Here's What You Need to Know Ahead of
WA's 2026 Primary Election in August
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Published in the Kitsap Sun, July 9, 2026
Election season is on the horizon in Washington.
The state's primary election will be held on Aug. 4 and ballots will be mailed out starting July 17, according to the Washington Secretary of State's office. The final day to register to vote is July 27.
Registered voters (or those 18 and older who register before July 27) are eligible to vote in the primary. Voters who are currently 17 but will turn 18 before the Nov. 4 general election are eligible to receive a primary ballot through the state's Future Voters Program.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Washington's August primary.
Read the article here
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Chamber: Off the Clock
Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 5:05pm
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July Membership Luncheon
Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 11:00am
| | Join us at our July luncheon at Olympic College for "Bingo & BBQ" as we celebrate summer with our annual luncheon benefiting the Greater Kitsap Chamber Foundation and scholarship programs. Enjoy fun games and networking while we fundraise to support foundation programs. | |
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GKC Primary Mixer
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 5:30pm
| As Washington's Primary Election approaches, the Greater Kitsap Chamber warmly invites our members to our inaugural GKC Primary Mixer. This is a casual networking event designed to connect local candidates with the Kitsap business community just ahead of the Primary. | |
Accessible Healthcare with NICE
Business Health Trust Has You Covered
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Care Should Keep Up With Full Calendars
Summer and early fall don’t leave much room for healthcare delays. When work is busy, kids are home or heading back to school, and schedules are stretched, a hard-to-use plan can cost more than money. It can cost half a day.
Through our chamber’s partnership with Business Health Trust, members can compare benefits from major carriers and build plans that work better for small teams. Many BHT medical plans also include Nice Healthcare, giving employees a simple first stop for care when something comes up.
With Nice, employees can get same-day help for many common needs, start with virtual care, and get guidance if more support is needed. For everyday concerns, starting with Nice can help avoid an unnecessary urgent care trip and keep the week moving.
🔗 Webpage Link: https://businesshealthtrust.com/products/nice-healthcare/
Questions? Contact BHT!
(425) 201-1972
nice@businesshealthtrust.com
Not a BHT member? Are you ready to build a better benefits package?
Visit bhtquote.com to learn more and get a free quote.
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Renew your membership today to ensure your benefits as a member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Need a new membership window cling or digital badge? Contact us now!
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Missed a previous edition of the Chamber's Community Connections?
View all the past issues on our website HERE.
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Community Reinvestment Program
Small Business Grant Opportunity
Deadline: Friday, July 31, 2026
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Changing Faces, Changing Places
Share your business news today
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Has your team recently welcomed a new hire, celebrated a promotion, or marked a retirement? Kitsap Business magazine's Changing Faces, Changing Places section highlights the people powering our local business community. Chamber members are invited to share their staff updates for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
Send your announcements to news@kitsapbusiness.com and let us help you recognize the faces behind your success.
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Business & Professional Development Committee | | Member Education & Training Resources | | |
SCORE: Accessing Capital for Small Business
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 8:00am
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Join Brande Stitt, Program Director for the Women’s Business Center, as she walks us through where entrepreneurs get their money. Learn what types of businesses are launched, and how they were funded.
You will learn to ask yourself these important questions:
- How much money do I need?
- What type of business do I have?
- What type of capital is most appropriate?
You will learn how to prepare to raise debt (borrow money) or equity capital (give up a share of your business).
Registration Fee: $10
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SCORE: Demystifying Financial Foundations Income, Assets & Cash Flow
Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 9:30am
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Learn how to understand, create and use your financial statements.
Understanding Financial Statements:
- Introduces the three main financial statements: the Income Statement (Profit and
- Loss), Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement.
- Explains their purposes: showing profitability, financial position, and available cash
- Importance in decision-making, tracking performance, and securing investments.
Income:
- Impact on profitability and business health.
- Connection to revenue streams and sales.
Assets:
- Distinguish between current (liquid) and non-current (fixed) assets.
- Importance for collateral and borrowing power.
Liabilities and Equity:
- Difference between liabilities (debts & obligations) and equity (owner's interest).
Cash Flow:
- Importance of cash flow management to successful business operations.
- Differences between operating, investing, and financing cash flows.
This webinar helps teach you the basics of Financial Statements needed to understand and manage your business well.
