With the filing week for local offices coming to a close Friday afternoon, Chehalis voters will have a choice between two familiar faces.
Susan Gonzales, a teacher and founder of the Chehalis Tea Party, filed to run against Chehalis City Councilor Daryl Lund in his bid for another four-year term.
On the Chehalis School Board, newcomers Brian Roberts and John Haworth will face off to replace retiring Christine Langford.
Those two races, plus a face off between challenger Ken Kostick and incumbent Judy DeVaul for the Chehalis Port District, are the only contested races in the Twin Cities this year.
That's not the same story in other parts of greater Lewis County on an active Friday.
Onalaska voters will have three choices in Novembers for the school board. Incumbent Bird Stanley will face challenger David Sherman, incumbent Kevin Ritchey will face challenger Clarence Lupo and incumbent Tom Blair is running against challenger Patrick Roden.
In Pe Ell, Mayor Spencer Nichols has a challenge from John Penberth, who is running to take back his old seat as mayor. On Friday, Chris Phelps filed to run against fellow challenger to replace the retiring Jerry Bryant on the Pe Ell City Council. Also, on the Pe Ell School Board, two challengers, Roben McAllister and Jeff Duncan, filed for the open position left by the retiring Dale MacCalden.
In Winlock, two contested city council races and one school board race emerged on the final filing day. Ron Heikkila filed to keep his seat on the Winlock City Council, and he'll face Don Bradshaw, a former Winlock mayor who lost a city council races two years ago to Carol Becker. Challenger Scott Weinert filed yesterday against incumbent Dean Whorton for the Winlock School Board.
In Morton, Bruce Coburn forced a primary by becoming the third candidate to enter the race to replace City Councilor Ronda Smith, following Tony Sparozic and Mark Otto. Voters will have a choice in another council race after Paulette Redick filed to face fellow chalenger Jack Hope.
In Oakville, Diana Redecker is challenging incumbent Steve Mittge for his seat on the school board, and two challengers, Lisa Norskog and Missy Bruce, will face off to replace the seat vacated by Tamara Ruymann.
In Bucoda, Town Councilor Kay Hughes filed Friday to keep her seat, where she'll face challengers Paul Davis and Aurora Lopez.
In Rochester, incumbent Michael Thomas will face challenger Gary Nelson for his seat on Thurston County Fire District 1.
Rounding out the contested races determined Friday, Mary Kay Nelson will face a challenge from Robert Fay for her seat on the Adna School Board, and Toledo City Councilor Brett Martin will face challenger Bert Morey.
The primary election in this all-mail ballot will be held Aug. 21, and the general election is Nov. 6.
Here are other candidates who filed Friday:
Donald Powell, Morton School District position three
Curtis Spahn, Mossyrock School District position four
Chris Cucchiara, Mossyrock School District position five
William Moore, Toledo School District position two
Les Clauson, Centralia City Council position one at large
Tony Ketchum, Chehalis City Council position three
Jamie Fike, Mossyrock mayor
Carol Johnson, Winlock City Council position three
James Pea, Lewis County Cemetery District 9 position two
Rob Snaza, Lewis County Fire District 5 position two
Maurene Stubbins, Rochester School District position four
Myron White III, Tenino School District position four
Erik Olson covers county government and environmental affairs for The Chronicle. He may be reached at 807-8239, or by e-mail at eolson@chronline.com. Check out his "County Chat" blog at www.chronline.com under Newsroom Blogs.
More Candidates Wanted
By The Chronicle
The Lewis County Auditor's Office is holding a three-day filing period for all offices that saw no candidates file this week.
Anyone interested in the vacant offices can come to the auditor's office in the old courthouse in Chehalis and file. If no one files for a seat, the incumbent will stay in the position until the next election for the office.
The vacant offices are:
Mossyrock City Council position 5
Napavine City Council positions 1,5
Evaline School District position 5
Morton School District positions 1,2
Napavine School District position 1
Pe Ell School District position 3
Toledo School District position 4
Vader School District 1,2,3
Lewis County Fire District 9 (Mineral) postion 2
Lewis County Fire District 17 (Big Creek/ Mineral) position 1,2,3
Lewis County
Cemetery Districts
Mossyrock/ Salkum positions 1,2,3
Doty/ Dryad positions 1, 3
Glenoma/ Packwood/ Randle positions 1,2
Toledo position 1
Onalaska positions 1,2,3
Toledo positions 1,2,3
Napavine positions 1,3
Mineral positions 1,3
Lewis County
Water-Sewer Districts
Randle positions 1,2,3
Onalaska positions 1,2
Chehalis position 2
North Onalaska positions 1,2,3
