OKANOGAN — The regular filing week for the upcoming Aug. 1 primary elections ended last Friday and there are several local offices with multiple candidates.
In Tonasket, incumbent mayor Patrick Plumb faces a challenge from Dennis Brown, who currently sits on the council. This is for a four-year term. For Council Position 1, Christa (Teagan) Levine has filed and for Council Position 3, incumbant Jill Ritter has filed. Both candidates will serve four-year terms.
Oroville city government will have a familiar look with incumbent Jon Neal filing for mayor and incumbents Ed Naillon and Anthony “Tony” Koepke seeking returns to their council seats in Position 1 and Position 2, respectively. Naillon will serve a four-year short and full term, while Koepke will serve another four-year term. Robert Fuchs, who has sought office in the past, has filed for Council Position 5, a two-year unexpired term.
Tonasket School District has several candidates who filed for the three open positions on the board. Sharron M. Cox and Kent Clark seek Director District 1, a four-year term. Robert P. Wilson, Clint Duchow, Michael Turnington and Jeff Yeckel, all seek Director District 2, a two-year term. Rene Maldonado, Ernesto Cerrillo and Allen Godwin wish to be elected to Director District 4, a four-year term.
Oroville School District has all incumbents running for reelection as school directors. Kolo Moser seeks Director District 2, a four-year term; Travis Loudon, Director District 3, a four-year term and Mike Egerton, Director District 4 At Large, a four-year term.
North Valley Hospital District (District 4) has two candidates who would like to serve in Commissioner Position 2, a six-year term. Incumbent Clarice Nelson is seeking reelection and Jerry Bradley, also from Tonasket, seeks this commissioner’s seat on the board. There are three candidates for Commissioner Position 4 At Large, a six-year term. They are current board chairperson Helen Casey, as well as Jean Pfeifer and Marylou Kriner. For Commissioner Position 5 At Large, Incumbent Adam Tibbs from Oroville will face off against Matthew “Matt” Alexander from Tonasket for a two-year unexpired term.
Rick Massey is running for Tonasket Parks and Recreation District Commissioner Position 1, a two-year unexpired term. Stacey Kester is running for Commissioner Position 4 and David Stangland for Commissioner Position 5, both four-year terms.
There are also challengers for the two Legislative District 7 positions that are up for election. Longtime State Representative Shelly Short (R-Addy, WA) will face challenger Karen Hardy (D-Valley, WA) for Position 1 in the upcoming August elections and recent Senate appointee Jacquelin Maycumber (R-Colville, WA) will duel it out with Susan Swanson (D-Omak, WA) for the state Senate seat.
A special three-day filing period was held by the Okanogan County Auditor for offices which did not get candidates, none of which were for offices in the Oroville and Tonasket area.