Registration Fee: FREE
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SBDC: Hiring Employees in Today's Environment
Thursday, July 23, 2026, 11:00am
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A look at the changing workforce and how to attract and hire more effectively. Help your team shift from just completing tasks to actually owning the results. This session gives you practical ways to build accountability, raise expectations, and create a culture where people step up instead of waiting to be told.
The presenter, Steve McCaslin, is a Washington SBDC Certified Business Advisor and is located in Coupeville, WA. Steve is a retired Naval Flight Officer and has spent 20+ years in the corporate world in sales, strategy and business development, business consulting, corporate training, and leadership development training, mentoring, and coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a BS in Agriculture, where he majored in Poultry Science.
Registration Fee: FREE
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CMMC-PNW 2026 Conference
August 17 - August 18, 2026
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The Pacific Northwest’s 3rd Annual Premier Event for CMMC Compliance
CMMC-PNW 2026 is the Pacific Northwest’s most targeted event for defense contractors preparing for CMMC certification. Whether you’re just starting or preparing for Level 2 compliance, this event gives you the clarity and tools to succeed.
What You’ll Learn
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A realistic first 90 days for companies who just found out they need CMMC
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How to choose between a cloud enclave, on-prem enclave, or locking down your enterprise
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How shrinking your CUI footprint can meaningfully reduce your compliance cost and timeline
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How to recover CMMC costs through indirect cost rates, with evidence that holds up to DCAA
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How to turn CMMC compliance into a competitive advantage that wins you new contracts
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How to decide where to invest your CMMC dollars: buy, build, or outsource
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Business News & Resources | | |
Ferguson Forms Economic Council
Amid Concerns Over WA Economy
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Published in the Washington Retail Association, July 9, 2026
Photo courtesy of the Governor's Office
Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed an executive order creating a 26-member Governor’s Economic Development Council to advise his administration on improving Washington’s economic competitiveness and shaping a statewide development strategy due next year. The announcement comes as state leaders confront signs of economic strain, including slower-than-expected job growth, an unemployment rate above the national average, and continued layoffs in the technology sector. Some businesses have also raised concerns about leaving the state amid cost and regulatory pressures.
The council will bring together leaders from business, labor, and government, including representatives from major employers such as Microsoft, Boeing, and T-Mobile, as well as labor organizations and state officials. Ferguson said the group is intended to provide candid discussion and practical recommendations on how Washington can strengthen job creation, attract new businesses, and address barriers to growth. The governor said he plans to attend each quarterly meeting and noted the state has not convened a similar panel in about two decades.
Read the article here
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Free Digital Marketing Tools
Every Small Business Can Use
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Published in by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, July 8, 2026
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Looking to spread the word about your business without spending a cent? No matter what type of business you operate, these free digital marketing tools can help boost your visibility and bring in new business. Restaurants, retailers, and service professionals alike can all benefit from these free digital marketing tools.
Read the article here
| | The Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to serve as a resource partner with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Stay tuned to this section quarterly for education, resources and more from L&I. | | |
Workplace Rights Refresher:
Independent Contractors
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Now, if someone is truly an independent contractor, they won’t be an employee. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about what makes someone an independent contractor in Washington state. In part, that’s because the IRS and the state have different criteria. Someone who’s received a 1099 form may be a contractor to the IRS, but not to the state.
To be an independent contractor in Washington state, a person would have to pass one of the independent contractor tests. One of the tests is the “personal labor test.” If a worker isn’t able to pass that, then we have what’s called the “6-part and 7-part test.” It’s a series of six conditions that all must be true, plus a seventh condition that applies to construction. They are:
- Be free from your control or direction.
- Must pass one of the following three options:
- The service is outside the usual course of business.
- The service is performed outside all of the places of business.
- The individual is responsible for the costs of the principal place of business from which the service is performed.
- Must pass 1 of the following 2 options: The individual:
- Is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, profession, or business, of the same nature as that involved in the contract of service.
- Has a principal place of business that is eligible for a business deduction for IRS purposes.
- The individual is responsible for filing a schedule of expenses with the IRS.
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The individual has established an account with the Department of Revenue and other state agencies as required.
- The individual is maintaining a separate set of books or records that reflect all items of income and expenses.
- (For construction only) The individual is properly registered as a contractor or has a valid electrical contractor license.
