Web posted
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Races getting few filers
State justices will hear case for state casinos
By DAVID A. SEATON
Traveler Staff Writer
daseaton@arkcity.net
With less than a month before the deadline, few people have officially filed for elected office in the Cowley County area.
Nobody has officially filed for state Legislature. Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, announced three months ago she planned to stand for re-election. But as of Thursday morning, she was not on the list of candidates on the Kansas Secretary of State Web site.
State Rep. Ed Trimmer D-Winfield, wasn't either.
State Rep, Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, has said she plans to make a decision soon whether to run for reelection to the House, challenge Goodwin in the Senate, or take a break from elected office after having a baby last month.
The deadline to file is June 10.
At the county level, several incumbents have filed for reelection. Gary Wilson, D-Arkansas City, will seek a second term in County Commission District 2.
Commissioner Carmelita Clarkson, D-Winfield, is game for another term in District 3. She has a primary challenger, John Mars, D-Arkansas City, a former USD 470 school board member.
County Clerk Karen Brooks, a Republican, has filed to keep her seat another four years. So has Treasurer Kathy Foust, a Democrat, and Nancy Horst, Register of Deeds, from Winfield
There will be a primary battle for the open sheriff's position created by the departure of longtime Sheriff Bob Odell.
Undersheriff Don Read and Winfield Housing Authority Director and former law enforcement officer Randy Emerson face off in the Aug. 5 primary.
District judges Jim Pringle and Nick St. Peter are both official candidates for reelection, according to the secretary of state's Web site.
Nobody has filed for county attorney, a position currently held by Democrat Chris Smith of Winfield. Smith has not announced whether he will run again.
Steve Abrams, the Arkansas City Republican on the state Board of Education, has said he will seek reelection. As of Thursday, he was not officially listed as a candidate.
Brooks, the county clerk and elections officer, said only seven people had filed for 50 township positions in Cowley County.
She said not many people are registering to vote, either, which seems unusual for a presidential election year.
"It seems weird that it's not picking up more by now," Brooks said.
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