NORTH COUNTY – Four incumbents and four challengers might be the ones to watch in local north county races as the ballots where slipped into peoples mailboxes last week.

This Nov. 2 voters in Oroville are asked to choose between longtime mayor and former city councilman C.H. “Chuck” Spieth or newcomer Chris Allen. There are also two city council seats up for election and each has someone jockeying for that position. Russell W. Rounds filed for Council Position 1, against incumbent Jon R. Neal and Paul E. Brochard filed for Council Position 2 against incumbent Anthony “Tony” Koepke. The mayor and council positions all have four-year terms.

Incumbents on the North Valley Hospital Board also find themselves facing challengers. Rosa Snider, a vocal critic of the closing of the Assisted Living facility is going up against longtime hospital commissioner Dick Larson for Position 1. Teresa Hughes is also seeking the Position 5 seat of Lael Duncan and will meet in the November election. Both positions are for six-year terms.

In Tonasket it’s a walk in the park for the four incumbents looking for a return to city government positions. Mayor Patrick Plumb, Position 1 Councilman Dennis Brown, Position 3 Councilwoman Jill Vugteveen and Position 4 Councilwoman Jean E. Ramsey will all be returned to office. Claire Jeffko, a recent appointee, is running for Council Position 5. This marks a return of the Jeffko name to the council as her late husband Ed was a councilman for a number of years. However, the seats are changing somewhat with Brown and Vugteveen running for four year terms and Ramsey and Jeffko running for two-year unexpired terms.

Two members who have served on the Tonasket School Board for several years filed for four-year extensions – Lloyd E. Caton Jr. for Director Position 1 and Ernesto Cerrillo for Director Position 4.

For Oroville School Board Todd Hill wants a return to Director Position 1 for the two-year unexpired term and Travis Loudon for Director Position 4 for a full four-year term. No one filed for the seat vacated by David Nutt who moved from the area. A volunteer has yet to come forward to fill the open position.

In the Seventh District Legislature, recently appointed Senator John Smith of Colville has two challengers for a one-year unexpired term. Fellow Republicans Mike Brunson of Springdale and Brian Dansel of Republic also want the office.