Contested races following candidate filings

NEWPORT — Most of the offices up for election this year are unchallenged as of the close of the candidate filing period Friday, May 9, but there are some contested races, including one with three candidates who will be in the Primary Election.

Incumbent Tara Leininger filed for another term as Metaline Falls mayor. Also seeking the Metaline Falls mayor position are Walter Minsal and Sherice McAnerin.

The only county-wide position up for election is for Port of Pend Oreille Commissioner, position 1. Kim Gentle is unopposed for that position.

There are two races for positions on the Cusick Town Council. In the race for the Cusick Town Council, position 1, incumbent Afton Servas is being challenged by former council member Everett Alford. Hayden Taylor and Jon W. Adams are running for position 5.

Another former council member, Ken Timmerick, is seeking a return to the Ione Town Council. He will face Cory McNeal for position 5.

In Newport, Nathan Weathers and John Spring are running for city council position 1.

In the Riverside School District, which extends into Pend Oreille County, Gary Vanderholm and Sarah Ramsden are running for the school director No. 1 position.

There is a contested race for fire commissioner in Fire District 4, with Alan Thompson and JoAnne Boggs running for position 3.

Ione will have a new mayor, with Dan Nutt running unopposed. In Newport, Keith Campbell is running for another term as mayor. He is also unopposed, as are Pete Daggett, who is seeking another term as Metaline’s mayor, and Tina Alford, who is running to continue as mayor of Cusick.

Donna Dana is running unopposed for Cusick Town Council position 2.

Kenneth J. Weiss, Paula Sterba and Cindy Smith are running unopposed for Ione Town Council positions 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

Alicia Seaney, Janet Sullivan and Tim Terrill are running unopposed for Metaline town council positions 1, 2 and 4 respectively.

Fran Maxwell and Blake McAnernin are running unopposed for Metaline Falls town council positions 1 and 4 respectively.

In Newport, Elizabeth Spring and Jami Sears are running unopposed for positions 2 and 3 respectively.

None of the Pend Oreille County No. 1 Hospital District positions are opposed.

Susan M. Johnson (Public Hospital District No. 1, position 4) and Becky Walrath (Public Hospital District No. 1, position 5) are unopposed.

Public Hospital District No. 2, in the north county, has one commissioner seat for which nobody filed, commissioner 3.

Most fire district commissioner positions are unopposed.

James F. Mundy Jr. (Fire District 2, position 3), Jay Foster (Fire District 5, position 2), Lee Kasper (Fire District 5, position 3), Randall Miller (South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue, position 3), Forest Ownbery (South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue, position 4) and Larry Hiebert (South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue, position 5) are all running unopposed.

Most school board director candidates are also unopposed.

Rick Hughes (Newport School District, position 1), Larry Sauer (Newport School District, position 2), Paul Edgren (Cusick School District, position 1), Mark Cutshall (Cusick School District, position 3), Jason Lyon (Cusick School District, position 5), Ryan Kiss (Selkirk School District, position 1), Jeremy Bonaker (Selkirk School District, position 2) and Rennie Pelkie (Selkirk School District, at large position 2).

In addition to Riverside School District, school districts that extend into Pend Oreille County include Loon Lake School District and Deer Park School District. They also have unopposed candidates.

Joline Dixon (Loon Lake School District, position 1), Thomas Atar (Loon Lake School District, position 3), Fred Brown, (Loon Lake School District, position 4), Rhonda Dormier (Loon Lake School District, position 5), ReBecca Fouts (Deer Park School District, position 2), Lindsay Lofstrom (Deer Park School District, position 3) and Alicia Ordaz (Riverside School District, position 5) are all running unopposed.

Jeff Martin (Lenora Water and Sewer District, commissioner position 2), Jeff Jurgensen (Ponderary Shores Water and Sewer District, commissioner position 1) and Sheila A. Reed (Chippewa Water and Sewer District, commissioner position 3) are all running unopposed.

There are several positions for which nobody filed. That’s not that unusual, said Liz Krizenesky, Pend Oreille County Elections manager. There will be a special three-day filing period, likely in August, for those positions, she said.

Positions up for election for which candidates filed as include position 2 on the Metaline Falls town council, position 3 on the Public Hospital District No. 2, in the north county, along with commissioners for Cemetery Districts 1 and 2. Water and Sewer Districts commissioners that have one commissioner position up for election include Diamond Lake, Lenora and Chippewa. The Sacheen Lake Water and Sewer District has two commissioner seats up for election.

The races are all non-partisan. Most of the positions are for four- and six-year terms, although some are for unexpired two-year terms.

The Port of Pend Oreille commissioner position and the Public Hospital District No. 1 positions are for six-year terms, as are all but one of the fire district commissioner positions. The Fire District 5, commissioner position 2 is for an unexpired two-year term.

The water and sewer district commissioner positions are also for sixyear terms, except for the Lenora Water and Sewer District, commissioner position 2.

Most mayor and city and town council races are for four-year terms, as are most school district races.