Halfway through candidate filing week, 73 candidates have filed to run for 69 positions in Lewis County.
As of mid-day Wednesday, only four positions of the more than 100 up for election had registered candidates running against each other. Sixty-two candidates are currently unopposed.
On Monday, the District 2 seat for the Port of Centralia was the only contested race; however, local school district races are now shaping up with opposing candidates running for Position 2 in both the Mossyrock and Winlock school districts and the Position 3 school board position in the Evaline School District.
In the Mossyrock race, newcomer Peggy Cuddie will take on incumbent Benjamin William Callies. The Mossyrock School District had a rough time during the spring special election when their new levy proposal failed to pass by a handful of votes, meaning the district’s current levy funding will expire before a new one can be passed.
In the Winlock School District, which successfully passed a new funding levy by two-vote margin, two challengers have materialized as the incumbent has yet to register. The registration of the two new candidates, Jarryd Forler and Stevie Bennett, could lead to a three-way race if incumbent Duane Bryant hopes to hold onto his seat.
Michael Porter, the president of the Evaline School District board, is registered to run for re-election and face off against challenger Jamie Moran.
Three members of the Centralia School Board, Deb Parnham, Cameron McGee and Tim Browning, have registered to run for reelection.
Three candidates have also registered to run for positions on the Chehalis School Board with incumbent Kelsi Hamilton running for the District 4 seat and newcomer Katrina Meier running for Hamilton’s old District 3 seat. Lance Tornow is registered to run for the District 2 seat, possibly challenging incumbent Larry Petersen.
Thirty-one candidates have registered to run for school board seats in Lewis County with 18 registered to run for positions in their city government, 12 running for fire district positions and five running for roles with their local cemetery districts.
Filing for the fall election is open until 5 p.m. Friday, May 9. The primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with the general election set for Tuesday, Nov. 4. The top two candidates from each race in the primary will move on to the general election.
Lewis County resident who would like to run for election for a local government position can register through the Lewis County Auditor’s Office Elections Department. The filling period is open until 5 p.m. Friday, May 9.
Candidates can file by mail, online or in person at the elections department office in the Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis. To be eligible for office, a resident must be registered to vote in the relevant voting district, meet residency requirements and pay a filing fee.
Registration by mail must be received by the Lewis County Elections Department by May 9 at 5 p.m.
The list of positions up for election this year is available through the Lewis County Auditor’s Office website or at https://tinyurl.com/5cb27j83. Candidates who have already registered can also be viewed through the Lewis County Auditor’s Office website at https://tinyurl.com/3b2hprxr.
