News - Elections

POSTED: Monday, Jun. 22, 2009

More than 100 file for Whatcom County offices

There will be August primaries for several local races after the Friday, June 5, candidate filing deadline saw scores of people apply for positions across the county.

For the Port of Bellingham Commission's District 1 and 2 elections, the races are packed during a time when the community is seeking a vision to rebuild Bellingham's waterfront.

District 1 Commissioner Scott Walker will face longtime Bellingham civic volunteer John Blethen and business consultant Ham Hayes. In District 2, Commissioner Doug Smith is being challenged by Bellingham Lettered Streets neighborhood vice chairman Michael McAuley and lifelong commercial fisherman and former Bellingham mayoral candidate Doug Karlberg.

Meanwhile, one Whatcom County Council race, that for the At-Large position, also will have a primary. County Councilwoman Laurie Caskey-Schreiber, who won't seek re-election to her District 2 seat in order to vie for the At-Large position, will go up against Lynden businessman Bill Knutzen and former County Planning Commission Chairman Dave Pros.

Bellingham's Ward 6 seat, being vacated by retiring Councilwoman Barbara Ryan, will have a three-way primary among some people active in the community. Michael Lilliquist, Catherine Chambers and Christopher Morrison have filed for the seat.

Ferndale City Councilman Ken Downey will have three challengers in David Wilson, Jeff Stover and Jon Mutchler.

Lynden has a four-way race to fill the seat being vacated by Councilman Doug Adelstein, who has said he's too busy due to work. Rodney VanderWerff, Brent Lenssen, Bob Johnson and Greg Penner are vying for the seat. Councilman Gary Bode will be up against Scott Korthuis to replace Lynden Mayor Jack Louws, who wants to spend more time with family.

Though there's only one primary for the Whatcom County Council (races with more than two candidates have primaries), there are other races to watch in the Nov. 3 election.

Councilman Carl Weimer is being challenged for his District 3 seat by Lummi Island resident and small-business owner Michelle Luke.

Mary Beth Teigrob, who owns Everson's H&L Aluminum with her husband, Ed, will face off against County Planning Commissioner Ken Mann for the District 2 seat being vacated by Caskey-Schreiber.

Former County Councilman Dan McShane will vie for the District 1 seat being vacated by Councilman Ward Nelson against Bellingham's Kathy Kershner, a small-business owner and Navy veteran.

Bellingham City Council members Gene Knutson and Stan Snapp are not being challenged. County Councilman Seth Fleetwood is vying for City Councilwoman Louise Bjornson's At-Large seat against poet Yoshe Revelle. Bellingham Municipal Court Judge Debra Lev is also going unchallenged.

In Blaine, two City Council members have switched the positions they're seeking. Ward 2 Councilman Harry Robinson filed for the At-Large spot and will have no challenger. At-Large Councilman Charlie Hawkins filed for the Ward 2 seat and will be up against David Gallion and John George.

WHO IS RUNNING?

Candidates are listed in order they filed at the Whatcom County Auditor's Office:

Port of Bellingham

District 1: Scott Walker, John Blethen, Ham Hayes

District 2: Doug Smith, Michael McAuley, Doug Karlberg

Whatcom County Council

District 1, Position A: Dan McShane, Kathy Kershner

District 2, Position A: Ken Mann, Mary Beth Teigrob

District 3, Position A: Carl Weimer, Michelle Luke

At-Large: Laurie Caskey-Schreiber, Bill Knutzen, Dave Pros

Bellingham Municipal Court:

Debra Lev

Bellingham City Council

Ward 2: Gene Knutson

Ward 4: Stan Snapp

Ward 6: Michael Lilliquist, Catherine Chambers, Christopher Morrison

At-Large: Yoshe Revelle, Seth Fleetwood

Blaine City Council

Ward 1, Position 2: David White, Bonnie Onyon

Ward 2, Position 4: David Gallion, John George, Charlie Hawkins

Ward 3, Position 6: Paul Greenough

At-Large: Harry Robinson

Everson Mayor

John Perry

Everson City Council

Position 1: John Hammond

Position 2: Eric Oettel, Jennifer Lautenbach

Position 3: Bill Brouwer

Ferndale City Council

Position 5: David Wilson, Jeff Stover, Ken Downey, Jon Mutchler

Position 6: Lloyd Zimmerman

Position 7: Keith Olson, Brent Goodrich

Lynden Mayor

Gary Bode, Scott Korthuis

Lynden City Council

Position 4: Rodney VanderWerff, Brent Lenssen, Bob Johnson, Greg Penner

Position 5: Nick Laninga

Position 6: Tobey Gelder

Position 7: David Burns

Nooksack Mayor

Jim Ackerman

Nooksack City Council

Position 1: Daniel Bennett, Rena Guerin

Position 2: Linda Bylsma, Peter Lubetich

Position 3: Thomas Jones

Sumas Mayor

Bob Bromley

Sumas City Council

Position 1: Bruce Bosch

Position 2: Leige Clare

Position 4: Michael Quinn

Bellingham School District

Position 4: Rogan Jones, Steven Smith

Position 5: Michael Jay, Scott Stockburger

Ferndale School District

District 4: Lee Anne Riddle, Larry Hoffman

District 5: Troy Clark, Andrew McLaurin

Blaine School District

District 3: Susan Holmes

District 5: Mike Dodd

Lynden School District

Position 2: Gary Vis, Ted Linde

Position 4: Denny McHarness, Todd Lingbloom

Position 5: Rollo Van Slyke, Mike Haveman

Meridian School District

District 1: Craig Wasilewski

District 2: Karolyn Crabtree

District 3: Brian Evans

Nooksack Valley School District

District 1: Randall Wright

District 2: Stephen Jones

Mount Baker School District

District 1: David Smith, Jack Hovenier

District 4: James Freeman

Whatcom County Fire District No. 1 Commission

Position 1: Floyd Roorda

Fire District No. 4 Commission

Position 1: Harry Andrews, David Wright

Fire District No. 7 Commission

Position 1: Al Saab

Fire District No. 8 Commission

Position 3: Wallace Croy

Fire District No. 11 Commission

Position 1: Ed Scott

Position 2: Wendell Terry

Fire District No. 14 Commission

Position 1: Larry Moore

Position 3: RobRoy Graham

Fire District No. 17 Commission

Position 1: Anthony Cannizzaro

Fire District No. 18 Commission

Position 1: Connie Robinson

Fire District No. 19 Commission

Position 1: Tim Coralline

Fire District No. 21 Commission

Position 1: Dean Whitney

South Whatcom Fire Authority

District 1, Position 1: Lynn Trzynka

Point Roberts Water District 4 Commission

Position 2: Scott Hackleman

Water District 7 Commission

Position 1: Thomas Rhone

Position 3: Michael Webb, Bruce Siren

Birch Bay Water & Sewer District Commission

Position 1: Carl Reichhardt

Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District Commission

District 1: Thomas Hadd

District 4: Leslie McRoberts

Samish Water District Commission

Position 1: Robert Merrill

Water District 13 Commission

Position 1: Robert Vandenhaak

Position 5: Phil Cloward, Kaye Koenig

Water District 14 Commission

Position 1: Ray Sygitowicz

Evergreen Water & Sewer District

Position 1: Richard Banel

Position 2: Gerald Kern

Cemetery District 2

Position 1: Charles Baker

Cemetery District 4

Position 1: John Groom

Position 3: David J. Kratzig

Cemetery District 5

Position 1: Theresa Sygitowicz

Position 2: Kenneth John Ferry

Cemetery District 6

Position 1: Julie Hughes

Cemetery District 10

Position 1: Richard Decima

Northwest Parks & Recreation Commission

Position 1: Richard Sturgill

Position 2: Katy Montfort

Position 3: Terry Johnston

Position 4: Ted Morris

Position 5: Betty Sells Robertson

Lynden Park and Recreation District Commission

Position 1: Kevin Burke

Position 4: Terry DeValois

Point Roberts Hospital Commission

Position 3: Barbara Wray Wayland