Candidates begin filing for election

Candidates have begun filing for 2020 elections; the regular filing period ends tomorrow (Friday).

Wahkiakum County positions on the ballot include County Commissioner #1, County Commissioner #2, Wahkiakum PUD Commissioner #1, and all Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) positions for both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Also on the ballot are District 19 senator and representatives, US House of Representatives, Pacific/Wahkiakum Superior Court, and state Supreme Court.

As of Tuesday, filings included:

County Commissioner #1, Mike Backman, incumbent, Independent, and Lee Tischer, Independent. Backman is running for his third term, and Tischer is a present member of the board of commissioners of Wahkiakum Port District 2 and a former member of the Wahkiakum School District board of directors.

County Commissioner #2, Dan Cothren, incumbent, Independent.

Wahkiakum PUD Commissioner #1, Gene Healy, incumbent, non-partisan.

US House of Representatives: Jamie Herrera Beutler, incumbent, Republican; Carolyn Long, Democrat; Martin Hash, no party preference.

District 19 state senator: Dean Takko, incumbent, Democrat; Jeff Wilson, Republican.

District 19 representative, position 1: Clint Bryson, Democrat; Marianna Everson, Democrat.

District 19 representative, position 2: Brian E. Blake, incumbent, Democrat.

Pacific/Wahkiakum Superior Court: Donald J. Richter, incumbent, non-partisan.

State Supreme Court, position 3: Raquel Montoya-Lewis, incumbent, no-partisan.

State Supreme Court, position 4: Charles W. Johnson, incumbent, no-partisan.

State Supreme Court, position 6: G. Helen Whitener, incumbent, no-partisan.

State Supreme Court, position 7: Debra L. Stephens, incumbent, no-partisan.

PCO, Grays River precinct: Steve Puddicombe.

Individuals who filed online Monday and Tuesday to run for precinct committee officer (PCO) positions are asked to re-file their candidacies by 4 p.m. Friday, May 15. The Office of the Secretary of State contacted PCO candidates on Tuesday with instructions for resubmitting their filing.

The request applies only to PCO candidates who filed online.

An update to the online filing portal was made Tuesday, requiring candidates attest they belong to the political party for which the PCO position is affiliated with. The original filing system required the candidate to choose a party, but did not provide the requirement for PCO candidates to declare membership with the appropriate political party.

This change only applies to candidates for the office of precinct committee officer; no other offices are affected.

This issue was brought to the attention of the Secretary of State’s Office by the Washington State Democratic Party.

PCO candidates with questions should send an email to elections@sos.wa.gov or call (360) 902-4180.

For additional information about candidate filings, visit sos.wa.gov/elections/candidates/online-candidate-filing.aspx.