The League of Women Voters of the San Juans will sponsor a primary Election Forum on July 17 at the Orcas Island Senior Center from 5-7 p.m.

Invitations have been issued to those running in all contested races. Here’s your chance to meet the candidates and learn about their experience and ideas.

Forums are also scheduled on July 16, 6:30-8 p.m. at Mullis Community Senior Center and July 17 at Grace Church on Lopez Island, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Islanders will vote on 14 legislative and local positions this year: County assessor, auditor, clerk, prosecutor, sheriff, treasurer; County Council District 2, District 5, and District 6; District Court judge, Superior Court judge; U.S. House of Representatives 2nd District, 40th District state House Position 1, and 40th District state House Position 2.

Here’s where the races are. In cases where there are more than two candidates, the top two vote-getters in the Aug. 17 primary will advance to the Nov. 2 general election.

U.S. Senate: There are 15 candidates, among them three-term incumbent Patty Murray, former state senator and almost governor Dino Rossi, and NFL tight end-turned-farmer Clint Didier.

U.S. House of Representatives, District 2: John Carmack of Bellingham, engineer; Larry Kalb of Bellingham, president of Health Care for All; John Koster of Arlington, a Snohomish County Council member and congressional candidate in 2000; Rick Larsen of Everett, who has represented District 2 in Congress for five terms; and Diana McGinness of Bellingham, a retired insurance fraud investigator.

State House of Representatives, position 1: Thomas Boucher, a member of Congressman Rick Larsen’s staff; Chuck Carrell of Burlington; Dusty Gulleson of Bellingham, owner of a technology company; Kristine Lytton, president of the Anacortes School Board; Donna R. Miller of Friday Harbor, a professional caregiver; Mike Newman, a Mount Vernon real estate agent; Tom Pasma of Bow, a horse rancher and 40th District Democratic Party chairman; and Justin Van Dyk, a political science student at Western Washington University. Poet Doug (Yoshe) Revelle of Bellingham has dropped out of the race.

State House of Representatives, position 2: Jeff Morris of Anacortes, the seven-term incumbent who is also House speaker pro tem; Howard Pellett of Anacortes, Green Party chairman and retired IRS agent; and John Swapp of Anacortes, manufacturing engineer.

San Juan County Council, North San Juan: Rich Peterson, seeking a second term; and Laura Jo Severson, a retired teacher.

San Juan County Council, Lopez/Shaw: Jerry Gonce of Lopez Island, a retired city manager from California; Bob Myhr of Lopez Island, a County Council member seeking a second term; Jamie Stephens, a Lopez port commissioner.

San Juan County Sheriff: Jeff Asher, a long-time sheriff’s deputy who received 2,363 votes in the 2002 election for sheriff; Brad Fincher, adult probation officer and chairman of the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition; Brent Johnson, lead sheriff’s detective and chairman of the county Veterans Advisory Board; Felix Menjivar, sheriff’s deputy and Friday Harbor Town Council member; and Rob Nou, sheriff’s deputy and former police chief of Burns, Ore.

Running unopposed for reelection: Prosecuting Attorney Randall K. Gaylord; Assessor Charles Zalmanek, Auditor Milene Henley, Clerk Joan White, Treasurer Jan Sears, District Court Judge Stewart Andrew, and state Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen, position 5.

Also running unopposed: Superior Court Judge Donald E. Eaton, who was appointed by Gov. Christine Gregoire after the death of Judge John Linde; and Patty Miller, who wants to succeed Gene Knapp as County Council member from Orcas East. She is chairwoman of the San Juan County Economic Development Council and has been involved in Eastsound planning.

Islanders seeking election as precinct committee officers for their political parties are also running unopposed.

Next step: You have until July 19 to update your voter registration for the Aug. 17 primary. You have until Aug. 9 to register if you are not already registered in Washington state. Visit the Elections Office, 55 Second St., Suite A, Friday Harbor; or call 378-3357.