CLALLAM COUNTY, Washington — As Clallam County evolves, so does the country.
At least that’s what’s happened over the past 44 years when it comes to the presidential election.
Clallam County has a record like no other county in the United States in voting for the winner in elections dating back to 1980.
According to tables from the Washington Auditor’s Office and Secretary of State:
In Clallam County:
- Reagan defeated Carter 58.9% to 41.1 in 1980.
- Reagan beat Mondale 57.3% to 40.9 in 1984
- George Bush defeated Dukakis by a mere 77 votes, 49.1% to 48.8 in 1988.
- Bill Clinton defeated Bush 37.7-34 in 1992.
- Bill Clinton won again 42.6-42.1 in 1996.
- George W. Bush defeated Gore 49.53 to 42 in 2000.
- George W. Bush defeated Kerry 51.33 to 46.37 in 2004
- Barack Obama 50.55 beat McCain 47.25 in 2008
- Obama 48.81 beat Romney 48.43 in 2012
- Trump’s 47.6 surpassed Clinton’s 44.8 in 2016.
- Joe Biden defeated Trump 50-46 in 2020.
There were 19 counties across America that had a perfect presidential score in 2020, but only Clallam voters chose Biden, leaving the county and its 77,000 residents with an unusual distinction.
“I think it’s because we are very far from the big cities. So we don’t get all the flattery and flattery,” said Jacob Johnson, who was laid off from the McKinley paper mill in August. “If you were to go to Seattle, you would probably be overwhelmed by the amount of political ads, fliers and leaflets you see.”
Johnson’s story is woven into the county’s history. It has long depended on the timber industry and tourists visiting Olympic National Park. He was one of nearly 200 employees laid off by McKinley right after his wife was diagnosed with cancer and had a new baby at home. The unemployment rate is higher than the state average.
“For every job lost here, it affects five other families in a small community like this. It’s a huge impact,” says John Fox, president of the local chapter of the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers. He has worked at the factory for 33 years. He says it’s hard to explain how Clallam has maintained a perfect record.
“It’s very interesting,” he said, noting that global economic problems can be felt even in rural Washington. He said tariff and supply chain issues in recent years have been felt here. “Raw materials cost more than before, which significantly increases your profitability and margin. When we start talking about tariffs and all that kind of stuff that comes into play.
Fox says McKinley primarily made cardboard boxes and packaging materials for Amazon and others. He hopes the factory will reopen, perhaps after the election. Johnson just started a new job, but says of the race: “We’re getting a change regardless, but something has to change for the economy to come back.” »
So how do people vote here? There are few clues.
Political signage in Port Angeles appears divided, with several Republican-led initiatives and more than one “Kamala” sign posted on major thoroughfares.
In the August primaries, the electorate favored Democrats like Maria Cantwell and Bob Ferguson in their respective races, but Republicans Pete Serrano and Drew McEwen for attorney general and the sixth congressional race.
If you look at the March presidential primary, 13,310 voted for a Democrat and 13,026 voted for a Republican, a difference of about 284 votes.
