Board Elections
Whatcom CD Board of Supervisor Election Information
Each Conservation District is governed by a board of five supervisors who are all local residents. Click HERE to meet our current board members.
2026 Board of Supervisor Election
Whatcom Conservation District held a poll-site and mail-in ballot election for one seat on the District Board of Supervisors.
All in-person ballots and mail-in ballots received by Tuesday, March 17, 2026 were delivered to the Election Division of the Whatcom County Auditor's Office for counting on March 18, 2026.
Preliminary Unofficial Election Results*
Vote Tally – 241 total ballots
Candidates
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Jim Shaver – 239 votes
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Write-in - 0 votes
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Undervote – 2 votes
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Rejected Ballot – 1
Mail-in ballots postmarked by March 17, 2026 and received after March 17, 2026 will be delivered to the WC Elections Division for processing and counting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
*Election results are unofficial until certified by the Washington State Conservation Commission. Election certification will take place during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Conservation Commission in May, 2026.
If you have questions regarding the District election or serving on the Board of Supervisors, contact Dawn Bekenyi at dlb@whatcomcd.org or 360-526-2381 x 101.
Official updates on the District election are posted on this election webpage, only.
2026 Election Timeline Details
By January 9, 2026: Apply to be a Candidate
Do you want to become a District Supervisor?
The Whatcom Conservation District (WCD) is receiving applications for Supervisors to serve on the Whatcom CD Board of Supervisors. Board members ensure that the Districts programs effectively meet the priority natural resource needs of Whatcom County.
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The deadline to file as a candidate is January 9, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
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Candidates for this seat must be a registered voter residing in Whatcom County.
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An interested individual must be a landowner or an operator of a farm.
To download the Candidate Application form click HERE
Applications can be dropped off or mailed to the Whatcom CD office (6975 Hannegan Rd, Lynden, WA 98264).
Applications can also be emailed to dlb@whatcomcd.org.
For more information on what a Board of Supervisors responsibilities are see the bottom of this page or click here
January 14, 2026: Candidates Announced
February 8, 2026: Deadline to Request Mail-in Ballot
The mail-in ballot request deadline has passed.
Mail-in ballots are only available upon request. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot was February 8, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. Those who missed the ballot request deadline can vote in-person March 17th.
Late February 2026: Mail-in Ballots sent
Ballots will be mailed to you late February, 2026.
If you have not received a ballot by March 5, 2026, please contact the WCD office at (360) 526-2381 x 101 for a replacement. Requests for replacements cannot be honored after March 9.
March 17, 2026: Election Day!
Poll-site voting will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at the District’s office at 6975 Hannegan Road, Lynden. The poll-site will be open at 9:00 am and close at 6:00 pm.
If you requested a mail-in ballot, you have two options to return your completed ballot:
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Mail it in. To be counted all mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before March 17, 2026. NOTE: not all mail is postmarked the day it is deposited with the post office due to changes to its mail-handling process.
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Drop it off. To be counted, all hand-delivered ballots must be dropped in the Whatcom Conservation District drop box at our office at 6975 Hannegan Rd, Lynden beside the front door on or before March 17, 2026 by 6:00 p.m.
NOTE: You will not be able to drop off your Supervisor Election ballot at any County election drop boxes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Why do I have to request a mail-in ballot again if I did so in previous elections?
A: To keep your information up-to-date and protect your privacy, a new mail-in ballot request is required each election year.
Q: What should I expect after submitting this form?
A: You will receive by mail:
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A Candidate Information Sheet (if provided by all candidates)
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An Official Ballot
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A Ballot Secrecy Envelope
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A Return Envelope
After filling out your ballot, you can return it in one of two ways:
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Mail it – To count, ballots must be postmarked on or before March 18, 2025. Be aware that postmarks may not match the date of deposit due to mail processing changes.
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Drop it off – Hand-delivered ballots must be placed in the Blue Whatcom Conservation District drop box by the office entrance at 6975 Hannegan Rd, Lynden, by 6:00 p.m. on March 18, 2025.
Note: You cannot drop off your ballot at any County election drop boxes.
Q: Why don’t you ask for phone numbers or email addresses?
A: To protect your privacy. As a public entity, the District avoids collecting this information as it may be subject to Public Records Requests.
Q: Why isn’t this election on the regular county ballot?
A: Conservation district elections are governed by Chapter 89.09 RCW, rather than Title 29A RCW. They follow procedures set by the Washington State Conservation Commission in compliance with WAC 135-110.
If you have any questions regarding elections or serving on the Board, contact Dawn Bekenyi at wcd@whatcomcd.org or 360-526-2381 x 101.
All official updates will be posted only on this election webpage.
What is a Whatcom Conservation District Supervisor?
Each Conservation District is governed by a board of five supervisors who are all local residents. Click here to meet our current board members.
Supervisor Role & Responsibilities
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Identify local natural resource conservation needs
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Develop and evaluate Annual and Long-range plans.
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Educate and inform landowners, farm operators, the general public, and local, state and federal legislators on conservation issues and programs.
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Administer the District by delegating tasks through a structure of board officers and committees.
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Budget district funds and report on activities to the public.
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Set policy for District Executive Director to implement.
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CD Supervisors are public officials who serve without compensation.
Time Required
A Supervisor’s term of office is three years. Supervisors are expected to attend 12 regularly scheduled board meetings per year, committee meetings, and other special meetings, for an average of 20 days/year.
Benefits
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Serving your community by guiding programs to protect and enhance its natural resource priorities for present and future generations
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Satisfaction in seeing conservation practices applied locally
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Interaction with others who are passionate about natural resource conservation
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Ability to provide input to local, State, and Federal conservation programs
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Learning opportunities through the Washington Conservation Commission and the Washington Association of District Employees.