Filing for county and judicial offices opens next week

By Gazette-Tribune • May 5, 2020 7:58 am

OKANOGAN – Those wishing to file for the two Okanogan County Commissioner Positions, a PUD Commissioner Position or one of two Superior Court Judge positions, have from May 11 to May 15 to do so, according to Okanogan County Elections Administrator Jamie Groomes.

Elections-Vote-ButtonFiling week is next week, Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 15, 2020. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Auditor’s Office. (RCW 29A.24.050, RCW 29A.20.200). Online filing is from 9 a.m. on Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 15, 2020 at 4 p.m. on Friday. Candidates can now pay filing fees online, said Groomes.

Offices Up For Election In 2020:

Okanogan County Commissioner District 1 is up for election for a four-year-term. The current commissioner is incumbent Chris Branch. Commissioner District 2 is up for election for a four-year-term. The current commissioner is incumbent Andy Hover. The filing fee for either commissioner position is $684.

Both Okanogan County Superior Court Judge Positions are also up for election in the upcoming General Election. Superior Court Judge, Position 1, is currently held by Hank Rawson and Superior Court Judge, Position 2, is currently held by Chris Culp. Both are for four-year terms and the filing fee is $1,909.85. Judge Culp has already indicated he will seek a return to the bench as Superior Court Judge.

PUD Commissioner District #1, for a six-year term is also up for election. The incumbent is Scott Verjaska. The filing fee is $142.17

In addition, all 224 Precinct Committee Officer spots are up for election. The term of office is two years and there is no filing fee.

All Declaration of Candidacy Forms must be in the Auditors Office by 4:30 p.m., May 15, 2020. Declaration of Candidacy Forms for Offices that are statewide or involve more than one county, are filed with the Secretary of State in Olympia.

For more State candidate filing information go to the Secretary of State web site www.sos.wa.gov.

Candidates this year can complete the Declaration of Candidacy form in a number of different ways.

• Complete the paper Declaration of Candidacy form and pay the filing fee in the Auditors Office. This is the way filing has been done in the past.

• Come into the office and complete the Declaration of Candidacy form in the Auditors Office on a kiosk and pay the filing fee.

• Complete the Declaration of Candidacy form on line from your home computer and pay the filing fee online or in person at the Auditor’s Office.

Candidates wishing to complete their Declaration of Candidacy from home will go to www.votewa.gov and follow the directions.

Since Precinct Committee Officers do not have filing fee, filing from home will be easy and quick.

“We encourage all Candidates to file and pay filing fees on line as this is available for the first time this year,” said Groomes. “Candidates, except Precinct Committee Officers, will also be given the opportunity to submit a statement and picture to appear in the online voter guide.”

To see the guide and other information about elected officials who represent you, go to votewa.gov and enter your name and birthdate, encourages the auditor’s office.