Copyright © 1997 The Seattle Times Company

Votes reflect San Juan Islands' neighborly attitude

by Alex Fryer
Seattle Times staff reporter

FRIDAY HARBOR There are more fishing boats in the gift shops than in the
marina of this bayside village on San Juan Island. A halfdozen
weatherbeaten trawlers bob next to rows of gleaming, sharpprowed yachts,
a reflection of San Juan County's transition from fishing to the tourism
industry.

Despite the influx of seasonal visitors, island residents maintain many
qualities traditionally held by those who toil the seas. They consider
themselves independent thinkers and are fiercely protective of one
another's privacy. While they don't dislike regulations, they believe
individuals are best left alone.

That may help explain why the islands' 8,000 voters were so out of step
with the rest of Washington. San Juan was the only county in the state to
approve both Initiative 677, the gayrights measure, and Initiative 685,
which would have legalized marijuana and other drugs for medicinal
purposes. Both initiatives were defeated by large margins statewide.

That's not to say that San Juan County always zigs when the rest of the
state zags. In the past nine years, the county has voted with the majority
of the state on every ballot initiative except for Initiative 601, a 1993
measure that limited state spending.

But yesterday's vote speaks volumes about this politically diverse
archipelago.

"The islands are pro letting people just live their lives," said Susan
Jarman, 48, coowner of the Sandpebble gift shop. A native of Friday
Harbor, Jarman supported both initiatives.

On an island, coexistence is key. While San Juan residents may hold deep
passions, ideology doesn't prevent neighbors from helping each other
jumpstart a car or retie a fishing net. The comforts of the mainland are a
ferry ride away, and people know they must depend on one another.

"It runs the gamut from really liberal to really conservative around here,"
said Richard Carter, 39, who moved to Lopez Island 11 years ago. He now
operates a summer camp. "I chose to live here for a variety of reasons,
including the supportiveness of the community."

Islanders also are wellinformed. Lopez Island's library is one of the
busiest in the state, and almost every local issue from restricting
personal watercraft and cellularphone towers to the size of Paul Allen's
new summer homes has sparked heated debate.

But island residents don't think or vote alike.

The gayrights measure squeaked by on San Juan Island with 52 percent, but
it was supported on Orcas, Lopez and Shaw islands by 58 percent, according
to San Juan County elections officials.

Same, too, with the medicalmarijuana initiative, which garnered 53 percent
of vote on San Juan Island but received 58 percent of the vote on Orcas,
Lopez and Shaw.

Unofficial election results showed San Juan County voters also favored the
dental hygienists' initiative, the propertytax referendum, the
schoolfunding resolution and the sewer and stormdrainloan resolution.
County residents voted down the healthinsurance and handgun initiatives.

Much of the support for loosening the drug laws may have come from retired
people, speculated Dale Marble, 56, as he readied his fishing boat for the
crab season.

Although Marble voted against I685 because he thought it was too broad, he
supports the idea of doctors prescribing marijuana for the sick. Given the
number of elderly people moving into town, it's no surprise that a measure
to provide more options for patient care gained considerable support, he said.

But retired people aren't the only ones who have moved to the San Juans
over last few years. The islands are home to artists, playwrights,
gentlemen farmers and hippies.

Recreational marijuana use is thought to be pervasive among this crowd, who
almost certainly supported I685 in large numbers.

"I think there is an element within our community that makes a distinction
between growing marijuana and processing heroin. You'll find people who
want to legalize marijuana for medicinal use," said San Juan County Sheriff
Bill Cumming.

You'll also find people who grow marijuana for distribution.

Six people were arrested last August after 35 lawenforcement officers
raided a marijuana growing operation on Waldron Island. The raid netted 810
mature plants.

The sheriff's office and other local agencies are involved with various
antidrug campaigns, but Cumming noted that most islanders are open to new
ideas.

"People are receptive to new ways of looking at things," he said. "San Juan
County is not rigid."

Alex Fryer's phone message number is 2064648124. His email address is:
afrynew@seatimes.com