Want to learn more? Check out these resources:
| | Nonprofit News & Resources | |
Worthwhile Watchfulness:
Working with Aging Donors
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Published by Kitsap Community Foundation, July 9, 2026
Photo courtesy of the KCF
Many nonprofit organizations are fortunate to be surrounded by long-time supporters whose generosity has sustained the mission for years, and sometimes decades. These donors often remain deeply committed to the causes they care about well into their later years. As the donor population ages, however, nonprofit professionals increasingly find themselves navigating situations that require both sensitivity and caution.
Most interactions with older donors are straightforward and positive. But occasionally, a donor's behavior, requests, or circumstances may raise concerns about cognitive decline, undue influence, financial exploitation, or simply a misunderstanding about charitable intentions. Of course, you and other nonprofit staff are not expected to diagnose medical conditions or serve as financial advisors. Still, because fundraisers often develop trusted, long-term relationships with donors, you may be among the first people to notice that something seems different.
Read the article here
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Where and How You'll Pay to Park
in Poulsbo Starting in August
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Published in the Kitsap Sun, July 8, 2026
Photo: Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun
Paid parking in Poulsbo's waterfront parking lot is anticipated to start in August, the city has confirmed, months after the shift was approved by the city council.
According to Heather Wright, planning director with City of Poulsbo, parking in the lot by the Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park off Front Street will be subject to hourly rates starting around Aug. 1, with the caveat the date may not be exact. The implementation of a paid parking model arrives after city councilmembers voted back in April to finalize details such as hours of operation and seasonal rates, without specifying when it would take effect beyond a general summer 2026 start date. Enforcements of time limits on other downtown parking areas will remain in place.
Throughout July, information released by the city online said they will post signage, mark spaces and notify the community in the weeks leading up to the expected start. Wright told the Sun that although the Aug. 1 date is not "official," they are aiming for implementation to begin that Saturday pending the delivery of signs from ParkMobile.
Read the article here
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League of Women Voters - Kitsap
Primary Election Candidate Interviews Are Live
| The League of Women Voters of Kitsap interviewed thirty-one candidates running for office for the August 4th Primary Election in the following races: Legislative Districts 23, 26, and 35 State Representatives, and Legislative Districts 26 and 35 State Senators. Also included were the following Kitsap County races: County Commissioner District 3, Assessor, Clerk, Prosecuting Attorney, and Sheriff. | |
Port Orchard Concerts by the Bay
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 6:30pm
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The Coffee Oasis: Tacoma Rainiers Game
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 6:05pm
| Bring your family, friends, church group, or coworkers and enjoy a great night at the ballpark while supporting local youth through The Coffee Oasis. | |
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Kitsap Pride Festival 2026
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 3:00pm
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Summer Nights at the Bay
Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 6:00pm
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Clearwater Casino Presents:
Are You Ready For It? - A Taylor Experience
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 7:00pm
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Kings of Hollywood - Eagles Tribute
Friday, July 17, 2026, 8:30pm
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Queensrÿche
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 7:00pm
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Port Gamble Theater Presents: Rumors
July 10 - July 26, 2026
| "Prepare for an uproarious evening of laughter and chaos with Neil Simon's timeless farce, 'Rumors.' Set against the backdrop of a glamorous dinner party hosted by a deputy mayor and his wife, the play takes a wild and unexpected turn, leading to a cascade of comedic misunderstandings and absurd situations. Neil Simon's genius for crafting witty dialogue and his unparalleled sense of comedic timing come to life on the stage, promising audiences a night filled with belly laughs and sheer entertainment. As the mystery unravels, so does the hilarity, making 'Rumors' a must-see theatrical experience that will leave you in stitches. Join us for a riotous journey into the world of upscale chaos, where rumors fly, and the laughter never stops!" | | |
Kitsap Water Trails "Ride the Tide"
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 8:00am
| RTT is the annual Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trail (KPNWT) Paddle that is held each year to bring attention to our 371 mile National water trail. The Ride the Tide paddle is about eight tide assisted miles and will take 2-3 hours to complete. Starting at the Tracyton, WA Boat Ramp, we will paddle south through the Port Washington Narrows and past Bremerton with the current and finish at the Farmers Market in downtown Port Orchard, WA. | |
Whaling Days 2026
July 24 - July 26, 2026
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Kitsap Rock & Blues Music Festival
July 31 - August 1, 2026
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Stay in the know with what's happening for events
in Central Kitsap by checking out and liking the
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Have something to share? CLICK HERE to submit stories and
events for our weekly Community Connections!
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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.
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