A commissioner for the Port of Centralia and a longtime resident of Lewis County have each filed to challenge Sean Swope for a seat on the Board of Lewis County County Commissioners.
On Monday, Port Commissioner Peter Lahmann filed to represent District 1 as a Republican, while warehouse worker Damian Bean filed as a Democrat. Swope, the Republican incumbent, also filed for reelection.
The formal filings with the Secretary of State’s office came on the first day of filing week when interested residents can declare for more than 400 federal, state, judicial, legislative, county and other offices. This year’s ballot will include all statewide offices, all congressional seats, a seat in the U.S. Senate and a majority of the seats in the Washington Legislature.
Candidate filing week will run through 5 p.m. on May 10. The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5. A top-two primary will be held on Aug. 6 to decide which two candidates advance to the general election in each race with three or more candidates.
Swope currently represents District 1, which encompasses much of Centralia and north Lewis County, and his is one of two commissioner seats that
will appear on the November ballot.
In races with three or more candidates, the slate will be whittled down to two in the August primary.
In District 2, which covers large swaths of south and west county, incumbent Lindsey Pollock, a Republican, filed on Monday. She also drew a challenger. Christina Riley, a Republican, formally filed her registration paperwork Monday. Riley has publicly declared her candidacy for the position.
First elected as a Port of Centralia commissioner in 2017, Lahmann touted his experience in serving Lewis County residents in a brief phone interview Monday. Lahmann was reelected to a second six-year term as a port commissioner last year.
“We have a lot of issues … just a variety of issues, and I think I can be helpful,” Lahmann said.
Bean, the sole Democrat to register as of Monday, said he would work to put “people above party” if elected to the board.
“I think at the county level we need to focus on the issues that actually affect our community, not culture war talking points,” Bean said.
While serving on the board, Swope said commissioners have “achieved significant milestones in public safety for the people of Lewis County” and said he would work to continue the momentum.
“It’s been a privilege collaborating with local and state leaders to create opportunities that will lead to generational wealth for all residents of Lewis County. We’re all feeling the impact of inflation while buying groceries, filling up our vehicles at the gas pump, and with the influx of new state taxes on the horizon,” Swope said Monday. “We’re doing everything we can to attract businesses to our county which in turn will lead to additional skilled job opportunities. In the next four years, our focus will be on prioritizing public safety, driving strategic economic growth, and ensuring housing opportunities for everyone.”
In the state Legislature, all three incumbents from the 19th District — Reps. Joel McEntire and Jim Walsh and Sen. Jeff Wilson — have filed for reelection. As of noon Monday, the trio of legislators do not face challengers.
In the 20th district, incumbents Sen. John Braun and Reps. Ed Orcutt and Peter Abbarno, all Republicans, filed for reelection Monday. Abbarno has one registered opponent, Melvin Kaleolani Apana, who identifies as a “Cultural Republican.”
Incumbents J. Andrew Toynbee and Joely Yeager have filed for reelection as Lewis County Superior Court judges.
Two candidates — Jilona Speer and Dave Fenn — have filed to run for Lewis County Public Utility District commissioner. As of noon on Monday, incumbent Ed Rothlin had not filed for reelection.
As expected, Third Congressional District incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, has drawn two Republican competitors — Joe Kent and Leslie Lewallen.
To see up-to-date filings, visit https://tinyurl.com/2s3p7a79, where users can see which candidates are running in each county and in each race.
To file by the Friday, May 10, deadline, candidates in Lewis County can go to https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/candidate-filing-information and select “online candidate filing.” Candidates can also file in person at the Lewis County Auditor’s Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The auditor’s office is located on the second floor of the historic courthouse at 351 NW North St. in Chehalis.
To withdraw, a signed request must be received by Monday, May 13, at 4:30 p.m. Filing fees are not refundable.
The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5. A top-two primary will be held on Aug. 6 to decide which two candidates advance to the general election in each race with three or more candidates.
For information specific to Lewis County, visit https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/.
Look for updates on candidate filing each day after 5 p.m. at chronline.com through May 10.
