Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Advocacy Committee News

Don't Forget to Vote: Ballots Due Nov. 3

Ballot boxes open 24-hours daily until 8pm Election Day

Vote Centers open the Saturday and Monday before the Primary and General Election Day and on Election Day for Special Elections.

The centers are designed primarily for new voters needing to register, voters who lost or did not receive their ballots in the mail, voters needing to change their addresses, and voters wishing to vote using the Accessible Voting Unit.

Voters who want to vote in a voting location are also welcome. A ballot from the vote center is the same as the one you receive in the mail. If you receive a ballot in the mail but want to vote in the vote center, bring that ballot and step into one of the voting partition spaces. This will help keep the line short for voters who need to register or receive a replacement ballot.

Beginning 18 days before each election, ballot drop boxes remain open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

There are 27 ballot drop boxes located throughout Kitsap County. Ballot drops provide a safe, secure way for voters to deposit their ballots. No postage is required.

Eggs & Issues 2026

The 29th annual Eggs & Issues series wrapped up on Tuesday, October 27, closing out seven weeks of Tuesday morning conversations with candidates for state and county office. Every forum explored commerce issues that matter most to Kitsap businesses, with one-minute answers that kept candidates focused and specific.

Across the series, members heard from candidates in the 23rd, 26th, and 35th Legislative Districts, the 26th and 35th District Senate races, Kitsap County Sheriff and Prosecuting Attorney, and, at our final forum, Kitsap County Commissioner District 3 and Kitsap County Assessor.

The topics followed what members told us matters to them: layers of regulation, permitting timelines, ferry reliability and the Highway 3 freight corridor, tax changes, and housing for the people who work here. At the county level, the conversation turned to the county’s projected 2027 budget gap and the new public safety sales tax, growth planning in Silverdale, staffing in the Sheriff’s Office, and how property is valued and assessed.

Thank you to every candidate who took the time to join us, to the Cloverleaf Bar & Grill for hosting, and to every member who showed up early on a Tuesday to stay informed. Eggs & Issues works because our members care about who represents them and their businesses.

The general election is Tuesday, November 3. Ballots must be postmarked or placed in a drop box by 8 p.m. The Advocacy Committee will keep working on behalf of Kitsap businesses as these candidates take office. Have an issue you’d like us to raise with elected officials? Reach out to Alysa Grimes at alysa@crosssoundlaw.com.

Chamber Luncheon Features

Moderated Q&A on KPUD Proposition 1

At the October Chamber luncheon, the GKC Advocacy Committee and the Chamber hosted a moderated Q&A on Kitsap PUD Proposition 1. The measure asked Kitsap voters whether to authorize the Kitsap Public Utility District to provide electric service. The panelists were Michelle Vargo, Senior Vice President of Energy Operations at Puget Sound Energy, and Angela Bennink, General Manager of the Kitsap Public Utility District.



Both speakers answered the same questions. The questions covered:

• What a yes vote would and would not authorize
• The cost of acquiring and operating PSE’s Kitsap system, and who would pay
• Long-term rates and where Kitsap’s power would come from
• Reliability and storm response
• The proposed feasibility study
• Public accountability
• Impacts on local jobs and businesses

PSE’s perspective. Vargo emphasized that purchasing PSE’s infrastructure would be expensive, and that those costs typically fall to ratepayers. She noted that KPUD would not have access to less expensive energy than PSE does. She also said PSE has spent years planning for the challenging moment the region now finds itself in.

KPUD’s perspective. Bennink explained that the measure is on the ballot at the request of voters. KPUD wanted ratepayer approval before spending money on a feasibility study. She noted that it is difficult to know specific costs at this stage. She also clarified that, as a public agency, KPUD cannot argue for or against the measure and can only provide information.

Common ground. Despite their differences, both representatives said their organizations would work together on the feasibility study. They also said they would cooperate on any transition if KPUD were to take over electric service.



The Q&A was part of the Chamber and Advocacy Committee’s ongoing effort to educate members on the issues that matter most to them. Thank you to both speakers for their time and candor, and to everyone who attended.

Local Government Updates

The following are scheduled meetings for local government bodies across Kitsap County in November 2026. Attending these meetings is one of the most direct ways to engage with local decision-makers and advocate on behalf of Kitsap businesses.

Kitsap County

Kitsap County Board of Commissioners

County Administration Building

619 Division Street

Port Orchard, WA 98366

Zoom Link via Meeting

Agenda: https://agendasuite.org/iip/kitsap

Regular Business Meetings (Commissioner Chambers)

November 9, 2026 @ 5:30 p.m.

November 23, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.

AM Work Session (Port Blakely Conference Room)

November 2, 2026 @ 9:00 a.m.

November 4, 2026 @ 9:00 a.m.

November 9, 2026 @ 9:00 a.m.

November 16, 2026 @ 9:00 a.m.

November 23, 2026 @ 9:00 a.m.

PM Work Session (Port Blakely Conference Room)

November 2, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m.

November 9, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m.

November 16, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m.

November 23, 2026 @ 2:00 p.m.

More information about Kitsap County Board of Commissioners:

https://www.kitsap.gov/BOC_p/Pages/default.aspx

Office (360) 479-3579 | 705 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Bremerton

Silverdale Office (360) 692-6800 | Kitsap Mall

PO Box 1218 Silverdale WA 98383

If you need assistance, please contact us directly.