The Twisp Valley Grange will host a virtual candidates’ forum for some contested local offices on Oct. 14, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Invited to appear are the candidates for Twisp Town Council position 2, incumbent Aaron Studen and challenger Dara Perez; and the candidates for Cemetery District 2 commissioner, incumbent Carol Gaston and challenger Larry Smith. They will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.
Access the forum at twispgrange.com or on the grange’s Facebook page.
Email question for the candidates to wendallajb@gmail.com by Oct. 10.
Filing for the General Election closed May 21. Most incumbents will seek re-election, but a few will not. Most candidates face no opposition.
Okanogan County Prosecuting Attorney Melanie Bailey, who was appointed to the position earlier this year after the resignation of Arian Noma, must run for the office to fill out the remaining year in the term. She filed for re-election, and will not be challenged on the ballot.
Okanogan County Fire District No. 6 Commissioner Les Stokes did not file for re-election. Miles Milliken of Twisp was the only candidate to file for the opening. Longtime Methow Valley School District Board member Gary Marchbank will seek re-election, and will be challenged by Michelle Randolph of Mazama.
None of the three incumbents who are seeking re-election to the Winthrop Town Council will be opposed. In Twisp, Town Council incumbent Hannah Cordes did not file for re-election. Katrina Auburn will be unopposed on the ballot.
All the offices are nonpartisan except for county prosecutor. Bailey is a Republican. Here is the filings roundup:
Twisp
• Town Council Position No. 1, four years. Incumbent Hannah Cordes did not file for re-election. Katrina Auburn was the only candidate to file for the position.
• Town Council Position No. 2, four years. Incumbent Aaron Studen filed for re-election. He will be opposed by Dara Perez.
Winthrop
• Town Council Position No. 1, four years. Incumbent Kirsten Vanderhalf filed for re-election.
• Town Council Position No. 2, four years. Incumbent Joseph O’Driscoll filed for re-election.
• Mayor, four years. Incumbent Sally Ranzau filed for re-election.
Methow Valley School District
• Director, District 2, four years. Incumbent Dana Stromberger filed for re-election.
• Director, District 4 at large, four years. Incumbent Gary L. Marchbank filed for re-election. He will be opposed by Michelle Randolph of Mazama, who also filed for the position.
Okanogan County Fire District 6
• Commissioner, Position 1, six years. Incumbent Les V. Stokes did not file for re-election. Miles Milliken of Twisp was the only candidate to file for the position.
Okanogan-Douglas Hospital District 1 (Three Rivers Hospital)
• Commissioner Position No. 1 at large, two years. Incumbent David Garcia filed for re-election.
• Commissioner Position No. 2 at large, six years. Incumbent Leslie McNamara filed for re-election.
Cemetery District 1
• Commissioner, Position 2, four years. Incumbent Jennifer Northcott did not file for re-election. Timothy Anderson of Winthrop was the only candidate to file for the position.
• Commissioner, Position, 6six years. Incumbent Teresa Mathis filed for re-election.
Cemetery District 2
• Commissioner, Position 1, six years. Incumbent Carol J. Gaston filed for re-election. She will be challenged by Larry D. Smith of Twisp.
Okanogan County
• Prosecuting attorney, one year (unexpired term). Incumbent Melanie Bailey filed for election to the office. No other candidates filed for the position.
Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters starting Oct. 15. Oct. 13 is the last day to file a write-in candidacy without paying a filing fee.
Oct. 25 is the deadline for the Okanogan County Auditor’s Office to receive new voter registrations and voter information updates online. Nov. 2 (Election Day) is the last day for in-person registration.
For complete information about voting, visit www.okanogancounty.org/government/auditor/elections/index.php; or call (509) 422-7240 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
