Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik and Superior Court Judge Bernard Veljacic are the favorites of Clark County Bar Association members in the upcoming election, according to opinion poll results released Friday.
Out of 188 respondents, more than 80 percent chose Golik, who was elected as prosecutor in 2010. Fourteen percent chose his Republican challenger, Josephine Townsend. Five percent responded that they would choose neither candidate.
Respondents also gave Golik the highest ratings in legal ability, temperament, integrity and relevant legal experience. More than 88 percent of respondents said Golik is qualified, well-qualified or exceptionally well-qualified in relevant legal experience. About 37 percent said that Townsend had the same qualifications.
“There are approximately 1,000 attorneys in Clark County, a portion of them are members of the CCBA and are eligible to vote,” Townsend said Friday. “If you are not a member of the CCBA, then you cannot participate in the survey.”
“Of those that voted, they favored the incumbent, but the overall numbers of those participating is very small,” she added. “I look forward to November when everyone who is a registered voter can vote and there is no restriction on who can participate.”
In the race for the Superior Court bench, incumbent Veljacic was the top choice of nearly 63 percent of respondents, while his opponent, attorney Bob Vukanovich, was favored by nearly 31 percent.
Slightly more than 6 percent of respondents said they would choose neither candidate.
That is a reversal from a previous bar poll, taken when Veljacic and Vukanovich were both vying for appointment to the Superior Court earlier this year. At that time, more bar members favored Vukanovich. However, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Veljacic to the open seat.
Out of the 188 respondents, 163 said Veljacic is qualified, well-qualified or exceptionally well-qualified in relevant legal experience, compared with 159 who said Vukanovich is qualified, well-qualified or exceptionally well-qualified.
Vukanovich did not immediately return a phone call Friday seeking comment on the results.
