Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, June 6, 2009

Primary election draws nearly 300 candidates

By David Chircop
Herald Writer

 EVERETT -- More than 175 local offices are up for election this year -- from the Snohomish County Council to city councils to school boards.

By Friday's filing deadline, 292 candidates signed up to run for something.

Any race that attracted no candidates will have a special three-day filing period to try to flush out some contenders. The special filing period begins Wednesday and closes Friday, said Garth Fell, the county's elections manager.

The Aug. 18 primary election will feature all partisan races, and any other race that has more than two candidates. The top two vote-getters for each seat -- regardless of party -- will advance to the November general election.

Three County Council contests with entrenched incumbents are among this year's races.

In District 1, in the northern part of the county, Republican Councilman John Koster of Arlington is being challenged by Democrats Ellen Hiatt Watson of Stanwood and Krista Larsen of Arlington.

In District 4, which includes Mill Creek, parts of Everett, Mountlake Terrace, Brier and Bothell, Councilman Dave Gossett, a Democrat from Mountlake Terrace, is being challenged by Republican Bob Meador of Mill Creek.

In District 5, in southeast Snohomish County, Councilman Dave Somers, a two-term Democrat from Snohomish, will try to hang onto his seat against three Republican opponents: Lake Stevens Mayor Vern Little and Steve Dana and Greg Stephens, both of Snohomish.

In the city of Everett, the mayor and three council positions are up. All of the elected positions open in the city are nonpartisan with four-year terms.

Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, who was elected to a two-year term in November 2003, then re-elected to a full four-year term in 2005, is being challenged by Jim Johnson.

Councilman Paul Roberts, who is seeking a second term for Position No. 1, is being opposed by Katie Duke.

Jeff Moore and John Flowers are vying for Everett City Council Position No. 2, which is being vacated by Mark Olson, who is leaving the City Council to run for the Port of Everett Board of Commissioners.

Council President Arlan Hatloe, who is in Position No. 3, is being challenged by Jackie Minchew.

The Everett School District Board of Directors has two open positions. Three candidates are competing for both nonpartisan positions.

Pam LeSesne, Jeff Russell and Bennie J. Walthall are competing for the director position held by Sue Cooper since 1984. Cooper, the ­longest-serving school board member in the district's history, decided against running for re-election.

Current board member Karen Madsen is running for a third six-year term against Annie Lyman and Jessica Olson.

Reporter Chris Fyall contributed to this report.

Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429, dchircop@heraldnet.com.

Filing for office

County Council

District 1: Ellen Hiatt Watson (prefers Democratic Party); John Koster (incumbent, prefers Republican Party); Krista Larsen (prefers Democrat Party)

District 4: Dave Gossett (incumbent, prefers Democratic Party); Bob Meador (prefers Republican Party)

District 5: Steve Dana (prefers Republican Party); Dave Somers (incumbent, prefers Democrat Party); Vern Little (prefers Republican Party); Greg Stephens (prefers GOP Party)

City of Arlington

Council Position No. 1: Steve Baker

Council Position No. 2: Chris Raezer

Council Position No. 3: Kari Ilonummi, Scott Solla, Brock Hecla

Council-At-Large: Linda M. Byrnes, Graham Smith

City of Bothell*

Council Position No. 1: Joshua Freed, Joyce Wojcik

Council Position No. 3: Del Spivey, Jeffrey Bogdan, Gerry Gawne

Council Position No. 5: Jennifer Armenta, Patrick Ewing, Adam Brauch

Council Position No. 7: Sandy Guinn, Tom Agnew

City of Brier

Council Position No. 1: Marc Olson

Council Position No. 2: Martin L. Krienke

Council Position No. 3: Dennis J. Nick, Mike Gallagher

Council-At-Large: Ona Gem

Mayor: Bob Colinas

City of Edmonds

Council Position No. 1: Priya Cloutier, Michael Plunkett

Council Position No. 2: Diane Buckshnis, Strom Peterson, Alvin A. Rutledge

Council Position No. 3: Ron Wambolt, Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, Lora Petso

Edmonds Municipal Court No. 1: Douglas J. Fair

City of Everett

Everett Municipal Court Position No. 1: Timothy Odell

Everett Municipal Court Position No. 2: David Mitchell

Council Position No. 1: Paul Roberts, Katie Duke

Council Position No. 2: John Flowers, Jeff Moore

Council Position No. 3: Arlan Hatloe, Jackie Minchew

Mayor: Ray Stephanson, Jim Johnson

City of Gold Bar

Council Position No. 1: Charles R. (Chuck) Lie, Ryan Chadwick

Council Position No. 2: Christopher Wright, Noel Frederick, Susan Forbes

Council Position No. 3: Richard (Rick) Merritt

Mayor: Joe Beavers

City of Granite Falls

Council Position No. 1: John Smith, Joshua Golston

Council Position No. 2: Wes Grigg, Elizabeth Adams

Council Position No. 3: Tom Fitzgerald

Mayor: Paul P. Lutz, Saleem Haroon, Lyle Romack

City of Lake Stevens

Council Position No. 1: Michiko R. McBride, Kim Daughtry

Council Position No. 2: Neal Dooley

Council Position No. 6: Kathy Holder, Tony Charity

Council Position No. 7: Will Brandt, Marcus Tageant

City of Lynnwood

Council Position No. 1: Kimberly Cole, Donald Chan, Michael Megill, Dan Swank

Council Position No. 2: Mark Smith, Douglas Ivar Kerley, Craig Parsons

Council Position No. 3: Ruth Ross, Kerri Lonergan, Bob Young

Mayor: Don Gough, Loren Simmonds, Lisa Utter, Jim Smith

City of Marysville

Council Position No. 1: Jeffrey D. Vaughan

Council Position No. 2: Donna M. Wright, Quinn King

Council Position No. 3: Jeff Seibert, Patrick Larson Jr.

