Almost All of Lewis County’s Cities Will Have Contested City Council Races in General Election

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The annual week-long general election frenzy known as filing week is over, with a number of changes to races in the last two days.

A trio of new candidate filings on Thursday ensured there will be at least two primary campaigns this summer for seats on the Centralia City Council.

Matt Evans and John Ver Valen have filed to run for the at-large council position set to be vacated by Joyce Barnes, who is not seeking reelection. They joined Elizabeth Cameron and Steven Hubbard as candidates for council position 1.

On Thursday, Kurtis Engle filed paperwork to challenge incumbent Lee Coumbs for his at-large council position 2, and on Friday, Kelly Smith Johnston entered the race as well. Coumbs, who currently serves as Mayor of Centralia, will also face a primary challenge from former councilor Ron Greenwood.

Peter Abbarno will run unopposed to keep his place on council position 3.

Any race for public office with three or more candidates registered through the Lewis County Auditor’s Office will be subject to a primary ballot on Aug. 6, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election scheduled for Nov. 5. As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, the races for Pe Ell Council Position No. 5, Lewis County Hospital District Nos. 1 and 5 will also have enough candidates to warrant a primary campaign.

In Chehalis, Les Owen filed Thursday morning to run for the district 3  seat currently held by former mayor Anthony Ketchum, who had not yet filed to run for reelection at that point. However by Friday Ketchum filed for reelection and Owen withdrew.

Ketchum, Evans, Ver Valen and Engle were unable to be reached for comment.

In Chehalis’ district 1, Jerry Lord filed Friday to challenge Terry Harris.



Daryl Lund, in district 2, will run unopposed.

For the Port of Centralia’s commissioner district 2, former Centralia mayor Bonnie Canaday has filed to unseat incumbent Julie Shaffley.

As of the end of filing week, at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, a total of 170 candidates had filed. The cities of Morton, Napavine, Pe Ell, Toledo, Vader and Winlock will all have contested city council races.

Centralia School District will also have three contested races, two of which meet the threshold to appear on the primary ballot.

For a full list of candidates who have filed, go to https://weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/elections/Candidates/WhoFiled?countyCode=le.

The Lewis County Auditor’s Office announced Friday afternoon that it would have a special three day filing period for several positions that had no candidates yet. 

Those positions include races in five school districts, five fire districts, seven cemetery districts and three water-sewer districts. 

If no one files after the additional three-day period, the positions will be stricken from the ballot and incumbents will remain in office until the next general election.