Voters will have opportunities to hear from candidates for a variety of local positions in the coming week. Scheduled are:
County sheriff
The Twisp Valley Grange will host a forum for Okanogan County sheriff candidates next Tuesday (July 17) from 6:30-8 p.m.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. and light refreshments will be served. All candidates will have a chance to answer written questions collected from the audience as well as a few prepared questions. For information, call (206) 999-1898.
The Okanogan County Farm Bureau will host a debate among sheriff candidates on Monday (July 16) at the Performing Arts Center in Omak. Doors open at 5 p.m.; the event begins at 6 p.m. and is expected to last about two hours.
Panelists will ask questions and index cards will be handed out to members of the audience when they arrive so that they can submit written questions. The event will also be broadcast live on the Farm Bureau Facebook page.
Residents can send in questions to be asked by writing them on the Farm Bureau Facebook page, by emailing Jon Wyss at jwyss@jonwyss.com, or by calling (509) 433-7260.
Sheriff Frank Rogers said earlier that he was retiring. Six people have filed for the position: Michael Blake of Okanogan (prefers Republican); Kevin Newport of Omak (prefers Republican); Steve Brown of Omak (prefers Republican); Jeff Koplin of Tonasket (prefers Republican); Anthony Hawley of Okanogan (prefers Republican); and Court Creighton of Winthrop (prefers Republican).
Ballots will be mailed for the Aug. 7 primary election on July 18. The top two vote-getters in the August primary will advance to the November general election.
State Legislative District 12
The Twisp Valley Grange will host a forum for candidates running to fill the Position 1 and Position 2 seats in the state’s 12th legislative district, on Thursday (July 12) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Invited candidates for Position 1, which is being vacated by Cary Condotta, are Ann Diamond, JD Greening, Keith Goehner and C. Keiki Weigle. Candidates for Position 2 are incumbent Mike Steele, Valerie Sarratt and Alan Fahnestock. All Candidates will have a chance to answer written questions collected from the audience as well as a few prepared questions. For information, call (206) 999-1898
County commissioner
The Okanogan Citizen’s Action Network and the Oroville Grange are co-sponsoring a candidates’ forum for the Okanogan County Commissioner District 3 seat now held by Jim DeTro, on Wednesday (July 11) at Tonasket Elementary School. The forum will be from 6:30-8 p.m. Challenging DeTro, who is seeking re-election, are Salley Bull and Robert Fuchs, both of Oroville. Each candidate will give an introductory speech, followed by questions presented by the forum moderators, and then a question period for the public in attendance. For additional information contact Sandy Vaughn at (509) 485-2281.
Methow Valley residents don’t vote for the District 3 seat in the primary election on Aug. 7 – only District 3 residents will cast ballots. The two top candidates from the primary will advance to the November general election, in which all county residents will vote.
