staff to avoid disruptions in services, while Harrison-Smith would support fusing the front desks of the auditor, assessor and treasurer offices so there is always someone who can help people with the services they need.

The primary election is Aug. 4. To learn more about the candidates, visit HulstForAuditor.com and JeremyHarrisonSmith.com.

Luisa Loi is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.