Filing for elected office opened Monday and continues all week. In Grays Harbor County, there were few unexpected names.
County positions
Grays Harbor County Commissioner Vickie Raines of Cosmopolis has filed for re-election, stating no party preference. The position has a 4-year term.
Grays Harbor County Prosecutor Katie Svoboda, a Democrat from Montesano has filed for re-election. The position has a 4-year term.
Grays Harbor County Sheriff Rick Scott of Elma has filed for re-election, stating no party preference. Sheriff also is a 4-year term.
Janice Louthan of Montesano has filed to run for the Grays Harbor County Clerk position. Louthan currently is Chief Deputy Clerk. a party. County Clerk Cheryl Brown is retiring at the end of the year.
She’s been in the clerk’s office for 23 years, and she has held the elected clerk position for 17 years. Her tenure has been mostly clear of controversy. Last year, she saw some criticism when she notified senior congregation members of a newly filed warrant on her pastor — the Sheriff had said it might have made the pastor more difficult to find and could have impeded the investigation; however, the warrant was a filed public record and Brown’s action was legal.
Ken Albert of Montesano has filed for re-election to the county treasurer position, filing as a Democrat. Albert has had the unenviable task of essentially running for the position three times since taking office less than two years ago. First, Albert vied against other candidates for the appointment to replace then outgoing Treasurer Ron Strabbing. Albert won the appointment in November 2016. In 2017, Albert had to run for election to serve the remainder of Strabbing’s term. Now that term is ending and Albert has to seek election for his first full 4-year term in the position.
Grays Harbor County Auditor Chris Thomas of Montesano filed on Monday. Thomas, a Democrat, was appointed to the position in 2017 when longtime Auditor Vern Spatz retired. At the time of his appointment, other candidates tossed their names into the proverbial hat. Spatz was a member of the Democratic Party, so the Grays Harbor County Democrats recommended appointees to the county commissioners. Joe MacLean of Elma, a Republican, then had attended a meeting of the Grays Harbor County Democrats to ask for their consideration for the position. He was not recommended for the position. Now, MacLean also has filed for the position, a 4-year term.
Local courts
Former District Court Judge David Mistachkin of Aberdeen has filed for two years of an unexpired term for a Superior Court Judge position. Mistachkin was a District Court judge until Kyle Imler of Hoquiam won election to the position in 2016.
Mistachkin had applied for an appointment to the same position in September 2017 after Judge Mark McCauley retired. Judge Ray Kahler won the appointment and is expected to file for the seat, but as of Monday at 4:30 p.m. he had not.
Judge Imler has filed for re-election to his District Court position.
Other filings
Arie Callaghan of Elma has filed for PUD commissioner, a non-partisan office that comes with a 6-year term.
State Legislature
Incumbent District 24 position 1 state Rep. Mike Chapman, a Democrat, is being challenged by Jodi Wilke, a Republican. Incumbent District 24 position 2 state Rep. Stephen Tharinger, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican James F. McEntire.
