Sheldon to seek third term as Mason County commissioner
SHELTON, May 14, 2012 (Menafn - Kitsap Sun - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --Tim Sheldon, two years after saying he didn't plan to seek re-election as a Mason County commissioner, made his change of mind official Monday. He will run for a third term.
Sheldon was among many candidates filing to run for public office at county courthouses across the state and at the Secretary of State's office in Olympia. Monday was the first day that candidates could file.
Joining Sheldon, who also is a state senator, in the race for the Mason County District 2 seat are Roslynne Reed, a Democrat and Hood Canal School Board member; and Randy Churchill, a Shelton Republican who works as a real estate broker.
In Mason County District 3, Terri Jeffreys, Darrel Andrews and Ross Gallagher filed to run.
In Kitsap County, two incumbent Democratic county commissioners filed to run. Charlotte Garrido will attempt to hold on to her South Kitsap seat, while Rob Gelder will run in the north. Both are expected to face challengers.
In the 6th Congressional District, state Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, filed to run, as did Tacoma Republican Jesse Young, who ran for the seat in 2010. At least three other Republicans are expected to file.
In race for the temporary 1st Congressional District seat Bainbridge Island's Byron Holcomb filed to run as a Democrat, but at least two other candidates have announced intentions to run.
The state Democratic Party issued a release stating Snohomish County Council Chairman Brian Sullivan will run to fill the final weeks of the term vacated by Democrat Jay Inslee, who is running for governor.
Sullivan has been on the council since 2008 and previously was a state representative for six years, the mayor of Mukilteo and a Mukilteo city councilman. "His longtime service to the people of Snohomish County makes him a great choice to represent the 1st District, and I encourage Democrats to rally around him this summer and fall," said Dwight Pelz, state Democratic Party chairman, in a statement.
State Republicans blasted Democrats, because some of them pushed bills in both state chambers in 2010 aimed at prohibiting city, county or state elected officials from holding more than one office at a time. Neither bill made it out of committee.
In another statement GOP chairman Kirby Wilbur said Republican party officials would not work to find a candidate. "We are focused on the elections that count -- those that will bring proper representation to the people of Washington State," he said in the statement.
Another potential contender for the temporary seat is former Lynnwood City Councilwoman Lisa Utter.
Utter has a website dedicated to her run and told a Patch website reporter she planned to gather 1,780 signatures for her candidacy instead of paying that much in a filing fee.
In other races, Democrat Sherry Appleton of Poulsbo signed up to retain her Position 1 House seat in the 23rd Legislative District. Bainbridge Island Republican James Olsen filed to challenge fellow islander Drew Hansen, a Democrat, for the 23rd District Position 2 seat.
In the 35th Legislative District independent Glenn Gaither of Hoodsport will share the primary ballot with Republican Drew MacEwen of Union and Shelton Democrat Lynda Ring-Erickson. All three seek the Position 2 seat being vacated by Democrat Fred Finn.
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