Results of the 2015 Clallam County Bar Association poll show rate Brian Coughenour with the most top scores among six candidates for the position of Clallam County Superior Court judge being vacated by George L. Wood.

Candidates were rated in four categories (judgment and objectivity; demeanor and temperament; competence, experience and legal ability; overall performance), with Coughenour earning top scores in all but “demeanor and temperament”; Simon Barnhart was deemed best in the category with a 2.94 score, with Coughenour second at 2.72.

A total of 65 surveys were provided to the dues paying members of the Clallam County Bar Association, with 40 surveys were returned. Eight surveys were returned incomplete and disregarded, leaving a total of 32 surveys counted. Bar association president Kristina Nelson-Gross, association president-elect Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin and association member Rob Tulloch tabulated the responses.

Scores are as follows:

Judgment and objectivity — Brian Coughenour 3.00; Simon Barnhart 2.84; Harry Gasnick 2.38; Dave Neupert 2.09; Tim Davis 2.00; John Hayden 2.00

Demeanor and temperament — Barnhart 2.94; Coughenour 2.72; Gasnick 2.34; Davis 2.06; Neupert 2.06; Hayden 2.03

Competence, experience and legal ability — Coughenour 3.25; Gasnick 2.66; Barnhart 2.63; Neupert 2.41; Hayden 2.31; Davis 1.84

Overall performance — Coughenour 3.03; Barnhart 2.81; Gasnick 2.50; Neupert 2.16; Hayden 2.13; Davis 2.06.