Council Position No. 4: Jon Nehring

Marysville Municipal Court No. 1: Fred L. Gillings

City of Mill Creek

Council Position No. 1: Terry Ryan, Mary Kay Voss

Council Position No. 2: Donna Michelson

Council Position No. 3: Rosemary Bennetts, Vincent Cavaleri, Kathy Nielsen

Council Position No. 4: Bart (Tim) Masterson, Ken Bender

City of Monroe

Council-At-Large: David Kennedy

Council Position No. 1: Kurt Goering, Katy Woods

Council Position No. 2: Bridgette Tuttle, Patsy Cudaback, Paul Loots, R. Todd Fredrickson

Council Position No. 3: Tom Williams, Jeff Frye, Travis Brown

Mayor: Donnetta Walser, Mitch Ruth, Robert G. Zimmerman

City of Mountlake Terrace

Council Position No. 1: Rick Ryan, Ann Nygaard

Council Position No. 2: Jerry E. Smith, John Zambrano

Council Position No. 3: Andrew Funk, Douglas McCardle

Council Position No. 4: Jasmin B. Contreras, Kyoko Wright

City of Mukilteo

Council Position No. 1: Kevin Stoltz, Patty Cooper

Council Position No. 2: Richard C. Emery, Bruce Simpson, Ed Kunigonis

Council Position No. 3: Randy Lord

Mayor: Pat Smith, Joe Marine

City of Snohomish

Council-At-Large Position No. 4: Greg Guedel

Council-At-Large Position No. 5: Randy Hamlin

Council-At-Large Position No. 6: Doug Thorndike, Dean Randall

Council-At-Large Position No. 7: Marc Crawford, Tom Hamilton

City of Stanwood

Council Position No. 1: Conrad Ryer

Council Position No. 2: Timothy A. Pearce, Gerald (J.J.) Steik

Council Position No. 7: Leonard Kelley

Mayor: Dianne Warsinske White, Timothy Loney

City of Sultan

Council Position No. 1: Sam Pinson

Council Position No. 2: Steven W. Slawson

Council Position No. 3: Ron Wiediger

Council Position No. 6: Kristina Blair

Council Position No. 7: Jeffrey Beeler Sr.

City of Woodway

Council Position No. 1: Thomas Whitson

Council Position No. 2: Kent Saltonstall

Council Position No. 3: William W. (Bill) Anderson

Council Position No. 5: Elizabeth Mitchell

Mayor: Carla A. Nichols

Town of Darrington

Council Position No. 1: Gary Willis

Council Position No. 2: Sandi McCaulley

Council Position No. 2: John D. Rosselli

Town of Index

Council Position No. 1: Karen C. Sample

Council Position No. 3: Peter Gott

Council Position No. 3: Alex Gibb

Mayor: Bruce Albert

Arlington School District

Director District No. 3: Ursula Ghirardo

Director District No. 5: Jim Oday, Robert (Bob) McClure

Darrington School District

Director-At-Large District No. 5: Douglas R. Lenker, Aron Harris, Jentry L Wright

Director-At-Large District No. 4: Andrew L. Hatfield, Roy E. Bryson

Edmonds School District

Director District No. 2: Ann McMurray

Director District No. 4: Susan Phillips, Mark Zandberg

Everett School District

Director-At-Large Position No. 3: Pam Lesesne, Jeff Russell, Bennie J. Walthall

Director-At-Large Position No. 4: Karen P. Madsen, Annie Lyman, Jessica Olson

Granite Falls School District

Director District No. 1: Andrew (Drew) Mow, Richard (Rick) Short

Director District No. 2: Scott J. Jones, Rebecca L. Loney

Director District No. 3: Siobhan Sullivan

Director District No. 5: Ross Londerville

Index School District

Director-At-Large Position No. 1: Kimberly Ann Woods

Director-At-Large Position No. 2: Candy Lee Mattila

Lake Stevens School District

Director District No. 4: Kevin Plemel

Director District No. 5: John Boerger

Lakewood School District

Director District No. 1: Oscar Escalante

Director District No. 3: Ken Christiansen

Marysville School District

Director District No. 1: Mark Hatch, Heather Thweatt, Chris Nation

Director District No. 4: A. Michael Kundu

Monroe School District

Director District No. 1: Tom MacIntyre, Janan Elnasser, Ryan Moody

Director District No. 3: Greg Accetturo

Director District No. 4: Jim Scott



Mukilteo School District

Director District No. 2: Judy Schwab

Director District No. 4: Jeffrey W. Thorp, Ken Renfro

Northshore School District

Director District No. 1: Sue Buske, Julia Lacey, Arthur Hu, Jeff Wirrick

Director District No. 4: Sandy R. Hayes

Director District No. 5: Cathy Swanson, Todd M. Banks

Snohomish School District

Director District No. 1: Shaunna Ballas, Gregory Pratt

Director District No. 3: Josh Seek

Director District No. 5: Jay Hagen

Sultan School District

Director District No. 2: Tracy Cotterill

Director District No. 3: Steven Fox

Director District No. 5: Patty Fountain

Stanwood-Camano School District

Director District No. 1: Patrick Patterson

Director District No. 2: Roger Myers

Port of Edmonds

Commissioner District No. 1: Frederick G. Gouge, Patrick E. Vezetinski

Commissioner District No. 3: Bruce Faires

Commissioner-At-Large Position No. 5: Mary Lou Block

Port of Everett

Commissioner District No. 1: Troy McClelland, Mark Olson

*Correction, June 8, 2009: This article originally omitted several candidates for Bothell City Council.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA