With just hours to go until the end of filing week Friday, 136 candidates had filed for 100 offices that will be on the ballot of Lewis County voters in the November general election.
(These numbers have grown since The Chronicle's print deadline. See updated filings here: https://bit.ly/3bLmLn4)
School board, city council and port commissions are among the races, with the top two candidates in the August primary automatically advancing.
Along with the news of who has filed, there were also developments concerning office-holders who will not seek to retin their seats.
Centralia Mayor Susan Luond said Thursday she will not pursue a second full term on the Centralia City Council, citing the large time commitment the position requires.
“I knew a year ago that — maybe longer than that — that this was very time consuming. And I have a very, very busy life and it was requiring a little more time than I could give it,” Luond told The Chronicle over the phone. “But I’ve enjoyed it, as far as getting a birds-eye view of the government and learning how a city runs. It’s been worth my time.”
Councilor Mark Westley, whose seat is also up for reelection this year, filed earlier this week to run for Luond’s open seat representing council district No. 4.
The mayor is chosen by the city council in Centralia, so he would not be getting that title unless he’s appointed later.
Westley’s at-large seat, which he was appointed to earlier this year, has attracted the attention of candidates Blake Rasmussen, Steven Hubbard and Leah Daarud, secretary of the Lewis County Young Republicans group, thus far, according to filings on the Secretary of State’s website.
Luond said she plans on supporting Westley’s lateral move.
“Mark is just a very bright, bright man,” she said of the Adna High School teacher. “His questions that he asks the people are so right on target. They’re the questions you want people to ask … He’s going to be an excellent replacement for me. He’s going to outshine me a hundred to one.”
Luond was appointed to her position in August 2017 after the resignation of former Mayor Bonnie Canaday. She won the following November election as the only candidate.
In January 2020, Luond was appointed mayor with a majority five votes.
As mayor, she said she often represents the city at external meetings with other organizations and municipalities. She also presides over council and its business, and noted she quickly learned how time consuming the position can be.
She’s a heavily involved grandparent to two, and with their Little League games, Luond realized it was growing increasingly difficult to give the position of mayor 100%.
“I love doing yard work, and another thing is that I’m not a real big public person,” she said.
One of her highlights of working for the Centralia voters and the city has been getting to know city staff and their broad knowledge of expertise.
“I knew who some of them were, but I’ve gotten to know them and work with them on certain projects and I feel like we’re very fortunate,” Luond said. “I think the city of Centralia right now, here in time, is really fortunate because we have a really, really good group of people working for the city … We’re just really, really lucky,”
As for the next mayor, Luond said she’s not completely sure who will be chosen to assume the role. Five of the Centralia council’s seven seats are up for reelection this year, and as filing week wraps up Friday, there’s the possibility for substantial turnover.
And races are starting to take shape. A dozen candidates as of Friday morning had filed to run for open seats on the council, with nearly every seat contested.
Incumbent Cameron McGee has found two challengers in Lisa Striedinger and Chelle Wilder in his bid to retain his seat representing district No. 1.
Sarah Althauser, vice president of the Centralia Downtown Association’s board, has entered the race for first-term incumbent Rebecca Staebler’s seat representing district No. 2.
“I have learned so much these past four years about how our city functions, including during a pandemic,” Staebler said in a statement to The Chronicle submitted Thursday announcing her bid to keep her seat. “I’m eager to continue the work of making Centralia the best little city in Washington.”
Max Vogt, the incumbent currently representing district No. 3, has found challengers in Rhoda Angove, a manager at a local family clinic, and activist Kurtis Engle.
Filing week for candidates looking to hold public office closed 4 p.m. on Friday, according to the Lewis County Auditor’s Office. The deadline to withdraw from the 2021 primary and general elections is 4:30 p.m. Monday, May 24.
The following is a list of Lewis County candidates that had registered by noon Friday. An updated list can be found online at https://bit.ly/3wemyR2.
Judicial
• Bernard F. Veljacic, court of appeals, division 2, district No. 3
Port of Centralia Commission
• Kyle Markstrom, commissioner district No. 1
• Paul Crowner, commissioner district No. 1
• Mark Giffey, commissioner district No. 1
• Paul Ericson, commissioner district No. 2
• Fred W. Rider, commissioner district No. 2
Centralia City Council
• Blake Rasmussen, at-large council position 3
• Steven A. Hubbard, at-large council position 3
• Leah Daarud, at-large council position 3
• Cameron McGee, council district No. 1
• Chelle Wilder, council district No. 1
• Lisa Striedinger, council district No. 1
• Sarah Althauser, council district No. 2
• Rebecca Staebler, council district No. 2
• Max Vogt, council district No. 3
• Rhoda Angove, council district No. 3
• Kurtis Engle, council district No. 3
• Mark “Wes” Westley, council district No. 4
Chehalis City Council
• Terry F. Harris, at-large council position 1
• Kate Olson, at-large council position 1
• Mike Bannan, at-large council position 2
• Bob Spahr, at-large council position 3
Morton City Council
• Jaime Fleming, council position No. 2
• Aubrey Grantham, council position No. 2
• Richard Vanderlip, council position No. 3
• Jeanette Chamberlain, council position No. 5
• Wendy McCully, council position No. 5
• Caro Johnson, council position No. 5
Napavine City Council
• Larry D. Stafford, council position No. 2
• Heather Stewart, council position No. 4
Pe Ell Town Council
• Mike Nichols, council position No. 1
• Kerry “Mac” McRoberts, council position No. 2
• Jilona Speer, council position No. 3
Toledo City Council
• Emily Morgan, council position No. 1
• Eric Hayes, council position No. 2
• Michelle “Shelley” Thomas, council position No. 3
• Gary Reboin, council position No. 5
Vader City Council
• Judi Costello, mayor
• Tom Shows, mayor
• Samantha Lovelady, mayor
• Marie Anne MacIntosh, council position No. 1
• Donna Rogers, council position No. 1
• Jason Rayfield, council position No. 1
• Jason Dailey, council position No. 2
• Randy Hall, council position No. 3
Winlock City Council
• Brandon Svenson, mayor
• Marty A. Poirrier II, council position No. 1
• Jeramy Allman, council position No. 4
• Lindsey Alvorr, council position No. 5
Adna School District
• Jennifer Collins, director district No. 4
Boistfort School Board
• Ruth Peterson, director district No. 3
Castlerock School Board
• Vilas E. Sundberg, director district No. 1
• Ray Teter, director district No. 2
• Henry Karnofski, director district No. 3
• Jeff Myers, at-large director position 5
• Todd Jansen, at-large director position 5
Centralia School Board
• Ron Averill, director position 1
• Audra Messegee-Evans, director position 1
• Tim Browning, director position 5
Chehalis School Board
• Alan R. Browning, director district No. 2
• Vicki Daniels, director district No. 3
• Kelsi Hamilton, director district No. 3
• Colleen State, director district No. 4
• Maryanna Kruse, director district No. 4
Evaline School Board
• Jamie Moran, director district No. 3
• Michael Porter, director district No. 4
Morton School Board
• Clint Scogin, at-large director position 5
Mossyrock School Board
• Tanissa Lovan, director district No. 3
• Frank Swenson, director district No. 3
Napavine School Board
• Justin Evander, director district No. 2
• Brad Woodrum, at-large director position 4
Oakville School Board
• Kelsey Blake, director district No. 2
• John Shortman Jr., director district No. 3
• Jennifer Tushka, director district No. 1
Onalaska School Board
• Heidi Howard, director district No. 3
• Mary Glenn, at-large director position 5
• Steve Legg, at-large director position 5
Pe Ell School Board
• Byran King, director district No. 2
• Chad M. Burnett, director district No. 2
Rochester School Board
• Michael Langer, director district No. 1
• Curtis Haley, director district No. 5
• Mark Weaver, director district No. 5
Toledo School Board
• Heidi Buswell, director district No. 1
• Jerad Buswell, director district No. 3
• Brad Dykstra, director district No. 5
White Pass School Board
• Joel McMahan, director district No. 3
• Sandra Freitas, director district No. 4
• Heather Lynn Muir, director district No. 5
Winlock School Board
• Duane Bryant, director district No. 2
• Brandon Patching, director district No. 5
Fire District 1 – Onalaska
• Tim Miles, commissioner position No. 1
• Carolyn “Carol” Brock, commissioner position No. 2
Fire District 2 – Toledo
• William Moore, commissioner position No. 1
Fire District 4 – Morton
• George Harbaugh, commissioner position No. 1
Fire District 5 – Napavine
• Sandra J. White, commission position No. 1
Fire District 6 – Chehalis
• Jim Forbes, commissioner position No. 1
• Colin Mason, commissioner position No. 1
• Anthony Mixer, commissioner position No. 1
• Brandon Emery-Martin, commissioner position No. 1
Fire District 8 – Salkum-Silver Creek
• Rick Wood, commission position No. 1
Fire District 9 – Mineral
• Kurt Roehm, commissioner position No. 2
Fire District 10 – Packwood
• Jon Anderson, commissioner position No. 4
Fire District 16 – Doty-Dryad
• Bill Bush, commissioner position No. 1
Fire District 17 – Big Creek-Mineral
• Dennis A. Day, commissioner position No. 1
• Thomas O’Haver, commissioner position No. 3
Fire District 18 – Glenoma
• William Edward Lauth, commissioner position No. 1
Fire District 20 – Cowlitz-Lewis
• Paul Jensen, commissioner position No. 1
Riverside Fire Authority
• Joseph Dolezal, commissioner position No. 1
• Mike Tomasheck, commissioner position No. 3
Cemetery District 1 – Winlock
• Wayne Mummert, commissioner position No. 1
Cemetery District 2 – Mossyrock-Salkum
• Richard Fitzhugh, commissioner position No. 1
Cemetery District 6 – Onalaska
• Jeanne Hall, commissioner position No. 1
• Barry Griel, commissioner position No. 3
Cemetery District 7 – Toledo
• Jake Morgan, commissioner position No. 1
• Kathy Brack, commissioner position No. 2
Cemetery District 8 – Vader
• Dan McFarling, commissioner position No. 1
Hospital District No. 1
• Chris Schumaker, commissioner district No. 1
• Kim Olive, commissioner district No. 2
• Craig A. Coppock, commissioner district No. 3
• Van Anderson, at-large commissioner position 4
• Laura Richardson, at-large commissioner position 4
Water-Sewer District 3 – Packwood
• Donna L. Rowe-Breidenstein, commissioner position No. 1
• Maree E. Lerchen, commission position No. 1
• Randy Crawford, commissioner position No. 2
Water-Sewer District 4 – Chehalis
• Kyle McKerricher, commissioner position No 1.
Water-Sewer District 6 – Lake Mayfield
• Scott A. Moore, commissioner position No. 1
